BDP report on Syrian refugees camp
BDP report on Syrian refugees camp
A delegation of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) has announced a report concerning the Syrian refugees camp set up in Altýözü district of Hatay. Evaluating the camp as "an isolation camp", the report stated; "It is unacceptable to use Syrian refugees for political reasons. The Syrian government should change to a democratic government by making legal and constitutional amendments based on democratic principles. There are serious obstacles in front of the freedoms of thought, expression, different structures and beliefs. For example, the Kurds make up five percent of the population but they still do not have identities."
A delegation of the Peace and Democracy Party, consisting of BDP Deputy Co-Chair Osman Ergin, BDP Diyarbakýr deputy Nursel Aydoðan, BDP PM member Mihdi Perinçek and BDP Hatay provincial and district administrators, visited the camp of 11 thousand 716 Syrian refugees who were settled in camps in Yayladaðý, Reyhanlý and Altýnözü districts of Hatay.
The report of the BDP delegation which was prepared following interviews with local authorities and refugees listed the observed problems as follows;
* The refugees lost touch with the local territory and their freedoms are restricted. This is an isolation which will inevitably lead to unrecoverable traumatic cases in case of being prolonged.
* Refugees don't bear any observable symptoms of fear and anxiety caused by the violence that they have been recently exposed to.
* State authorities persistently define these people as "guests" despite the fact that international documents define them as refugees. This approach stands for a status deprivation of the refugees and it means ignoring the responsibilities given to Turkey by agreements. Legal responsibilities are disregarded.
*Despite the lack of a positive technical arrangement of the camp, the heating weather could cause serious health problems as refugees are still settled in tents.
* Although various TV channels have so far broadcast many pictures and videos of the refugees, the management of the camp closed a considerable part of the camp during our visit, not allowing us to make any observation or analysing. Our delegation didn't find this approach "convincing".
CALL TO TURKEY, SYRIA AND INTERNATIONAL POWERS
Making a call to Turkey, the AKP government, the Syrian state, international powers and institutions, the BDP delegation said the followings;
* It is unacceptable to use Syrian refugees for political accounts.
* The Syrian government should change to a democratic government by making legal and constitutional amendments based on democratic principles. The judicial and legislative bodies under the 40-year Baas-Esad government are extremely weak in Syria and people face serious obstacles before their rights and freedoms.
* The UN High Commissioner for Refugees should provide trust and security for these people before international institutions and enable them either to return to their homeland or to lead more healthy lives under healthier and more humanitarian conditions. Any kind of superficial attitude could result in serious health and social problems, traumatic cases in particular.
Translation: Berna Ozgencil
A delegation of the Peace and Democracy Party, consisting of BDP Deputy Co-Chair Osman Ergin, BDP Diyarbakýr deputy Nursel Aydoðan, BDP PM member Mihdi Perinçek and BDP Hatay provincial and district administrators, visited the camp of 11 thousand 716 Syrian refugees who were settled in camps in Yayladaðý, Reyhanlý and Altýnözü districts of Hatay.
The report of the BDP delegation which was prepared following interviews with local authorities and refugees listed the observed problems as follows;
* The refugees lost touch with the local territory and their freedoms are restricted. This is an isolation which will inevitably lead to unrecoverable traumatic cases in case of being prolonged.
* Refugees don't bear any observable symptoms of fear and anxiety caused by the violence that they have been recently exposed to.
* State authorities persistently define these people as "guests" despite the fact that international documents define them as refugees. This approach stands for a status deprivation of the refugees and it means ignoring the responsibilities given to Turkey by agreements. Legal responsibilities are disregarded.
*Despite the lack of a positive technical arrangement of the camp, the heating weather could cause serious health problems as refugees are still settled in tents.
* Although various TV channels have so far broadcast many pictures and videos of the refugees, the management of the camp closed a considerable part of the camp during our visit, not allowing us to make any observation or analysing. Our delegation didn't find this approach "convincing".
CALL TO TURKEY, SYRIA AND INTERNATIONAL POWERS
Making a call to Turkey, the AKP government, the Syrian state, international powers and institutions, the BDP delegation said the followings;
* It is unacceptable to use Syrian refugees for political accounts.
* The Syrian government should change to a democratic government by making legal and constitutional amendments based on democratic principles. The judicial and legislative bodies under the 40-year Baas-Esad government are extremely weak in Syria and people face serious obstacles before their rights and freedoms.
* The UN High Commissioner for Refugees should provide trust and security for these people before international institutions and enable them either to return to their homeland or to lead more healthy lives under healthier and more humanitarian conditions. Any kind of superficial attitude could result in serious health and social problems, traumatic cases in particular.
Translation: Berna Ozgencil
