Refugees from Syria Started Hunger Strike

The refugees who escaped from the Syrian military found shelter in three refugee camps in Antakya, a province in south-eastern Turkey bordering to Syria. The Yayladağı Camp was initially set up about two months ago, followed by the Altınözü Camp and another camp that was recently set up along Reyhanlı Road.

The refugee camps currently accommodate more than 10,000 people. About the same number of people is still waiting at the Syrian border to enter Turkey. At the same time, refugees with passports and official documents flock to the country. People entering Turkey officially with legal documents have the right to stay in the country for the duration of three months.

Hunger strike in Yayladağı Camp

bianet talked to an activist with Turkish citizenship who has part of his family in Syria. The activist did not want to have his name disclosed because he feared for the life of his relatives in Syria.

He drew attention to the fact that the refugees inside the camps are not allowed to communicate with the outside world. This also includes contact to the relatives left behind. The activist reported that the refugees in the Yayladağı Camp started a hunger strike in protest to this isolation.

He said that food, water and clothing were provided without problems as well as medical service.

"Yet, the biggest problem of the people in the camps is isolation. Refugees in the Yayladağı camp started a hunger strike after the Friday prayer [10 July]. The people in the camps are in a very bad mental state because they were forced to leave their families, homes and their loved ones. Visits, telephones and any kind of media are absolutely forbidden in the camps. It is not allowed to establish contact with anybody outside the camps", the activist described the situation.

"They started a hunger strike because they cannot receive any information about their families and their children. They protest this oppression applied by the Turkish authorities".

"Minor tensions with locals"

"The people seeking shelter in Turkey are Sunni. In general, there are not too many tensions between the Arab Alevi living in Antakya and the Sunni. However, now there are a few problems of course".

The activists explained, "When we were waiting in front of the camp for example, a Turkish citizen from Antakya entered Turkey via the Syrian border. He addressed the media representatives in front of the camp saying 'All the people in the camps are dishonest; there is no problem in Syria'. Thereupon, the people in the camp became angry. There are small tensions like this every now and then".

"However, these are sensitive subjects in Antakya and everybody shows the maximum effort to avoid discussions".

"More than 10,000 people waiting at the border"

The activists pointed to more than 10,000 people at the Syrian border who are still waiting to enter Turkey. The situation of these people is in the hands of the Syrian government, he activist said and underlined that reforms in Syria were essential.

He emphasized that the number of refugees was constantly increasing. "About 10,000 people have been waiting for three nights in the pouring rain without food. There are still many children waiting at the border. I have no idea why they are kept waiting".

"There are approximately 180 wounded people in hospital. Four of them have died. We were informed that a few people in serious condition were brought to Antakya". (EKN/VK)