Effects of The Syrian Refugees On Turkey

Report No: 195, January 2015
EFFECTS OF THE SYRIAN

REFUGEES ON TURKEY
ORTADOU STRATEJK ARATIRMALAR MERKEZ

CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC STUDIES
Trkiye Ekonomik ve
Sosyal Etdler Vakf
ORSAM
Sleyman Nazif Sokak No: 12-B ankaya / Ankara
Tel: 0 (312) 430 26 09 Fax: 0 (312) 430 39 48
www.orsam.org.tr, orsam@orsam.org.tr

REFUGEES ON TURKEY
Prepared in Cooperation between ORSAM and TESEV
ORSAM Report No: 195

January 2015
ISBN: 978-605-4615-95-7
Ankara - TURKEY ORSAM TESEV 2015

Content of this report is copyrighted to ORSAM and TESEV. Except reasonable and partial quotation and
use under the Act No. 5846, Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works, via proper citation, the content may not
be used or re-published without prior permission by ORSAM and TESEV. The views expressed in this report
reflect only the opinions of its authors and do not represent the institutional opinion of ORSAM and TESEV.
Prepared by:
Oytun Orhan, ORSAM Researcher
Sabiha Senycel Gndoar, TESEV Director for the Foreign Policy Program
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Contents
Preface..................................................................................................................................................................5
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..............................................................................................................................7
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 10
I. GENERAL SITUATION OF THE SYRIAN REFUGEES IN TURKEY ......................................... 12

II. EFFECTS OF THE SYRIAN REFUGEES ON TURKEY ................................................................ 16
a. Social Effects ....................................................................................................................................... 16

b. Economical Effects ............................................................................................................................. 17

c. Political and Security Effects ............................................................................................................ 19
d. Effects on Public Services ................................................................................................................ 20
III. ANALYSES OF CITIES ....................................................................................................................... 21
a. Gaziantep ............................................................................................................................................. 21
b. anlurfa ............................................................................................................................................... 22
c. Kilis ...................................................................................................................................................... 24
d. Hatay .................................................................................................................................................... 25
e. Adana .................................................................................................................................................... 27
f. Osmaniye ............................................................................................................................................. 29

g. Kahramanmara ................................................................................................................................... 30

h. Mersin ................................................................................................................................................... 32
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................... 34
APPENDIX I- Institutions Interviewed .................................................................................................... 40
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Charts
Chart 1. Basic Data About The Refugee Camps Hosting Syrian Refugees ..........................................14
Chart 2. Syrian Refugees Living Outside the Refugee Camps.................................................................15
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PREFACE
We believe that NGOs are responsible for attracting attention to the refugee issue and
should take the lead in contributing to solutions. ORSAM (The Center for Middle Eastern
Strategic Studies) released a report in 2014 that examined the refugee situation in a comparative manner, drawing on extensive field research. TESEV (The Turkish Economic and
Social Studies Foundation) has also contributed to the process of public awareness about the
Syrian refugee crisis by organizing meetings and hosting workshops related to the issue. As
part of our ongoing research to understand this problem, we have jointly conducted a threemonth-long study based on visits to the cities bordering Syria. Interviews were held with
local authorities, NGOs, businessmen, academics, local communities and Syrians living in
Turkey. This joint research prepared by ORSAM and TESEV investigates the effects of
Syrian refugees on the countrys social structure, economy, politics and security. Findings
on these topics can be found in the study. Besides general classifications, each city hosting
Syrian refugees have a unique condition according to its demography, economy and political atmosphere. Thus, there are individual city analyses investigating the unique situation
in every city. The study is based on three main observations. First, a considerable number
of Syrian refugees in Turkey will either stay in the country for an extended period of time
or will live the remainder of their lives in Turkey. Second, based on the first observation, it
is crucial that Turkey prepare a comprehensive policy that includes preventative measures
to deal with possible negative reaction from the local communities. This issue is predominantly about social integration, and recommendations for decision makers are provided in
the conclusion. The third evaluation is related to diversity. If the integration process works
effectively, the Syrian refugee situation might contribute to an enhancement of the multicultural makeup of Turkey.
Although the report was written by Oytun Orhan and Sabiha Senycel Gndoar, many
people contributed to the study during fieldwork and preparation stages. We would like to
thank Ferhat Pirini, a faculty member of Uluda University and an ORSAM advisor, for
his help with the field research in Gaziantep and anlurfa and for drafting the framework
of the report in an academic perspective. Also, we would like to thank Mustafa Ald, a doctoral student at Bilkent Universitys International Relations Department, who worked in
the team conducting field research in Adana, Osmaniye, and Hatay, for his preparation of
the notes for the interviews and for translating the complete report into English. We also
thank Tun Demirta, a research assistant at Uluda Universitys International Relations
Department, for conducting the field research and interviews in Mersin. We would also like
to extend our gratitude to two TESEV program assistants, Zerrin Cengiz Ceren Zeytinolu,
and to the programs intern, Esra imek, for their help in setting up appointments for the
research. We would like to especially send our gratitude to the NGOs, local authorities and
communities for helping us bring this report together by accepting our interview requests
and by sharing their information. The list of the institutions interviewed can be found at
the end of the report. We hope that the study attracts attention to the living conditions
and problems of the Syrian refugees while also generating solutions for the problems in the
area. The burden of the refugee situation falls mostly on the shoulders of the border cities
in Turkey. We hope that this report can be an effective tool to convey the issues to decision
makers. Thank you to all who contributed to the study and to those who attended the
interviews. In the end, we hope readers better understand the refugee situation and realize
the steps needed to ameliorate it.
Assoc. Prof. aban Karda

President of ORSAM
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ORSAM Report No: 195, January 2015
Prepared by: Oytun Orhan, ORSAM Researcher

Sabiha Senycel Gndoar, TESEV Director for the Foreign Policy Program

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ORSAM CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC STUDIES

REFUGEES ON TURKEY
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Basic data about Syrian refugees in Turkey:
According to the official numbers, there
are 1,645,000 Syrian refugees in Turkey
as of November 2014. Unofficial numbers are estimated at around 2 million.
These numbers mean that Turkey hosts
a Syrian refugee population of 2.1% (officially) and 2.5% (unofficially) of its
population.
1.2 million people have been included to
the 10 million already residing in cities
near the Syrian border.
With the Interior Ministrys decision in
October 2011, registered Syrian refugees are given temporary protection
status. Under the temporary protection
regime, protection and aid is provided to
Syrians, covering regulations on indefinite residence, protection against going
back under coercion, and responding to
emergency needs.
85% of the Syrians live outside of refugee
camps.
500,000 Syrian patients have been sent
to the hospitals from the camps.
Syrians working in Turkey have reached
200,000 individuals.
According to Ministry of Health data,
35,000 Syrians have given birth in Turkey.
Turkey has spent 4.5 billion dollars on

Syrian refugees between April 2011 and
November 2014.
According to official numbers, aid from
the UN and European countries is approximately 246 million dollars.
Social effects of Syrian refugees on Turkey:
Differences in cultures, languages and
life styles make social integration more
challenging.
Polygamy among local communities is
spreading as a result of an increase in
divorce rates.
Child labor is spreading.
A suitable environment for ethnic and
sectarian polarization can be observed
at present.
Uncontrolled urban development is on
the rise.
In some bordering cities, there has
been disturbance due to changing demographics.
There has been a change in demography
(fertility rates, population increase, etc.).
The challenging living conditions and
lack of educational opportunities for
Syrian refugees might worsen certain
social issues in the long term. However,
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there have not been any serious law and

order issues as of December 2014.
Even if there are some issues between
locals and refugees, both sides have
developed some mechanisms that help
keep social peace. The fact that there
have not been many social issues thus
far shows the capacity of the receiving
and guest communities in dealing with
social problems.
Even if it is still problematic, the integration process has started. There have
been 35,000 Syrians born in Turkey.
Marriages between Syrians and Turks
might cause some issues, but they have
also helped with the integration of
refugee communities. Many investors
and small businesses have moved their
funding to Turkey. A large portion of
the Syrians in Turkey are made up of
children or youth. Even without proper
schooling, these young people have
been learning Turkish.
Economic effects of Syrian refugees on Turkey:
If the effect of the Syrian refugees on the
Turkish economy is examined in detail,
it is apparent that risks and opportunities are closely intertwined.
There has been an increase in rental
prices and, as a result, it is often difficult
to find affordable rentals.
There has been an increase in inflation
in border cities.
Hiring illegal workers is spreading, especially among small businesses.
There is unfair competition between
businesses that hire illegal workers and
companies that do not employ illegal
workers.
Locals believe that job opportunities have been taken away from them.
However, when investigated, the effect
is not existent. People who might lose
their jobs under normal circumstances
believe that they have lost their jobs because of Syrian refugee workers. In real-
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ity, Syrians are generally employed in

areas that locals are not willing to work
in. Thus, Syrians meet the demand in
unskilled labor.
Syrians filling a demand for labor creates a suitable environment for investment.
There has been an important decrease
in wages in areas with Syrian refugees.
The fact that humanitarian aid material
distributed to the Syrians in Turkey and
Syria are supplied from local Turkish
firms creates an opportunity for many
of them, especially those involved in the
food and textile industries.
Investors and merchants have moved
operations from Syria, especially from
Aleppo, to Turkey. Mersins harbor and
sea access make it a top choice for Syrians. Another city attractive to the Syrian investors is Gaziantep.
The number of Syrian companies registered with the Gaziantep Chamber
of Commerce was 60 before the Syrian
crisis. By the end of October 2014, the
number rose to 209.
It has been suggested that a large business opportunity has been lost in channeling Syrian investments to Turkey.
Syrian investors and merchant who
have good relations with the Middle
East contribute to the commerce and
investments in the region.
Syrians contribute to production related
to the smaller businesses (bakery, shoesmaking etc.). However, since most of
these small shops are unregistered and
they also escape legal responsibilities,
they result in losses in tax revenues.
Both situations cause unfair competition.
Effects of Syrian refugees on Turkish politics and security:
There are rumors among the public that
Syrians disturb law and order. However, this is not a correct assumption.
The number of criminal cases in which
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EFFECTS OF THE SYRIAN REFUGEES ON TURKEY
refugees are directly involved are very

low and, in most cases, Syrians living
in Turkey are the victims.
will minimize the negative consequences and maximize the benefits need to be
introduced.
The most serious security threat is a

risk of violent mass reaction, caused by
the provocations capitalizing on anger
towards Syrian refugees.
It is crucial to create an immigration

policy that includes the prevention of
reactions from the local communities.
The issue should be considered as a social integration problem. There should
be a holistic policy covering education,
working conditions, accommodation,
social services and improving the receptivity of the host community.
The biggest concern among people

living close to the borders is their perceived vulnerability to terrorist attacks.
The fact that Syrians live together in the
ghettos is a challenge to the integration
process. This situation may cause security problems in the future.
Effects of Syrian refugees on public services
in Turkey:
Hospitals in border provinces offer approximately 30% to 40% of their services
to Syrian refugees. Thus, there are capacity issues in the hospitals.
Municipality services (garbage collection, cleaning, public transportation,
water distribution, controls, etc.) are
planned according to the population.
Thus, the services are not sufficient
because of the rapid influx of refugees.
Municipalities receive their budget according to their population. But the
actual population of bordering cities
increased critically. Therefore these
municipalities are forced to serve people with limited supplies and budgets.
Conclusion and recommendations:
The initial presence of Syrian refugees
on Turkish territory, which was considered temporary at the beginning of the
crisis, has now become a permanent
one. The permanent nature of the situation is now affecting the psychology and
reactions of both the host community
and the Syrians.
Syrians will stay in Turkey for an extended period of time, and some might
spend their whole life in Turkey. If Syrian refugees are to become permanent
and a reality for Turkey, measures that
If the integration process works effectively, the Syrian refugee situation might
contribute to the diversity and the development of a multicultural structure
in Turkey in the long run. In addition,
the presence of Syrians can strengthen
bonds with neighboring countries and
help provide a better environment for
economic and political cooperation in
the future.
With the above realities in mind, many
points of action need to be taken into
consideration: officially registering all
Syrians, increasing the capacity of local
hospitals and educational facilities, facilitating work permits, providing more
authority to local administrations, coordinating between local and central
authorities, generating extra capacity
and budget for municipalities, creating
community leader groups among Syrians, preparing booklets and webpages in
Arabic, opening up new living areas in
the border cities, increasing international aid, increasing border security, fairly
sharing or distributing the refugee burden, developing programs for Turkish
people to accept Syrian refugees, correcting the Syrian stereotype, creating
a database to understand refugee movements, looking at the issue objectively
without political concerns, preventing
begging, bolstering the efficiency in law
and order, building a capacity for Syrian
refugees are the main points of action
that should be considered carefully by
the authorities.
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INTRODUCTION
The humanitarian factor is one of the crucial aspects of the Syria conflict that has
lasted now for nearly four years. According to the UNs official numbers, 191,000
people lost their lives. On the other hand,
according to the Syrian NGOs unofficial
numbers, 283,000 people lost their lives
so far. Approximately four million people
had to flee from Syria and around 6 million have left their homes in order to settle
in secure areas in the country. More than
half of the refugees outside the country
consist of children and youth under the age
of eighteen. A majority of these refugees
struggle to survive under challenging conditions outside the refugee camps. Syrian
refugees have been struggling to find basic
necessities such as security, food, shelter
and health services, let alone basic modes
of comfort. In addition, the refugee influx
has caused problems for host countries.
Tension caused by economic hardships,
social problems and changing ethnic and
sectarian balances have resulted in conflicts between the host country nationals
and the Syrian refugees.
Turkey hosts the largest population of
Syrian refugees among the countries
neighboring Syria. According to the latest official numbers, Turkey hosts over
1.6 million Syrian refugees as of November 2014. However, the actual number
of refugees could be around 2 million. In
many cities, chiefly those along the border, there are many Syrians who have entered the country through illegal ways and
have not been registered yet. The issue of
refugees in Turkey should be investigated
under two headings, namely Syrians living in the camps and those living outside
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the camps. The majority of refugees living

in camps have better conditions in terms
of access to the basic services and social
environment than the ones living outside
the camps. It can be stated that under the
coordination of AFAD, Turkey set an example for the world in the manner it establishes and manages camps in such a
dire situation.
Although the camps might be a good
place for refugees who live inside these
areas, approximately 85% of all Syrians
live outside them. Thus, the real or crucial
situational factors for refugees occur outside the camps, especially in the city centers where the majority of Syrians live. It is
a mistake to assume that the integration of
the Syrian community with the locals is an
easy and straightforward process. The initial presence of Syrian refugees on Turkish
territory, which was considered temporary at the beginning of the crisis, has now
become a permanent one. The permanent
nature of the situation is now affecting the
psychology and reactions of both the host
and incoming communities. Accordingly,
this study focuses on the impacts of the
Syrian refugees on Turkey.
To understand the effects of refugee influx
on Turkey, four different field studies were
conducted in the provinces of Adana, Osmaniye, Hatay, Kilis, Gaziantep, anlurfa,
Mersin and Kahramanmara during a period of three months. In these provinces,
NGOs, local authorities, community leaders, academics, members of chambers of
commerce and industry, local citizens and
Syrian refugees were interviewed. This report, titled Effects of the Syrian Refugees
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on Turkey was prepared with observations and data collected from field studies. First, an overview of the situation of
Syrian refugees in Turkey is presented. In
the second chapter, the effects of the Syrian refugees on Turkey will be examined
in relation to the economy, social life, security and politics. Because of the unique
nature of these effects in each city, the

third chapter is dedicated to a detailed
examination of different provinces. In the
last chapter, a general conclusion of the
study and recommendations for improvement of the Syrian refugees situation will
be presented.
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I. GENERAL SITUATION OF THE SYRIAN REFUGEES IN TURKEY

The influx of Syrian refugees to Turkey
began in April 2011. Turkey announced
at that time that it would apply an opendoor policy for these refugees. When
AFAD made their first announcement regarding the Syrian refugees in June 2011,
they reported that there were 8,535 individuals living in the camps established in
Hatay, Yaylada and Altnz. According
to AFAD statistics, the number of Syrian
refugees in Turkey reached 78,409 in August 2012. When this number was determined, Turkey announced that a critical
threshold would be around 100,000. However, the refugee flow from Syria has exceeded all predictions. Turkey continued
to accept Syrian refugees, even though the
numbers have increased dramatically. According to official numbers, by November
2014, the number of Syrians under temporary protection reached 1,645,000. There
are 16 different tent cities in 10 different
provinces, 1 temporary admission center
and six container cities that host 221,447
Syrians. The majority of Syrian refugees
not in these centers try to live in the cities
among local populations. Turkey is now
hosting many times more Syrians than its
critical threshold, which makes it confront
a multi-faceted refugee problem.
When the economic side of the refugee
issue is investigated, it can be observed
that Turkey has spent 4.5 billion dollars on
refugees. More than 500,000 people have
been sent to hospitals from the refugee
camps and, according to the Ministry of
Health, nearly 35,000 Syrians have given
birth in Turkey. Humanitarian aid which
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comes from the UN and European countries amounts to only 246 million dollars.
Even though the conditions in camps are
satisfactory, life is challenging for those
who live outside the camps in the cities.
Because Turkey accepted the 1951 Geneva Convection on the legal status of
refugees with geographical limitations, it
cannot accept Syrians as legal refugees.
Even though the individuals inside and
outside the camps can get their temporary
protection identification cards, because of
that reservation, they encounter the geographical limitations. Because of the geographical limitation, only people coming
from Europe with the fear that they will
be prosecuted for their nationality, ideas,
religion, political views or membership to
certain groups can get refugee status in
Turkey. The situation of those who apply
for refugee status in Turkey is negotiated
with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and if these
individuals are eligible, they are transferred to a third country. Thus, Syrians
in Turkey do not have refugee status and
they are considered guests in the formal
terminology.
With the decision of the Ministry of Interior Affairs in October 2011, Syrians registered in Turkey get temporary protection
status. Under the temporary protection
regime protection and aid is provided to
Syrians, covering regulations on indefinite residence, protection against being
sent back under coercion, and meeting
emergency needs. In addition, those living
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in camps are provided education, water,

food, shelter and health services. The majority of those living outside the camps are
only provided free healthcare and medica-
tion if they are registered. Those who are

not registered, often for various reasons,
do not have any rights.
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Chart- 1 Basic Data About The Refugee Camps Hosting Syrian Refugees (November 2014)
City
Camps
Altnz1 Tent City
Opening
Dates
09.06.2011
Altnz2 Tent City
10.06.2011
622
Yaylada1 Tent City
30.04.2011
546 (Triple divided)
2,816
Yaylada2 Tent City
12.07.2011
510
3,004
Apaydn Tent City

09.10.2011
Reyhanl Admission Center
Hatay
Total
Number of Container
and Tents
263 (divided)
Camp
Population
1,372
2,578
1,181Containers
4,965
Changes according to
daily data.
573 Divided+1.368
14,735
Tents +1.181 Containers
ncpnar Container 17.03.2012

City
Elbeyli Container City 03.06.2013
2,065
13,414
3,589
24,164
Kilis
Total
Ceylanpnar Tent City 01.03.201
Akakale Tent City
06.07.2012
Viranehir
Harran Tent City
13.01.2013
5,654
4,771
5,000
4,100
2,000
37,578
19.199
26,416
19.986
14,064
anlurfa
Total
79,665
10,674
Islahiye Tent city

Karkam Tent City
17.03.2012
28.08.2012
13,871 Tents + 2,000

Containers
1,888
1,686
Nizip1 Tent City
03.10.2012
1,858
Nizip2 Tent City
11.02.2012
1,000 (Containers)
5,029
5,369 Tents + 1,000

Containers
3,318
33.070
17,215
3,318
17,215
2,012
7,597
2,012
7,597
2,292
9,854
2,292
9,854
2,162
11,124
2,162
11,124
1,300
2,858
1,300
2,858
2,083
7,493
2,083
7,493
Gaziantep
Total
01.09.2012
Kahramanmara
Kahramanmara Tent
City
Total
Cevdediye Tent City
09.09.2012
Osmaniye
Total
Adyaman Tent City
Adyaman
Saram Tent City

Adana
22.09.2012
Total
28.01.2013
Total
Midyat Tent City
19.06.2013
Nusaybin Tent City
Under
Construction
Mardin
Total
Malatya
Beyda Container
City
Total
12.06.2013
Source: AFAD (The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency of Turkey)
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9,984
7,641
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Chart- 2: Syrian Refugees Living Outside the Refugee Camps (November 2014)
(Cities with 1000 or more Syrians are listed. These numbers only include registered Syrian
refugees. Numbers in the report include unregistered Syrians based on estimates by local
authorities and NGOs).
City
Number of Syrian refugees
stanbul
330.000
Gaziantep
220.000
Hatay
190.000
anlurfa
170.000
Mardin
70.000
Adana
50.000
Kilis
49.000
Mersin
45.000
Konya
45.000
Kahramanmara
44.000
Ankara
30.000
Bursa
20.000
Batman
20.000
rnak
19.000
Kocaeli
15.000
zmir
13.000
Osmaniye
12.000
Antalya
10.000
Kayseri
9.500
Diyarbakr
5.000
Adyaman
2.500
Samsun
1.230
Nide
1.100
Aydn
1.000
Source: Ministry of Interior Affairs
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II. EFFECTS OF THE SYRIAN REFUGEES ON TURKEY

In the initial phases of the crisis, Syrian
refugees were living in and around border
cities. Later, they began spreading around
the country. According to the data from
the Ministry of Interior, there are only
eight cities without any Syrian refugees.
Today, the majority of the refugees are living in the border cities, leaving aside the
big cities. As a result, the 10 million people who reside in these borders cities have
been struggling to host approximately 1.2
million refugees. Inevitably, the situation
is causing issues all around the country,
especially in border cities. The effects
can be categorized as follows: social, economic, political, security-oriented effects
and the effects of accessibility to public
services.
a. Social Effects
The issue of Syrian refugees in Turkey is
primarily one of social adaptation. The
difference in culture, language and living
style is one of the main reasons for various reactions from the local communities.
Besides, the increase in polygamy, a higher
divorce rates because of polygamy, women
and child abuse, social and sectarian polarization and urban sprawl can be listed
as the social effects of Syrian refugees in
Turkey.
A conservative culture is predominant in
Turkish border cities. Local communities
tend to react to incidents that might clash
with the local culture. One of the most
prominent changes affecting the local
culture is the frequent marriage between
Turkish men, be they elderly or young or
married or single, with young Syrian women. These occurrences have been happening mainly in Kilis, anlurfa and Hatay.
The marriages cause reactions among the
locals, especially among women of these
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urban areas. In all the three cities, divorce

rates have increased because of marriages
between Syrian women and Turkish men.
In the official data, these marriages do
not seem high since most of them occur
under the religious traditions, something
that may not result in official registration. For example, in Kilis, the causes of
20% of the divorces are speculated to be
because of Turkish men marrying Syrian
brides. Women have been complaining
that the fear of losing their husbands to
Syrian women has brought great pressure
on them. Also, the women of these cities
blame Syrian women for deceiving their
husbands. The most negative aspect of the
issue is that there is a market surrounding
the arranged marriages. Men who want to
marry Syrian women pay a middleman to
arrange a marriage, and then pay a dowry
price to the brides family. Syrian families
often consider arranged marriages to be
an efficient way to make money and also
to secure a daughters future. This phenomenon has been observed in anlurfa
and Kilis at greater rates than in other cities. Another negative aspect of these types
of marriages is that many of the brides are
minors, and these marriages may result in
child abuse.
Many Syrians living in cities prefer low
quality suburbs and neighborhoods because this means lower rents. Multiple
families live together in the same house
in dire conditions. This situation mainly
causes unplanned settlements and construction of shantytowns. With the expectation of extra income, locals often start
the construction of illegal building around
their houses or fields. They may also add
extra floors to their apartments. These illegal buildings put more pressure on the
already irregular city structures. Connected to this issue is the fact that this sort
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of illegal activity provides an environment

that may cause Syrians to get involved in
criminal activities. For example, because
of the harsh living conditions, some young
Syrian men end up being caught in drug
use or trafficking, while women may fall
victim to prostitution.
Another social issue caused by large refugee populations is child labor. Only a small
group of the children outside the camps
have access to education. The first reason for this is the inability of the Turkish
government and NGOs to offer sufficient
education to the refugee children. Another major factor is that Syrian parents
often have their children work instead of
sending to school. The economic and social desperation of many families results in
an increase of child labor. Many children
from Syrian backgrounds end up working
in factories, selling goods on the street or
begging in public.
Another concern in the border cities is
the rapidly changing demographics. The
rapid change and constant flow of people tends to cause feelings of insecurity
among the local community. This sentiment might not be so prominent in every
city, but citizens living in cities such as Kilis, Hatay, anlurfa and Gaziantep suffer
from a feeling of insecurity in a tangible
manner. Kilis is one city where this issue is
quite apparent. The city consists mainly of
Turkmens. Since it accepted a large number of refugees who are mostly Arab, the
local community has had the sense that
they are now the minority in their hometown. In Hatay, the same sentiment can be
observed among the Arab Alewite population. The fact that most Syrian refugees
are Sunni is changing the demographical
mosaic of the city. This change has, in
turn, caused feelings of lack of security
among the Arab Alewite population.
b. Economic Effects
When the effect of Syrian refugees on the
economy is closely examined, it is apparent that risks and opportunities are inter-
twined, and it can be observed that Syrians contribute in an important way to the
local and national economy. The most visible and common effect of the new population in all cities is an increase in rental
prices. The increase is an advantage and a
gain for the landlords, whereas it is yet another burden for those low income people
who rent. With an increasing demand and
higher rental prices, it is becoming difficult for renters to find affordable accommodation. Landlords prefer to rent their
properties to Syrians in some cases, because they can offer higher rent payments.
There are even rumors that some of the
landlords were forcing Turkish tenants to
leave so they can rent their houses to Syrians for a higher price. It is apparent that
landlords use the demand created by Syrian refugees as an opportunity. Another
effect created by the influx of Syrian refugees is the increase in the living costs. The
prices for basic food products and houses
for rent have increased, as there is more
demand. Therefore, statistics show above
average inflation rates in cities such as Kilis and Gaziantep.
The second complaint frequently mentioned is the use of Syrian workers in the
industry, agriculture and small business
sectors as illegal, cheap labor. According
to the survey findings of a report investigating the economic effects of Syrians on
Turkey by ORSAM, 40% to 100% of the
people who lost their jobs in border cities
believe that they lost their jobs because of
the Syrians. This perception causes strong
reactions from the local community because they think that Syrians are stealing
job opportunities. In reality, however,
there seem to be both positive and negative effects of the Syrians entering into
the domestic work force. In most cases,
a large part of those locals losing jobs do
so because of normal economic developments.
Employers want the Syrians to enter the
job market, but they want regulations to
be able to hire them legally. Given the possibility of accidents in the work place, unORSAM
17
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ease in the local community, and chances

for social tensions or disturbance, Syrian
workers are a worry for local businesses.
Furthermore, there are fears that a potentially unduly competition between the
companies hiring Syrian workers and
those that do not may appear, something
which might cause instabilities in the long
run. The possibility of such instability in
the job market is worrying both for employees and employers.
At the same time, there is a high demand
for new workers in cities such as Gaziantep and Kahramanmara. There are two
different opinions about the perceptions
that Syrians are stealing jobs from local
people. Interviews with businesses and
employers suggest that locals are not willing to work in factories and in agriculture
even though there is substantial need for
workers in these fields. Therefore, it can
be understood that Syrian refugees are not
stealing jobs from the locals; rather, they
are filling needed positions for unskilled
labor. In contrast to the views of employers, locals state that there have been cases
of layoffs in order to replace local workers
with refugee workers. There is a perception that the locals are losing their jobs because of the refugees even though in many
cases the reasons might be different. In
conclusion, even though Syrian refugees
might steal some job opportunities away
from the locals, the perceptual dimension
surrounding this issue is much more decisive among the local community. One of
the most important issues related to illegal workers is the low wages paid to these
individuals, and its probable effects on the
job market in the long term.
Considering all of the above-mentioned
negative aspects, it is possible to state that
Syrians contribute to the economy in different aspects. Most of the humanitarian
aid distributed to the Syrians in the camps
as well as the aid dispatched to Syria are
supplied through the local firms. Similarly, the firms in border towns also supply some of the humanitarian assistance
provided by the international community.
18
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This situation creates opportunities especially in textile and agriculture. This development helps increase the production
and recover exports from the sharp drops
due to the Syrian conflict. For example,
exports from Gaziantep to Syria amounted to 133 million dollars in 2011, and it
increased to 278 million dollars in 2013.
Although a majority of the Syrian refugees come from rural areas and belong to
lower income groups, some business owners and investors, especially from Aleppo,
have also come to Turkey. These groups
of high-income business people primarily prefer Mersin to settle in because the
commercial opportunities offered by the
harbor in the town have attracted these
groups. Another city, which had its business increase with the influx of refugees,
is Gaziantep. There has been a visible increase in the number of Syrian firms registered to Gazianteps Chamber of Commerce since 2011.
Despite the increase in capital flows in the
Turkish border cities, bigger opportunities have been missed in terms of attracting Syrian investments in Turkey. The Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce, though
speculative, maintained that around 25
billion dollars have been transferred to
Europe through Greek Cyprus banks. Although there is great opportunity, there
have not been a considerable amount of
investments by Syrians as of 2014. Conversely, another economic impact has
been the significant commerce generated
in Turkey by the businesspeople from
Aleppo who had great networks and relationships with the Middle East. These
merchants have been distributing Turkish products around the Middle East. Finally, Syrians businesses have had another
positive effect on the Turkish economy in
terms of creating an environment that attracts investors thanks to the flow of labor
force from Syria.
Syrians are also starting to contribute to
the manufacturing, though at a small scale.
Syrian shops, bakeries and shoe manufac-
ORSAM
turers contribute to the local economy.

Of course, these types of businesses appeal mostly to Syrians because they offer
products Syrians are accustomed to. Although they might seem positive at first
glance, another reality of these enterprises
is that they are predominantly illegal. This
creates disturbance among locals because
these underground businesses create unfair competition. As a result, there have
been a number of disputes between the
Syrian and Turkish business owners.
Smuggling in the border cities existed before the Syrian conflict; however, with the
advent of the crisis, it has increased considerably. Smuggling is now beneficial for
only a minority portion of the population,
while before the conflict it was an income
source for a broader group of individuals. This situation is especially apparent
in Kilis. Before the uprising, smuggling
was considered as a source of income by
people in Kilis. Families from Kilis used to
cross the border, fill their tanks with gas
and buy as many products as they could
for sale upon return to Turkey. After the
civil war, this trade disappeared because
of security concerns. However, now some
villages smuggle products in great scale.
Thus, while smuggling used to be an activity from which a larger group of people received their income, now it has become a
big income source for only a limited group
of people.
At the macroeconomic level, Syrians have
had an effect on budget and unemployment rates. Turkey has spent around 4.5
billion dollars on the Syrian refugees so
far. Also, in November, the unemployment rate reached double digits with a
rate of 10.1%. It is possible that Syrians
entering the job market has also had an effect on the unemployment rates in Turkey.
c. Political and Security Effects
The effects of the Syrian refugees on politics can be analyzed in two different ways.
First, there is the effect of Syrians on the
political environment. The possibility of
a conflict with locals, increasing security

concerns among the locals and political
polarization can be seen as the possible
effects on the Turkish political environment. Also, the political environment in
Turkey has a definitive influence on how
the Syrians are viewed in general. Political views sometimes cause people to approach Syrians in a more tolerant manner.
However, it also causes people who are
not in direct contact with Syrians to react
harshly to the issue of refugees, simply because of political preferences. Therefore,
it can be argued that the issue of Syrian
refugees is a topic that feeds an already
existing, polarized political discussions in
Turkey.
One possible security concern that could
be caused by the Syrian refugees is a violent mass uprising that might be caused
by provocations stemming from the existing anger and frustration towards Syrian refugees. Minor examples of such
behavior have already occurred in almost
every Turkish border city. If the current
conditions continue, it is possible that
the events that happened in Gaziantep
and Kahramanmara in July 2014 could
happen again in other cities. The most
dangerous consequence of such reactions from the locals is that the Syrians
feel the need to organize themselves and
provide for their security and justice. Recently, Syrians have been discussing the
possibility of organizing in order to protect themselves. Such a development may
result in small judicial issues turning into
larger scale conflicts. The possibility of
the organization of Syrian groups among
themselves is causing reactions even from
formerly friendly communities. It is also
creating polarization among the locals
and the refugees, and this polarization
may emerge as a barrier to integration.
One of the biggest fears of the locals is the
feeling of being vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Locals have the belief that among
the Syrian refugees there are people who
might want to punish Turkey and create
provocations. Some locals also believe
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19
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that it is very possible that there are individuals among the Syrian refugees who
are closely associated with Assad, ISIS
or the PKK. These beliefs are especially
widespread in the border cities such as
Kilis and anlurfa. Any judicial reprisal
or terrorist attack perceivably committed
by Syrians could affect the Turkish perception of all Syrians in a critical manner.
An event of that kind has the possibility of
turning into a bigger security issue. Thus,
it is crucial that local tensions be observed
very carefully.
Refuges living in cities continue their lives
in the ghettos of these urban areas. This
situation causes a serious challenge for
the integration process, but it also creates an environment that might produce
security issues in the long term. Also,
living under harsh conditions makes Syrians open to the possibility of getting involved in criminal and violent acts. It can
be said that youth growing up in poverty,
who have a sense of being outcasts or who
have identity crises, could be a source of
crime in the future. The locals state that if
precautions are not taken soon, these lost
generations might be the reason for an increase in criminal acts in the future. This
possibility means that even if it is not felt
yet, there may be more serious security issues in the near future.
d. Effects on Public Services
Syrian refugees living in the camps have
no difficulty in accessing basic services
such as health and education. If registered,
refugees in the camps can also have free
health services in public hospitals. Public
hospitals around the border cities serve
the refugees, which may take up around
30% to 40 % of their capacities. Because
of the high rate of service to the refugees,
hospitals in these areas have significant
capacity problems. In these hospitals, not
only the locals and refugees, but also people who are injured in clashes across the
border are treated. Because of the high
number of patients, hospitals are suffering from insufficient capacity in terms of
20
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the operational conditions and personnel.

Furthermore, locals who believe that they
are not getting the services they want and
need further aggravate the existing negative reactions. Another issue related to
the health service problem is the negative
effect on the health of the community at
large. Some diseases such as polio, which
was eliminated in Turkey many years ago,
have been newly detected. In addition,
Gaziantep reported the highest rates of
measles in Turkey in 2013.
Only the refugees who enter with a passport or have a residence permit can attend
government schools. However, there is a
language challenge for new students from
Syria who attend public schools. Other
than public schools that are supported
by the initiatives of Turkish NGOs and
various Syrians, other limited education
services are provided. Overall these initiatives are only a beginning. Nevertheless,
only about 10% of the Syrians living in
Turkish cities can access formal education. It is therefore clear that there is not
much immediate pressure on the educational sector. But, a lack of education
might cause a risk in terms of social issues
in the long term.
Another effect of the Syrians on Turkish
cities is the challenge of municipal services. With the influx of Syrians refugees
there has been a great burden on municipalities that oversee garbage collection, building inspections, traffic, public
transport, water supply, city cleanliness,
city police and cultural events. There are
burdens on the municipalities in two different ways. Firstly, since municipalities
are provided a budget according to their
population, with the flow of Syrians, they
now have to serve many more people with
an already limited budget. Secondly, the
infrastructure in the cities is designed to
serve only a certain amount of people.
With the rapid rush of huge number of
Syrians, several cities, such as Kilis whose
population doubled in a year, have encountered problems meeting the demand
for services.
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III. ANALYSES OF CITIES

The cities around the border differ in
terms of demographic structure, economy, culture and politics. Thus, the border
cities hosting Syrian refugees have unique
experiences. More specifically, each city
has had a unique reaction to the Syrian
refugees and has been affected in unique
ways by the refugee crisis. In this section,
eight cities will be studied and evaluated
as regards the various effects elaborated in
the previous section.
a. Gaziantep
There are 220,000 registered Syrian refugees in Gaziantep. It is estimated that the
number might be closer to 280,000 in reality, which is the highest refugee population
after Istanbul. In fact, people have been
immigrating to the city from all around
Turkey since the 1980s. The potential of
economic growth is the main reason for
domestic immigration. The ever-growing
economy is also a main reason for an easy
integration process. Groups of people
from different cultures and sub-identities
have come together with a common purpose, i.e. benefiting from stable economic
growth. By directing people towards productivity and integrating them into the
management of the city, integration issues
have been solved naturally. According to
the people in Gaziantep, the insurance of
the city is the industry.
The economic dynamism of Gaziantep
can be advantageous for the integration of
the Syrian refugees, but it could also become a risk factor. Because the economy is
the main bond in the city, any damage or
instability on economic sphere can cause
polarization, not just between Syrians and
locals but also among the locals. Therefore, it is imperative for the city to sustain
economic growth and stability in order to

prevent negative consequences.
Because of the reasons mentioned above,
business people in Gaziantep who are
aware of the problems with Syrian refugees decided to keep the events of July
2014 contained. Business groups are and
were aware of the fact that increasing tension in the city could destroy economic
growth. Furthermore, they have been trying to persuade the relevant stakeholders
to act in a responsible manner to solve issues related to the Syrian communities in
the city. Business people know that even
if the conflict ends in Syria, a majority of
the refugees will remain in Turkey. Thus,
they believe that plans for long-term integration should be implemented as soon
as possible. Considering the destructive
results of instability, business people from
Gaziantep do not care about cheap labor.
In contrast, they believe that regulations
for refugees to work legally in Turkey
should be in place as soon as possible.
Such a step is believed to be a step towards decreasing the existing tension in
the city, while also helping the integration
and providing a strong labor force for the
economy. In conclusion, business people
believe that Syrians should be integrated
into the society and the economy.
In Gaziantep, it is believed that Syrians
contribute to the economic growth because of their involvement in production
as well as consumption. Also, an important
number of Syrian investors have decided
to stay in Gaziantep. Before the revolution, there were only 60 Syrian companies
registered with the Gaziantep Chamber of
Commerce, but the number has reached
209 as of October 2014. These companies include traders and manufacturers.
It is not certain how much of an invest-
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21
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ment has been made by Syrians, although

it can be said that the increasing amount
of investment might hold an insignificant place in the citys booming economy.
Since many of the Syrian investors could
not get any business assurance, according
to local accounts, they decided to invest
in other places. These missed investment
chances might be a lost opportunity for
the city, in terms of turning a crisis into an
opportunity.
Exports from Gaziantep have been recaptured, after experiencing the shock of the
initial instability in the region. Between
January and July of 2014, export figures
increased 21% compared to the same term
in 2013. Of course, there are some disadvantages, such as increasing inflation because of the refugees. Kilis and Gaziantep
showed the highest inflation rates in the
country. While the avarage inflation rate
was 7.4% in Turkey, Gaziantep, Adyaman,
and Kilis regions had a higher rate with
8.51%. Even if it has one of the highest
inflation rates in the country, Gaziantep
does not show any serious symptoms of
a bad economy. City entrepreneurs are
actually more worried about the effects
of social risks related to the Syrian refugee influx and its effects on the overall
economy.
In terms of social integration, initially,
Gaziantep approached the Syrian community in a positive manner, but recently
the refugees have been considered as an
unwanted group. Syrians have settled in
the ghettos of the city which used to have
high immigration anyway. Attack towards
Syrians in July 2014 began in these neighborhoods, which had high crime rates in
the past. Thus, it can be stated that one of
the main issues in Gaziantep is that since
the Syrians settle in the ghettos with high
crime rates, they are more likely to be attacked. Even if the attacks were limited to
these neighborhoods, their effects spread
citywide. After the attacks, there was tension in the streets, shopping centers and
in other common areas. It can be said that
22
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with the advent of these recent events,

there is now a trust issue between the two
communities. Even if some of the refugees
have left after the events, many have remained in the city, but they usually do not
socialize outside their communities.
It was mentioned in interviews with Syrians that locals in the city had helped them
a lot; however, the perception has changed
with the long-lasting process of further
inflow of Syrians. The biggest result of
the violent events of July 2014 is that the
Syrians do not feel completely safe in the
city. The communitys reaction has caused
Syrians to consider organizing in order
to protect themselves. If the organization
process cannot be controlled in a way that
keeps a balance between the local community and the refugees, there is the possibility that conflicts will occur due to possible provocations or misunderstandings.
Although the recent clashes were limited
to the ghettos, it is apparent there is a
disturbance all around the city. There are
numerous causes for disturbance such as
cultural and linguistic differences, economic reasons, the reality that Syrian
refugees will stay for long periods, criminal acts committed by Syrians, and a feeling of unfairness, because aid is given to
refugees but not to the locals in need. In
the events of Gaziantep, socioeconomic
factors might have played an important
role, although provocations were a leading cause, as well. To provoke unrest, social media is frequently used. False news
spreading through social media such as
Syrians poisoned the water system or
Syrians killed a police officer caused reaction that led to the reactions in the city.
It should not be ignored that the situation
in Gaziantep is extremely vulnerable to
provocation.
b. anlurfa
In the city center and in towns surrounding anlurfa, there are approximately
150,000 registered and unregistered Syr-
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ian refugees living outside the camps. In

addition to that number, there are around
80,000 refugees living in the camps. Despite the high volume of Syrians, the situation in the city is relatively calm. There are
two reasons for the low occurrence of tensions in the city. First of all, the majority
of people in the city have familial relationships with the refugees. The city mainly
consists of Turkish citizens of Kurdish and
Arab origins, so are the refugees who came
to the city. Therefore, Syrian refugees are
usually hosted by locals who are relatives
from the same tribe. If a disturbance occurs, it is generally resolved without escalating into a serious dispute, because
of adherence to tribal law. Even if there
is no blood relationship, the refugees are
treated with respect because they share a
common identity with the locals. Hence, a
benefit of the citys demography is that it
is easier to solve integration problems because of the similar culture and language.
Another reason easing tensions in the city
is the efficiency of the NGOs in playing a
leadership role in the community. NGOs
have been bringing together community
leaders among Syrians, who played a crucial role in directing their communities
into more conciliatory approach. Community leaders have been making suggestions such as urging them for integration
and staying out of crime, arguing that the
wrongdoings of a few would be blamed on
all Syrians. These suggestions have helped
refugees to be more sensitive and positive
in their behavior. Thus, it is almost impossible to mention any issues of disorder
caused by the refugees. In conclusion, disturbance or unrest is not a high possibility
in anlurfa.
Low tension does not mean that there are
no problems in the city. Almost all Syrians
belong to low-income group. It is possible
to observe a certain annoyance among the
locals, due to the perception of losing jobs
to cheap labor provided by poor Syrian
workers. Although the increase in rental
prices is an issue, it is not as apparent as in
other cities in this study, since the city has

always had higher rates.
The growing idea that the Syrian refugees
will not go back has also caused some verbal disagreement. The biggest risk for the
city is the fact that the number of Syrians
exceeds 10% of the total population. In effect, the city does not want more increases
in the refugee population. It is believed
that decreasing the number by resettling
the refugees could be beneficial. Another
sour point with the locals is related to the
healthcare or lack thereof, and this is a
main cause of negative reaction from the
public.
It can be said that the biggest issue in
anlurfa is security. There is a common
belief in the public that there might be
some among Syrians who might want to
cause instability. Because of its location
on the border, this fear has reached critical levels. anlurfa has the longest border
with Syria and friendly forces do not exist across the border. There is a feeling of
vulnerability towards terrorist attacks because across from Akakale ISIS is active
and across from Suru, the PYD, an extension of the PKK, has strongholds. The biggest fear of NGOs is the risk of a change in
the peaceful acceptance of Syrian refugees
because of a terrorist act.
The most critical social issue related to
Syrian communities in anlurfa is the
second marriages. Due to these marriages,
there have been disturbances among local
women. Some of the men leave their families to marry Syrian women. As a result,
there might be social disturbances due to
the harm to the family structure.
In economic terms, the effect of the crisis is limited in anlurfa because of its
already limited business connection with
Syria. As a disadvantage, it can be said that
the investment environment in anlurfa
has been negatively affected by the crisis
in Syria. Besides, there has been a decrease in the exports from anlurfa due
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23
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the crises in Syria and Egypt. However, the

importance of exports in the citys overall economy is low, so the decrease in exports does not have much general effect.
Actually, many entrepreneurs think that
the refugees contribute to the economy
instead of harming, because they do the
jobs locals are not willing to do. There are
not many rich Syrians living in anlurfa,
so there has only been 2 million dollars
worth of Syrian investments in the industrial district of anlurfa, according to local estimates. These investments are only
a fraction of the citys overall economy.
Although there is not much contribution
in a large scale, Syrians still participate
in the economy by opening small shops
and other retail centers. Also, the camps
contribute to the city economy, because
supplies for these camps, which house a
refugee population of 80.000 people, are
provided by local companies.
center, there always has been historical

tolerance towards foreigners. Being one
of the first cities to accept refugees from
Syria, Turks approached refugees as generous hosts. They even collected funds for
Syrian refugees and some accommodated
Syrians in their extra homes. While helping new guests, locals thought that the situation was only temporary. They expected
Syrians to either return home or settle in
the refugee camps. With the realization of
the fact that these Syrians would not be
able to go back for a long time or could not
be settled in the refugee camps, the general attitude towards Syrians has changed
considerably for the negative. Moreover,
the uncertainty of the process adds to the
already existing negative sentiments towards the Syrians. As a result, most of the
aid that was once thriving for Syrians by
the local community has started to diminish.
c. Kilis
Kilis has also been struggling with the issues caused by its proximity to the border. The local community fears that there
might be criminals or escaped convicts
among the Syrians who might commit
crimes such as kidnapping. They think
that in the case of an event like kidnapping
they will not be capable of doing anything.
So far, there has not been any kidnapping
of a local. However, other refugees kidnapped some Syrians for ransom. Therefore, Kilis feels the negative effects of the
uncontrolled border between Syria and
Turkey in the most apparent way. In addition, locals believe that Kilis has turned
into a hinterland and a buffer zone for the
Syrian opposition. The fear of provocation and having people from the PKK or
ISIS around them is widespread in Kilis.
The biggest threat is the fact that the city
is vulnerable to mass protests that could
occur with little provocation.
The population in the city center of Kilis

is 84,000 and the overall population of the
province is around 129,000. By October
2014, the population of registered Syrian
refugees reached 98,000 in the city center.
NGOs estimate the number of Syrian refugees living outside the camps at around
120,000. In addition to these numbers,
there were 15,000 refugees in ncpnar
refugee camp and 24,000 in Elbeyli refugee camp. The refugees living in the city
exceed the local population of Kilis. As
a result, Kilis is one of the most affected
places by the refugee influx. It can even be
said that the people of Kilis feel like they
live in a sort of buffer zone between Syria
and Turkey.
Because the local population of Kilis is
mainly Turkish and the refugees coming
to Kilis are mainly of Arab descent, some
troubles were observed as a result of the
rapid mixing of the citys demography in
terms of culture and language. Actually,
since Kilis is situated on a main route that
leads to both a pilgrimage and commercial
24
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The economy of the town has been negatively affected by the refugee influx. First
of all, exports, which reached 30 million
dollars previously, fell to 10 million before
rising again to 20 million dollars. Howev-
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er, this is still below what it was before the

uprising in Syria. Previously an economy
partly based on smuggling existed in Kilis. Before the crisis, families used to cross
the Syrian border to fill their cars with gas
and other products in order to resell them.
An estimated 6,000 families, which means
almost 25,000 to 30,000 people, lived on
profits from smuggling. The population
engaged in these activities totaled almost
one third of the citys population. After
the crisis, the level of smuggling increased
but, consequently, the number of people
benefiting from it decreased dramatically.
Only a few villages around the border have
benefited from smuggling after the crisis.
That means 6,000 families in the city have
lost their income source. The positive
contribution of Syrians to the economy is
therefore limited, and only a few refugees
have good income. There is only one businessman settled in Kilis who invested and
does trade. Thus, the contribution is very
marginal. Some Syrians brought money
with them but that ran out rapidly.
The population of Kilis mainly consists of
Turkmen and is very homogeneous. Thus,
Syrians do not worsen an already existing
ethnic-sectarian problem. However, with
more Syrians now in the city than locals,
there is the possibility of ethnic polarization between Syrians and locals, as the local people of Kilis now find themselves in
the situation of minority.
Another issue regarding Kilis is that the
city is designed to accommodate up to
80,000 people although it is currently inhabited by 200,000. Consequently, the city
is burdened in terms of municipality services such as health services, garbage collection and traffic. Also, the city is serving 200,000 with funds necessary for only
80.000 people. The situation in the hospitals does not only cause health problems
but also psychological problems because
the hospitals in the town resemble war
hospitals. For the people in Kilis, it gives
them the feeling that they are living in the
middle of the Syrian crisis.
Besides all these limitations, street begging, problems with unregistered Syrian
vehicles, and security issues cause panic
in the city. There are also more serious
social problems caused by prostitution,
polygamy, and Turkish men marrying Syrian women. These occurrences contradict
the traditional conservative structure of
the community. Other issues such as unplanned settlements, culture clash and
increasing rental prices also exist in Kilis.
Therefore, it is possible to say that Kilis is
one of the most vulnerable cities observed
in our study. There are signs of this vulnerability such as disagreements between
Syrians and locals turning into negative
reaction towards the Syrian community as
a whole. Although the Syrians in the town
form the numerical majority, they still carry with them the psychology of a minority
and feel the need to organize in order to
protect themselves.
Overall, Kiliss citizens feel that they cannot handle more refugees. Thus, community leaders have suggested that if Syrians
are to remain for an extended period of
time, they must be resettled to other cities
in order to share the burden.
d. Hatay
One of the most affected cities is Hatay.
The city has not come to know Syrians
only after the crisis. The border between
Hatay and Syria was practically non-existent before the crisis given the deep crossborder ties. Almost every family in Hatay
has or had relatives across the border. As a
result, Hatay not only faces economic and
social problems because of the Syrian situation but humanitarian concerns, as well.
According to the United Nations data
from October 2014, there were 15,504 refugees in five different camps in Hatay region. The official number of Syrians living
in the city at the time was around 60,000.
However, the number is doubled when the
estimated number of unregistered refugees living in Reyhanl, Antakya and the
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25
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towns close to the border are added to this

amount.
Hatay has a heterogeneous demography.
The city is proud of its heritage. People
from different ethnic groups, cultures and
religions live together in peace there. Generally, the population of Hatay consists of
Turks, Alawite Arabs, Sunni Arabs, Kurds
and Christian Arabs. The towns demography means that it is a more sensitive
place for Syrian refugees. The biggest fear
in Hatay is losing the balance in the population in favor of a certain group. This fear
is especially present for Alawites.
At the same time, each group recognizes
they will be affected the first and most by
the unrest in the city. Some of the divisions created by the presence of the Syrians have already manifested themselves
on the streets. Granted, there is broad
acknowledgement that the community
leaders and city officials are handling the
crisis well. After the above-mentioned
street manifestations, the idea of furthering peace and togetherness in the city is
improving.
Although there were some issues regarding the refugees arrival, there has not
been any widespread reaction or protest
apart from the off-shoots of Gezi protests
in Hatay. It is important to mention that
there was not big unrest even after the
terrorist attack in Reyhanl in May 2013.
Even if there were rumors that some refugees left the city because of negative reactions following the attack, the numbers
and the current situation in the city does
not reflect that. However, there is concern
that some reports in local and national
news about Hatay are provoking unrest
and might cause discomfort in the community. For example, speculative news
about Syrians creating problems or about
some Syrians not paying their bills in hotels and restaurants perpetuates the dissatisfaction of the locals.
26
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The historical family relationships between Syrians and locals keep the social
environment stable and prevent any mass
disturbance in the community. Locals
maintain that 20% of the Syrians living in
city center stay with their relatives, where
they also receive emotional and physical support. Still, there are reports that
Hatay is like a ticking time bomb. Different groups have the common view that if
there is a spark of unrest, this could lead
to major problems. The fear of losing the
peace is a predominant sentiment around
the city. This fear actually prevents many
issues from being resolved.
In addition, the economic effect of Syrian crisis on Hatay is more severe than
in many other cities. Many citizens in the
city mentioned that Hatay has suffered
from the crisis more than any other city
in Turkey. Every branch of business has
expressed the fact that they have suffered
from the early stages of the crisis in Syria.
It is possible to categorize the economic
effects of Syrian crisis on Hatay in four
categories:
Direct trade: Hatays exports to Syria,
which amounted to nearly 118 million
dollars in 2010, fell to 56 million dollars
in 2012. Even if this number is expected to
increase in 2014, it does not seem possible
for exports to reach pre-war levels.
Transportation/transit crossings: Before
2011, Hatay housed the biggest logistics
companies after Istanbul because of the
citys trade with Syria. The logistics firms
provided countless jobs for the region directly and indirectly. Problems starting
after the crisis reached their peak when
the border was officially closed on July 20,
2012. Only a few logistics companies went
bankrupt, but if a solution is not provided
or alternative routes opened, this sector
might face dire problems.
Frontier trade/Informal economy: The war
economy was initiated in Hatay as it has
everywhere, with the advent of the war. In
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fact, smuggling has not stopped as some

suggest. In reality, only the products and
the smugglers have changed with the crisis.
Tourism: The tourism has mostly died
out in the city. However, the Syrian refugees mostly spend their money locally,
thus it provides a balancing effect for the
economy. Also, most of the humanitarian
supplies are provided by locals business,
so the economy still has some dynamism.
In addition to the sectors mentioned
above, banking also took a hard hit after
the crisis. It is reported that some Turkish citizens moved their funds elsewhere
because of security concerns. Contrary to
some other cities, real estate prices have
gone down because of the citys security issues. A majority of the refugees in
Hatay do not have the funds to make big
investments. Some of them participate in
the economy by opening small businesses
like barbershops or grocery stalls in open
markets.
Syrians in Hatay have done well in getting
jobs in entry levels. Of course, unregistered labor is still an issue, and there are
some groups who are disturbed with Syrians getting jobs in the city. It is believed
that people who can find a job in Antakya
will stay there even after the crisis. The
cultural and linguistic similarities make
integration easier for them.
In terms of security and order, the belief
that individuals from the Syrian opposition regularly come to Hatay has caused
some security concerns among the public.
Thus, the security forces increased their
regulations and checks. Although there
are not many Syrians opposition members in the city, concerns about this have
not totally vanished. A lot of people believe that it is impossible to totally block
and check the border. Thus, some people
come and go across the border in order to
fight or work. Even if there is a sense of
help or protection for the refugees, there
are some concerns about Syrian fighters

in the city.
There have been some judicial cases between Syrians and locals. The number
of cases was approximately 200 by June
2014, which is lower than expected considering the citys demographic and cultural structure. One of these cases was a
homicide committed by a Syrian against a
local. Such cases can spread through rumors and cause disturbance in the city. It
is believed that familial relationships help
maintain the order in the city. Since the
family and relatives offer a kind of protection, crimes such as theft remain low.
However, there is a perception that child
abuse and domestic violence towards
women is very high in Hatay. Also, it is
believed that there has been an increase in
multiple, informal marriages.
The life standards of Syrians living in
Hatay might not be high, but their integration process is better than many other
cities. Many of the refugees have found
accommodation thanks to their family relationships. In addition, it is evident that
the higher population of Arabic speakers
in the city has prevented possible language barriers to a great extent. Education
is still an issue in the city though the initiatives in this sector have increased.
e. Adana
Adana is less affected by the Syrian crisis
but the issue of Syrians has been a major
item on the local agenda. According to official numbers, there are around 40,000
Syrian refugees living in Adana. 11,292
of these refugees live in Saram tent city,
and the rest live in the city center. According to unofficial numbers, Adana hosts
over 50,000 refugees.
The community in Adana is generally
cautious and can, at times, be judgmental.
Thus, any kind of issue caused by Syrians
can easily turn into mass disturbance.
Contrarily, there is an atmosphere of sym-
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27
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pathy and generosity in Adana. When

compared to the other cities, the effects
of Syrian on Adana in terms of economy
and social life is very limited. However,
there are a number of people in Adana
who claim that they have been affected
from Syrians in a negative manner. The
main cause of the complaints is the idea
that Syrians are contributing to an already
existing unemployment and causing security problems.
The social effect of Syrians in Adana is
limited, compared to other cities. There
has not been any ethnic-sectarian conflict in Adana as of yet, although there are
concerns about it. Especially Alawite Arabs, who are a large group in the city, are
cautious and disturbed by the presence of
Syrian refugees. Thus, refugees do not settle in Alawite-dominated neighborhoods
in the city. Besides the Alewites, there are
some who are opposed to Syrians living in
the city because of nationalist ideas and
tendencies.
Syrians generally live in big groups in
neighborhoods with limited opportunities and low-income populations. Even if
it has not happened yet, the possibility of
more Syrians arriving and creating their
own neighborhoods is a matter of contention in the city.
When the economic effect is observed,
situations can be encountered where the
locals are victims or abusers of the refugee
population. The general public opinion is
that it is harder to get a job and the wages
are lower due to the Syrians in the city. In
addition, the firms affirm that some companies create unfair competition by hiring
illegal refugees. Upon closer examination,
the situation is different than what the
public states. The average unemployment
rate in the city might be high but there are
job opportunities in different basic job
sectors. Many people believe that there
are some individuals who are used to living on welfare and who are picky about
jobs. It is believed that they only use the
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Syrian case as an excuse. According to

some Syrians, they are simply filling the
positions locals do not want to take. Still,
it can be said that stronger regulations for
Syrians to work in Turkey could help both
the public and the employers.
There is not much investment by Syrians
in Adana. When direct commerce is examined, the rate of exports, nearly 43 million dollars in 2011, dropped down to 24
million in 2012. After the refugee crisis,
exports have picked up and have actually
reached higher levels than before the crisis.
In terms of security there are no signs of
any serious crimes committed by Syrians.
There have been small fights or conflicts,
but these are common among the locals,
as well. There might be rumors that Syrians cause some tension, but there is no
solid evidence of this. Until the middle of
2014, there have only been forty Syrians
involved in disturbances. There might be
some reaction from the community, but it
is only done verbally.
There are instances of child labor. The
insufficient education and lack of supervision of children make them vulnerable to
such problems. It is possible that children
growing up without an education might
cause bigger issues in terms of security
and order in the city in the future if necessary social and economic opportunities
are not provided. In fact, begging in order
to survive is already causing some problems in Adana.
When the living conditions of Syrians
are examined, it is apparent that the primary issue is accommodation. Syrians
living outside the camps are already on
their own in meeting their needs, with
the exception of health services. Health is,
seemingly, the least problematic issue in
Adana. Registered refugees are able to go
to hospitals free of charge and can get free
prescriptions, as well. There have been no
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complaints of an under capacity of work,

as in other cities.
It is hard to mention positive things about
education and shelter. As stated before,
refugees might have to work illegally to
meet their needs, and they are still living
in poverty. Refugees coming with money
have already spent their savings. Most
Syrians struggle to survive, and multiple
families live together in single houses in
bad neighborhoods. There is some aid
provided by local initiatives and NGOs,
but they are not sufficient and not well
coordinated. When compared to the demand, the aid provided is insufficient.
It is possible to make the same evaluation
in terms of education. The rate of people
who need basic education in Adana is
very high. According to unofficial numbers from NGOs, there are currently at
least 12,500 school-age Syrian children in
Adana. With NGOs initiative, a school is
opened which educates around 3,000 students. There are also language issues. It is
difficult to find good quality educators in
Arabic because Syrian teachers are offered
very low salaries.
Another issue related to education is the
fact that many Syrian families are reluctant to send their kids to school because
of security concerns. It is often mentioned
that if the school is far from where the
family lives, the family will not want to
send their children because of financial
burdens and safety concerns. Because
of the imperative of earning money, it is
particularly hard to encourage families to
send their male kids to school.
f. Osmaniye
According to AFADs statistics from July
2014, 9,051 of the refugees in Osmaniye
stayed in Cevdetiye tent city. There are
14,145 refugees living in the city according to official data. However, it is estimated that there are at least 20,000 refugees in
Osmaniye as of November 2014. Most of
the refugee population living in Osmaniye are of Turkmen origin while a limited
number are of Arab origin.
Since the refugee influx that came to Osmaniye is relatively low, there has been no
serious social disturbance in the city. Although there are some verbal complaints,
there are no serious issues revolving
around the refugees. It can be said that the
fact that majority of the refugees are Turkmen is helping to keep the peace. The biggest concern for the public is an increase
of refugees from different ethnicities. Another concern, as in other cities, is the increase in unofficial marriages.
Even if the Turkmen refugees provide a
positive dimension, there are still complaints from conservative and nationalist
groups. The individuals and initiatives
that organize and collect aid state that the
majority of the donations come from conservative people. However, the willingness
to help is decreasing among them. Another factor initiating and perpetuating dissatisfaction is the fact that refugees have a
different way of life.
Communication between the refugees
and the locals is very limited. The local
community believes that the situation is
temporary and does not want to consider
it a long process. It is frequently stated
that if the refugee number increases by
50%, there will be more serious problems
in the city.
The economic effect of the Syrians is very
limited in Osmaniye. Still, illegal employment of refuges might be an issue. It is
estimated that 2-3% of the refugees are
wealthy, and the rest belong to low-income groups. Most of the illegal workers
can find jobs in construction. According
to reports from locals, there are some
refugees who cross the border to go work
on their fields and who later come back to
Turkey. As an economic effect, the rents
are increasing. The 250-300 TL increase
in the rental prices makes landlords hap-
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29
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py, but it upsets the tenants. It is believed

that there are problems related to the real
estate sector in the city, but there have
been some initiatives to remedy this.
In terms of law and order in the city, officially there have not reported many cases
involving Syrians; however, there are rumors in the community about Syrians disturbing order. In 2013, there were 24 cases
involving Syrians and in 2014 there were
only 26 Syrians involved in court cases.
Many of these cases were resolved before
going to the court. Another issue mentioned in Osmaniye is that there might
be some refugees going across the border to fight and then coming back. These
cases are considered security problem and
cause some distress among the public.
There is no major report about the abuse
of women, but many confirm that unofficial marriages are occurring. One of the
major issues reported by the public, especially from women, is that marriage with
Syrian women is quite common.
When the living conditions of the refugees
are analyzed, the fact that Osmaniye is a
small city enables humanitarian aid to be
more efficient and coordinated. However,
accommodation and education are still
crucial issues as they are in other cities.
2,000 children living in camps have access
to education, while the ones living in the
city lack educational opportunities. There
is a school that will be opened soon with
12 classrooms that will serve 2,000 children, but this may not be sufficient.
g. Kahramanmara
In Kahramanmara, there are 17,000 refugees in camps and 40,000 in the city, totaling approximately 57,000 registered refugees. It is estimated that the real number
of refugees is around 75,000. The reason
for the difference between the numbers is
the unregistered refugees living in the rural parts of the province. Kahramanmara
30
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has a homogenous population because

of its limited domestic immigration. The
population is very conservative and inclusive. The reaction to the Syrians is
mainly determined by the helpful but easily provoked structure of the community.
On the one hand, Kahramanmara is the
least likely place where a negative reaction
towards Syrians may occur. On the other
hand, there is the risk that one little incident could turn into a mass disturbance in
the city. Mass disturbance may occur not
because the city is at risk for this type of
event but, rather, because the community
can be easily provoked. The one factor
that stabilizes the situation is the efficiency of NGOs in keeping the public from
moving in a negative direction. In addition, the painful legacy of the 1978 incidents in Mara has made the public, local
authorities and NGOs more responsible
and cautious.
After the incidents in July 2014 against a
group of Syrians, the city is better now. In
fact, these events helped the city decrease
tensions afterwards. The reason for the
decrease in tensions is the improvement
made in answering complaints from the
locals. It can be said that the reactions
before the incident had multiple reasons.
The flow of refugees, who came with a
different culture and a different language,
caused a reaction from the conservative
and closed segments of the community.
For example, Square Park in the center of
the city has become a place used by Syrians daily. Square Park and other parks are
even named Syrian parks because the Syrians are often using them. Moreover, usage of the parks till late hours, the large
crowds, the noise and some other behavior, which are not in line with the local culture, have caused a negative verbal attitude
towards Syrians. Also, this city, which had
little crime and beggars before, has many
beggars in the streets. This is one reason
for the negative attitude towards Syrians.
After the July incident, Syrians are less
apparent in city life. They have also devel-
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oped more acceptable behaviors that have

been adapted to the local culture. Local
authorities have also taken precautions to
prevent street begging. For these reasons,
it can be said that the atmosphere in the
city is calmer and a risk of a major disturbance is very low.
ed other businesses. As a result, this has

caused problems with local business owners. Attacks on stores with Arabic signs
during the July incidents were a result of
this problem. It was speculated that local
business owners were the primary instigators of these incidents.
The biggest fear of community leaders is

the possibility of provocations that seek to
trigger disturbance in the city, by capitalizing on domestic or international political
developments. For example, reports surfaced that urban myths played a big role
in the July incidents. An erroneous piece
of news titled A Syrian killed a police officer was the spark of the incident. Also,
articles such as Syrians cut open a pregnant woman caused mass protests. As in
Gaziantep, provocations were the main
reason for major disturbance. In addition,
the cultural layout of the city is open to
provocations. For example, during the
events of the July, most of the protestors
were young people between the ages of 12
and 20 who were easily provoked and acted irrationally. Another worry for locals is
that, on the one hand, they are concerned
about the fact that they are willing to help
Syrians as victims of war but, on the other
hand, that they may react if Syrians behave inconsiderately towards the local
culture. The perception of Syrians as victims is weakened by crimes, organization
against locals, and actions that go against
local culture. In contrast to the perception of the local community, involvement
in crime is rare in the Syrian community.
The real worry is that one criminal act
committed by a single Syrian might be
used as impetus to act against the entire
Syrian community.
In spite of the reactions from small business owners, big businesses do not show
any signs of contention with Syrian refugees. It can even be said that they need
and depend on the Syrian work force. The
public has made suggestions that Syrians
are stealing local jobs, but no real data
shows any indication of that. The unemployment in Kahramanmara is lower
than the national average. The work force
is needed to work in factories and in the
regions agricultural sector. In addition,
there is a new industrial district being
built which will need workers. Business
people in the city think that Syrians could
be a good resource for the new work force,
and that their legal issues regarding work
permits should be resolved immediately.
Consequently, it can be said that Syrians
contribute to the citys economy. Another
small contribution is that a few Syrians
made investment through local businesses. There are two Syrian textile factories,
but their contribution to the overall economy is not crucial. These two companies
employ only Syrians.
Another reason for negative reaction towards Syrians is the economy. Many Syrians have opened their own stores in the
city, and often these entrepreneurs do not
pay taxes, something that causes unfair
competition with local stores. In addition,
the increasing numbers of small businesses such as shops and bakeries have affect-
A staggering 150% increase in rental prices, a lack of available housing, and the fact
that landlords attempt to get rid of Turkish tenants to rent places to Syrians are
common problems in Kahramanmara. It
can be stated that Syrians cause less issues
in terms of security and social problems
in Kahramanmara than in other cities.
There has been no considerable increase
in the crime rates either. The citys homogenous demography has played a role
in keeping the peace, as well. However, in
the long term, an inclusion of an additional 10% Arab population to the city might
cause problems. Thus, business sector
participants, who are not concerned but,
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31
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rather, happy with the existing Syrian

work force, still do not want a new wave of
Syrians into the city.
h. Mersin
Mersin has experienced domestic immigration because of the Gulf War and
the situation in the southeastern region
of Turkey. Thus, the refugee flow is not
its first experience with foreigners. The
increasing population in Mersin might
be considered positive factor by some,
though there have been complaints about
the change in daily life in the city. The primary complaint is the fact that the citys
infrastructure remains unchanged even
though the population is increasing because of the refugee influx.
Official numbers from November 2014
show that there are 58,800 Syrian refugees
living in Mersin. 41,801 of these refugees
have either gotten their residence permits
or identification or they are on the waiting
list. However, it has been repeatedly reported that the actual number of refugees
might actually be closer to 200,000. The
majority of the refugees are Sunni Arabs,
Turkmen or Kurds.
The local population considers Syrians to
be a negative factor on the life in the city.
Locals also complain that refugees create
uncontrolled living environments. It is believed that wealthy Syrians prefer Mersin,
so the overall situation in this city is much
better than in others. This evaluation has
some truth in it since there have been significant investments in the city after the
crisis. Nonetheless, the number of these
wealthy Syrians is only a small portion of
the refugee population when we consider
the size of the refugee population in the
city. Therefore, it is hard to suggest that
things are positive in Mersin. There has
been a considerable increase in the already existing malaise about immigration
with more and more Syrians entering the
city. Most of the interviewees claim that
from the social life to traffic, Syrians have
32
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had negative effects on the city. It has been

repeatedly stated that Syrians try to live in
their own ways in isolated areas, and this
sometimes disturbs the locals to some extent. Some interviewees mentioned that
Syrian youth spending time together in
public areas have caused some concerns
among public.
In terms of the citys economy, it can be
stated that Mersin turned the Syrian crisis into an opportunity, and the effects of
wealthy Syrians in the economy is quite
visible. The number of Syrian firms active in Mersin was 25 in 2009 and by 2014
the number reached 279. Additionally, the
portion of Syrian firms in Mersin was 6.3%
in 2009, and it increased to 31% by 2014.
A positive effect can also been in the commerce with Syria. When commercial activities between Syria and Mersin in the
last five years are examined, there was a
drop in 2010 and 2011 and an increase in
2012 and 2013. Before the crisis, exports
from Mersin to Syria totaled 19 million
dollars in 2010. The number rose to 75
million dollars in 2013. The increase in
exports was 331% in 2013 compared to the
previous year. With the increase, exports
reached their highest point in the last 5
years. It can be said that exports have continued at this pace during 2014.
The reason for the substantial Syrian investment and increasing export in Mersin
is due to the relationships created before
the crisis with Latakia and the advertisement campaigns in Latakia before the
uprising. It is evident that the merchants
who settled in Mersin have continued
their trading with their old contacts via
Mersin. It has been reported that especially highly needed products such as
food and emergency supplies can be sent
to Syria from Mersin by using individuals
with contacts in Syria. This also gives a
boost to the economy.
In spite of the positive effects on the economy, it is hard to see any positive effects
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in the public sphere. As in other cities,

small and medium-sized businesses in
Mersin hire illegal Syrians and give them
very low wages. In addition to this, most
of the Syrians do not shop in local stores.
It has been observed that the positive perceptions related to previous immigration
have started to turn into negative ones
recently. A decrease of the shopping in local stores by Syrians, coupled with the fact
that they are starting to shop in their own
stores, might be a reason for the change in
attitude. The fact that most of the Syrian
businesses are not registered is also problematic for local businesses.
Although suggestions were made that unemployment in Mersin is caused by Syrians, it is impossible to make a valid evaluation of that. It is frequently mentioned
that illegal workers not only harm the
local economy but also cause problems
in the social structure by getting involved
in crime and disturbing the peace. When
the statistics on law and order were examined, the rates of criminal involvement
and criminal disturbance do not seem as
high as previously thought, however. Until
July 2014, there were 519 Syrians involved
in crime in the city. There have also been a
lot of complaints about unregistered Syr-
ian vehicles getting involved in accidents.

Citizens claim that these drivers often do
not take any responsibility for their actions. It has also been stated that, in contrast to periods before the Syrian crisis,
there has been a considerable increase in
the abuse of women, drug use, theft, and
gang activity at present. It is evident that
the locals are concerned about these issues. Another security issue is the belief
that several radical groups exist in Mersin.
Related to this, lack of sufficient security
in the city is also a concern for the public.
When the living conditions of Syrians
are investigated, the results seem to be
better than in many other Turkish cities.
However, there are still problematic issues concerning education, food supplies
and accommodation. Humanitarian aid
is organized by NGOs, but it is not stable
and sufficient. According to local citizens,
there are five schools in Mersin serving
Syrians. These schools educate 4,484 children and, in addition, nearly 1,000 students attend government schools. Health
service provision is not of the highest
concern. Registered refugees can get free
health service and drug prescriptions.
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33
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CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The Syrian refugee situation in Turkey
has become an integration and security
issue with social, economic and political
dimensions. As a result, it has been generally accepted that a policy based only on
providing the basic needs of the refugees
is unsustainable. Upon realization of this,
the institutions tasked with administering
the issue have been working on this dimension recently. Under AFAD coordination, camps have been set up in way that
can be an example for the world. However,
the life standards of Syrians living outside
the camps need to be reexamined and
changes need to be made. The suggestions
below may help in the establishment of a
policy on social integration of Syrians in
Turkey.
1. First of all, the studies on the number of Syrian refugees and those who
will remain in Turkey should be conducted in a more realistic manner. The
results of such studies can make a better contribution to policies and to the
steps that need to be taken. This study
shows that many Syrians will remain
in Turkey for a long time and some
may not go back even if the conflict in
Syria is resolved. If these permanent
guests are a reality for Turkey, measures that will minimize the negative
consequences and maximize the benefits need to be introduced.
2. If we assume that Syrian refugees
are permanent, there should be a
comprehensive Syrian refugee policy
that also includes actions to prevent
reaction from local communities. The
Syrian refugees issue should be considered as a social integration issue.
Accordingly, there should be a holistic
policy that includes work force devel-
34
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opment, educational development,

accommodation aid, health service
restructuring, a betterment of municipality services, and progress in terms
of host community understanding.
3. If the integration process can be
managed successfully, it can contribute to the diversity and improvement
of a new multicultural structure in
Turkey. Also strengthening bonds
with neighboring countries can help
provide a better environment for economic and political cooperation in the
future.
Based on this assessment, the non-exhaustive suggestions listed below could
be considered in future policies directed
toward Syrians:
Registration of Syrian refugees: There
is a common perception in the public
sphere that Syrian refugees can commit crimes without punishment. For
example it was frequently mentioned
during interviews that cars with Syrian
plates often simply leave the scene when
they are involved in accidents and that,
consequently, locals are unable to make
complaints. Also, there is a belief that
Syrians can cross the border and come
back when they commit a crime in the
cities where they live. These situations
create security concerns among people.
Therefore, registering Syrian refugees is
extremely important for the integration
process. Registration has been handled
by AFAD and the Police Department. It
was noted that a considerable number
of Syrians are still not registered. One
reason for this is that the registration
process started only recently. Additionally, refugees living in villages and
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rural areas are not informed about the

benefits of registration. Therefore, informational sessions and mobile registration services might be of great use.
In addition, a registration process for
Syrian vehicles may also prevent negative reactions from locals.
Building extra capacity for health and
education: Construction of new hospitals or increasing capacity in existing
hospitals can help ease the burden on
the existing system. In addition, there
is a need for more personnel in every
department of the local hospitals. By
allowing Syrian doctors to work in the
health sector may bear many benefits.
For instance, if the Syrian doctors can
work in basic health centers located in
neighborhoods populated largely by the
Syrians, it will both serve those people
and ease the burden on the health system.
Education can be the most important
part of preventing social exclusion. A
lost generation without good education
can lead to serious social issues, out of
low income of feelings of social exclusion. If the education problem can be resolved, a generation which contributes
positively to society and to the economy
can emerge. Therefore, the biggest step
to turn the Syrian refugee problem into
an advantage for both refugees and for
Turkey is education. There have been
important steps taken regarding university education. The Syrians who
have a high school degree or who have
attended college have the opportunity
to attend Turkish universities free of
charge and without entrance exams.
Besides this, the Presidency of Turks
Abroad and Related Communities have
been providing scholarships, free accommodation and university education
for a number of Syrian students. There
are two options for primary and high
school students. First, Syrians can get
their education in public schools with
Turkish students. In this case, students
can start their first grade with Turkish
children in mixed groups. Others who

start at a higher-level can get a year of
preparatory class to learn Turkish. The
advantage of this particular approach is
that Syrian children can learn Turkish
and schooling can commence sooner.
However, the approach entails a 15%
extra burden in student populations on
public school systems in the area. With
the developments made in Turkey in
recent years on educational quality,
the average class size has dropped to
29 students per classroom. However, if
Syrians students start attending school,
the class sizes will considerably increase.
The increase might cause negative reactions from the local communities.
Therefore, new schools have to be built
and new teachers have to be hired at the
governments expense. Another risk is
the discrimination between Syrian and
Turkish children. Yet another risk is that
the project might increase the possibility that more families decide to stay
longer in Turkey. Therefore, an option
might be the creation of a special system
for Syrian children. In that case, there
would be challenges related to providing a Turkish education in Syrian curriculum and training Arab teachers. In
addition, Turkish and Syrian curricula
should be modified according to the
needs of Syrian students.
Work Permits: Providing work permits
for refugees is a common demand of
businesses in every city. The business sector suggests that a 10% quota
should be given to businesses in order
to hire refugee workers so that negative reactions from the community can
be prevented. Especially in Gaziantep,
Kahramanmara and anlurfa there is
a need for a strong workforce. Providing work permits for refugees while enabling them to keep their foreign status
can eliminate unfair competition and
problems derived from it. In addition,
unfair competition between Turkish
and Syrians workers can be eliminated.
Currently, there is unfair competition
between Syrian and Turkish workers
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35
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because employers do not pay taxes on

Syrian positions. The plan can benefit
the government in terms of ending tax
losses, as well. In addition, work permits can help the integration process.
Preventing unregistered businesses
opened by Syrians can also ease tensions
between Syrians and Turks. (As of the
writing of this report, Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Work and Social
Security have been working a regulation
to allow for work permit.)
Giving more authority to local governments and enabling coordination between local governments and provincial
authorities: One of the biggest challenges in the struggle with the Syrian
refugee crisis is the lack of coordination
between central and local authorities.
Actually, local governments have better
information about the issue. However,
for different reasons, they are unwilling
to take a risk by acting without directives from the central government. It
could be beneficial to give more authority to the local governments in handling
these kinds of issues. NGOs also have a
better understanding of both the refugee situation and local communities. An
action plan to target each citys problems considering their unique environments with the partnership of NGOs
can be more effective in solving various
issues. Also, the burden of multi-faceted
issue of refugees should be distributed
to different government institutions.
The establishment of the Directorate
General of Migration Management under the Ministry of Interior Affairs and
Coordinator Governorship dealing with
the Syrians is a helpful step.
Building more capacity and providing
extra budget for municipalities: The cities with dense refugee populations have
a 10% extra budgetary burden on their
municipal services. Therefore, there is
a need for an infrastructure and a workforce to build it. The budget is given to
the cities according to their populations,
but the populations have increased criti-
36
ORSAM
cally with the refugee influx of recent

years. Thus, a rearrangement of city
budgets should be considered. The
problem here is that any extra budget
for cities with refugees can mean cuts
for other cities, which might create unexpected results.
Bring together groups of Syrian community leaders: Many of the problems with
Syrian refugees are due to a difference
in culture and life style. Thus, directing
Syrians towards adapting to local culture
is of great importance. Local authorities
and NGOs are doing a good job directing the Turkish population; however,
directing the refugees is still an issue.
If a group of community leaders can be
chosen among Syrian refugees it might
help overcome some issues. There is a
current practice by AFAD that might be
an example for this. In the camps, there
have been some mechanisms created
so that Syrians can become involved in
addressing problems and finding solutions. Similar practices developed from
such experiences can be used to address
the issues of Syrians living outside the
camps and help ease tension in society.
Booklets and Webpages in Arabic: Syrians are experiencing problems with
social relationships, in contacting government institutions, with reaching
basic services. Opening up web pages
in Arabic, publishing informative handouts or creating awareness programs
through NGOs can help overcome these
issues. These types of programs can help
refugees learn about where, when and
how to apply for something that can
help them better integrate into local
culture. This could also enable them to
learn what to be careful about in certain
contexts.
Opening up new living areas: It is necessary to build new areas for accommodation because increasing rents, higher
real estate prices, and the struggle to
find accommodation are serious concerns both for refugees and locals.
ORSAM
International aid: If we consider the

refugees desire for migration to other
countries from Turkey, the crisis can be
seen as an international issue. Especially
UNHCR, other international organizations and western countries have an obligation to help with the Syrian refugee
crisis. The countries can do more by not
only providing basic aid but by developing educational and health projects.
Distributing the burden of refugee populations in border cities: Another reaction

to the Syrian refugees is the density of
the refugee population in certain cities.
Cities with limited resources are forced
to handle the socio-economic effects of
the refugee crisis. Therefore, a balancing redistribution of refugees can have
a considerable effect on improving the
refugee crisis.
Increasing the border controls: Another

reaction from the public is the threat
of terrorist attacks. Because of uncontrolled crossings, locals have doubts
about the identities of Syrians. Increasing work on the control of the borders
and on the registration process can
decrease worries about attacks in the
communities.
Persuading the skilled Syrian labor force

to stay in Turkey: It is critical that an
economic elite may emerge from within
the Syrians community which will facilitate the solution of integration problems. Gaziantep is a striking exemple
for that. This city with its dense population of refugees has solved challenges
of social integration by integrating the
Syrians into administration of their
problems and by directing them towards
production. Providing opportunities to
Syrian businessmen is very important,
as well. Such an approach can contribute to both the integration process and
the resolution of economic challenges.
Another issue is that skilled Syrian labor
moves to the western countries while
unskilled labor and low-income groups
stay in Turkey. There are many doctors,
academics, teachers, lawyers and engineers among the refugees. These people
are unable to do their jobs in Turkey.
Most of them either leave the country or work in entry-level jobs. These
people can be used to create a group of
community leaders among the Syrians.
Additionally by providing them with
work permits, they can work in Turkey
and meet the demand for skilled labor.
Lastly, Syrians might be allowed to join
labor force, which will facililtate the
solution of the issues stemming from
unemployment or cooperation with the
government.
Enhancing public receptivity of the

Syrians in Turkey: People living in the
bordering cities of Turkey should be reassured. Authorities should explain to
locals that Syrians might stay for a long
period of time. There should be some
explanation about living with Syrians
and the reasons why Syrians are in Turkey. NGOs can play an important role in
this process because they have a considerable effect on the communities. NGOs
furthered this process by nurturing host
and guest relationships. Now, they can
help with the integration process. Also,
the local media is very effective and can
play a role in shaping public opinion and
awareness.
Ameliorating the Syrian stereotype:
Many Syrians come from rural areas,
so the perception of a Syrian is negative
in the community. Also, the images of
Syrian beggars on the street have caused
a negative stereotype that might harm
integration. To change these perceptions, some socio-cultural events can
be organized by showing aspects of different cultures and life styles to the community. Studies showing the social and
cultural contributions of Syrians can
also be shared with the public.
Approaching the refugee crisis independent of the political arguments: Discussions about Syrians are mainly politically charged. People who are responsible
for bringing attention to the refugee
ORSAM
37
ORSAM
issue might come under different accusations due to political bickering.

Also, some people who have never met
a refugee can be against Syrian refugees
just because of the influence of politics.
The reaction of Turkish people towards
Syrian refugees should be examined independently and objectively without
any political bias. Solutions should be
offered based on objective evaluations.
Also, reducing the social events only to
provocations and ignoring some root
causes can lead to bigger problems in
the future. The provocation and manipulation factor is evident in some social
reactions, but the fact that the environment is very vulnerable to provocations
should not be ignored. Protests are usually organized by limited groups of people; however, the whole city is affected
by them. Therefore, events should be
investigated in detail without being simply looked over.
Creating a database on changes in the
demographics of Syrians and possible
immigration movements: It is important to have information on the demographics of Syrians, immigration back to
Syria or other countries and their social,
educational and health developments. If
this information can be collected, it can
be useful to tackle future problems. In
this regard, plans should be prepared
according to different possible scenarios
for mid-term (5-7 years) and for the long
term (20-25 years). Having such a database on Syrians can help to develop
plans by using objective information.
Preventing begging: With the influx
of Syrian refugees into Turkish cities,
begging has dramatically increased. The
increase has caused security concerns
beyond simple disturbances. The number of Syrian beggars on the streets, in
traffic and in parks has caused worries
that theft, burglary, pick pocketing and
robberies could happen at any time.
Also, the issue of begging negatively affects the perception of Syrian people in
38
ORSAM
the eyes of their Turkish neighbors. Precautions by the local authorities could
be very effective in this case. For example, in Kahramanmara, the authorities
picked up beggars after the July protests
and took them to refugee camps. These
actions helped ease tension in the city.
Preventing the abuse of women and children: The negative effects in the family
and the abuse of women and children
have played a great role in creating a
negative perception towards Syrians in
the Turkish community. This type of
abuse is also a serious problem for the
Syrian community. Awareness activities
and suggestions from community leaders to denounce this kind of abuse, along
with formation of response teams for issues related to abuse, can prevent many
cases from occurring. In addition, swift
action against abusers by local authorities and judicial authorities can prevent
offenders from repeating their actions.
Opening up shelters for Syrian women
or allowing them to use existing shelters
can be a temporary but effective solution to this acute problem.
Providing effective solutions for issues of
public order: In spite of the high number
of refugees, there has not been a serious
public order issue caused by members
of the Syrian community. The involvement rate of Syrians in criminal activities is very low. Actually, in most of the
cases, Syrians are the victims in lawsuits.
In spite of the problems, there is a selfrestraining mechanism among the refugees and the locals in order to keep the
peace. Still, it is important to mention
that a risk of disturbance could occur in
public order. Some groups feel the need
to replace the authorities when they
think that there are not enough precautions in terms of order and security.
Therefore, the judicial system and security forces should be efficient in solving
and resolving problems between locals
and refugees. The authorities must do
this in a fair and judicial manner by act-
ORSAM
ing as fair referees in order to equally

protect the rights of both sides.
Creating social areas for refugees: Because of cultural and linguistic differences, Syrians cannot become involved
in many cultural activities. Facilitating the participation of Syrian women
young, and into about social activities
could prevent many social problems.
During the integration process, creating
a positive social atmosphere in which
refugees can benefit from many types
of social services can be a great help.
One good example is in anlurfa where
a mosque assigned to the refugees will
be built which has lectures in Arabic.
Building overall capacity for Syrian refugees: Building a better capacity platform
to serve Syrians can help in multiple
ways. If programs can be geared towards
this goal, creating a group of community
leaders, ameliorating the Syrian stereotype and integrating refugees into social
and economic life will be easier to realize. The international community is also
reconsidering their insufficient support
and has decided to provide more aid.
Directing international aid towards improving capacity for Syrian communities is a crucial step, as well.
ORSAM
39
ORSAM
APPENDIX-1: Institutions Interviewed (Chronological Order)

Adana Chamber of Industry
Adana Chamber of Commerce
Adana AK Party (political party) Provincial Headquarters
Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergence
Management Presidency (AFAD) in Adana
Gaziantep Mega TV (Local TV Broadcaster)

Municipality of anlurfa
anlurfa Chamber of Commerce and
Industry
Adana ADYAR (Adana Humanitarian

Relief Foundation
anlurfa NGOs Humanitarian Relief

Platform
Governorship of Adana
anlurfa IHH
Adana ukurova Development Agency
anlurfa Karacada Development

Agency
ukurova University in Adana

Osmaniye AFAD
Osmaniye IHH (Humanitarian Relief
Foundation)
Osmaniye Doaka Development Agency
Antakya Chamber of Commerce and
Industry
Hatay Altinozu Municipality
Antakya Newspaper
Kilis Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Gaziantep Mazlum-Der (NGO)
Gaziantep IHH
Gaziantep Chamber of Industry
anlurfa Arap-Der (NGO)

anlurfa Kanal Urfa (Local TV Broadcaster)
Syrian NGO RMTeam
Mersin Chamber of Commerce and
Industry
Mersin Kanal 33 TV (Local TV Broadcaster)
Mersin IHH Branch
Mersin Chamber of Artist and Artisans
Kahramanmara IHH
Kahramanmara Manet Gazetesi
(Newspaper)
Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce
Kahramanmara Gndem Gazetesi

(Newspaper)
Gaziantep Blblzade Foundation

(NGO)
Kahramanmara Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Gaziantep Governorship Coordinator
40
Gaziantep Silk Road Development

Agency
ORSAM
Rapor No: 195, Ocak 2015
SURYEL SIINMACILARIN
TRKYEYE ETKLER
ORTADOU STRATEJK ARATIRMALAR MERKEZ

Trkiye Ekonomik ve
Sosyal Etdler Vakf
ORSAM
Sleyman Nazif Sokak No: 12-B ankaya / Ankara
Tel: 0 (312) 430 26 09 Fax: 0 (312) 430 39 48
www.orsam.org.tr, orsam@orsam.org.tr

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Report No: 195, January 2015

EFFECTS OF THE SYRIAN

ORTADOU STRATEJK ARATIRMALAR MERKEZ

EFFECTS OF THE SYRIAN

Prepared in Cooperation between ORSAM and TESEV

ORSAM Report No: 195

Ankara - TURKEY ORSAM TESEV 2015

Assoc. Prof. aban Karda

ORSAM Report No: 195, January 2015

Prepared by: Oytun Orhan, ORSAM Researcher

ORSAM CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC STUDIES

EFFECTS OF THE SYRIAN

Turkey has spent 4.5 billion dollars on

CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC STUDIES

there have not been any serious law and

ity, Syrians are generally employed in

EFFECTS OF THE SYRIAN REFUGEES ON TURKEY

refugees are directly involved are very

The most serious security threat is a

It is crucial to create an immigration

The biggest concern among people

CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC STUDIES

the camps. The majority of refugees living

EFFECTS OF THE SYRIAN REFUGEES ON TURKEY

nature of these effects in each city, the

CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC STUDIES

I. GENERAL SITUATION OF THE SYRIAN REFUGEES IN TURKEY

EFFECTS OF THE SYRIAN REFUGEES ON TURKEY

in camps are provided education, water,

tion if they are registered. Those who are

CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC STUDIES

Altnz2 Tent City

Yaylada1 Tent City

546 (Triple divided)

Yaylada2 Tent City

Apaydn Tent City

ncpnar Container 17.03.2012

Islahiye Tent city

13,871 Tents + 2,000

Nizip1 Tent City

Nizip2 Tent City

5,369 Tents + 1,000

Saram Tent City

Nusaybin Tent City

Source: AFAD (The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency of Turkey)

EFFECTS OF THE SYRIAN REFUGEES ON TURKEY

Number of Syrian refugees

Source: Ministry of Interior Affairs

CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC STUDIES

II. EFFECTS OF THE SYRIAN REFUGEES ON TURKEY

urban areas. In all the three cities, divorce

EFFECTS OF THE SYRIAN REFUGEES ON TURKEY

of illegal activity provides an environment

CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC STUDIES

ease in the local community, and chances

EFFECTS OF THE SYRIAN REFUGEES ON TURKEY

turers contribute to the local economy.

a conflict with locals, increasing security

CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC STUDIES