Distortion of Reality and Demonization of Refugees: How Turkish Opponents Promote Living alongside Assad

The escalation of attempts by Turkish opposition figures, both political and influential, to promote the notion of safety and normalcy within areas under the control of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria has gained momentum on social media platforms.

Recent developments have seen some of these individuals visiting Syrian cities, meticulously disseminating recorded visuals and interviews, claiming that "everything is beautiful and livable" within these regions.

These efforts, which intersect with the Assad regime's desire to repatriate Syrian refugees prior to achieving a political transition and a secure, stable environment as outlined by international resolutions, highlight a growing narrative that challenges the refugees' presence in Turkiye.

As this discourse opposing Syrian refugees gains momentum in Turkiye, advocated by opposition parties pushing for their deportation, the Turkish government asserts that it is diligently working on the "safe repatriation of Syrians to their homeland, adhering to international and Turkish laws," as stated by former Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on May 27, 2023.

Turkiye currently stands as the largest host country for Syrian refugees, extending international protection to around 4 million individuals who sought refuge from the grip of the Syrian regime since 2011.

 

Narrowed Perspective

The visual narratives captured by Turkish figures during their excursions within areas controlled by the Syrian regime seem to adhere to a singular narrative, particularly focused on the regime-maintained tourist sites, which continue to shine despite economic collapse and dismal living conditions for citizens in these regions.

However, these individuals are not allowed access to the true security situation in Syria, nor are they privy to the extent of service shortages and the scale of destruction caused by the Syrian regime's aircraft and artillery.

Significantly, since 2011, the Assad regime's intelligence agencies have imposed stringent restrictions on filming and live broadcasting from within its territories.

Rather than addressing the overall conditions, these individuals have instead concentrated on visiting Syrian cities and towns under the control of regime forces.

Their efforts have led to portraying a semblance of normalcy, focusing on shopping centers, restaurants, local markets, and entertainment venues.

These YouTubers and Turkish opposition figures have inadvertently propagated the narrative of the Syrian regime, suggesting that the regime-controlled areas are "safe and stable." Their introductory videos, whether showcasing tourist attractions or depicting the everyday life of the capital, seemingly portray the continuous grasp of security.

They have limited themselves to conveying a single image that presents life in Syrian cities as having returned to normalcy.

However, the unequivocal truth is that entertainment venues within the capital or the coastal beaches of cities like Latakia and Tartus have not been subjected to the reach of the Assad regime's military apparatus. These areas have remained isolated since 2011, following the outbreak of the revolution.

International human rights organizations, spearheaded by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have repeatedly called upon the United Nations to cease programs that could incentivize the early and unsafe return of Syrian refugees to their homeland.

They have underscored that Syria remains unsafe for return, as communicated in a letter addressed to the United Nations on September 14, 2022.

Even the acting Head of the European Union Delegation to Syria, Dan Stoenescu, tweeted on September 13, 2022, that the conditions for the safe and voluntary return of Syrian refugees have yet to be met.

 

Promotion by Turkish Opposition Figures

One of the most prominent Turkish figures to spark controversy with visits to Syria is Ilay Aksoy, the Head of Migration and Social Policies for the opposition Democratic Party. She is known for her anti-refugee stance.

Aksoy visited the Syrian capital from July 5 to 8, 2023, traveling first to Beirut, Lebanon, by plane and then proceeding to Damascus by car.

According to the Turkish newspaper Sozcu, the purpose of her visit was to "observe Syria and conduct accurate analyses of migration, ensuring that Syrians in our country can safely return to their homeland."

Ilay Aksoy, a former member of the Turkish Good Party (IYI Parti) known for its stance against Syrian refugees, and later a member of the Democrat Party (DP) that also opposes their presence in Turkiye, has played a significant role in promoting the narrative of the Syrian regime, suggesting that its areas are "safe and stable."

During her visit, Aksoy focused on the price of bread in Damascus and claimed it was supported by the state. She stated, "We came to the Syrian capital, Damascus, to expose the lies of the Syrians in Turkiye who claim a scarcity of bread in Syria."

However, the truth is that Syrians didn't flee due to the price of bread; it was because of the Assad regime's brutality, including killing, torturing, and using internationally prohibited weapons like chemical warfare against them.

Ironically, the Syrian regime denied a visa to the extremist Turkish opposition leader, Umit Ozdag, known for his strong hostility toward Syrian refugees. This contradiction highlights the unrealistic nature of Aksoy's claims about safety and normalcy in Assad-controlled areas.

The attempt by Ozdag coincided with Ankara and Damascus working to improve relations through Russian mediation, including ministerial meetings in Moscow.

Turkish basketball player Kemal Canbolat also shared a video from Damascus on May 21, 2023, inside a nightclub, stating, "I went to a nightclub in Damascus last night. Those talking about war should pay more attention. The war in Syria is over. The nightlife flows, my friends."

Turkish YouTuber Bilge Kahraman previously conducted a tour in Damascus and Aleppo in March 2022, exploring tourist areas.

During his visit to Aleppo, scenes of destruction were clear around him. He also ventured to the tourist town of Maaloula in Rif Dimashq Governorate and captured images at the Deir Mar Takla church.

 

Trivializing the Syrian Refugee Crisis

In response to this, Syrian writer Ayman al-Sabbagh commented in an article, titled Human Beings Do Not Live by Bread Alone, Aksoy, published on the opposition website Syria TV.

Al-Sabbagh stated, "Ilay Aksoy should have known a significant truth—that the Syrian people sacrificed everything, including their basic sustenance, in their struggle to break free from the grip of tyranny."

He further added that Aksoy should have realized that it was the responsibility of those who advised her to enter Damascus under favorable conditions prepared for her. This scenario played into a devious scheme aimed at trivializing the Syrian refugee issue in Turkiye, primarily undermining its humanitarian significance.

He also pointed out that they sought to portray the matter as easily resolvable and persuade the Turkish public that Syrian refugees were not fleeing the Syrian bloodshed but were merely indulging in leisurely tourism. This narrative aligned with the growing sentiment among Turkish opposition parties opposing the Syrian presence in Turkiye, pushing for the refugees' return under the false assumption that Syria had become a safe haven with the availability of bread.

Aksoy, a Turkish political figure, has consistently vilified the presence of Syrian refugees in Turkiye. She shared a discriminatory video on Twitter at the end of August 2021, labeling Syrian refugees as "dirty" and accusing them of morally corrupting the residents of Sanliurfa City.

Back then, she alleged that Syrian refugees had caused various issues in the city, including significant moral disruption and changes in family customs among Turkish citizens.

She also claimed that the Syrians' extensive presence in parks and markets prevented Turkish citizens from using these public facilities.

Curiously, Aksoy mentioned on August 29, 2021, to Urfastar website that Turkish women could no longer walk the streets after 8 p.m. due to Syrian refugees. She also claimed that they were unable to use public parks.

It's notable that Turkish YouTuber Fatih Koparan also wandered through Syrian areas accompanied by a translator, filming tourist spots and restaurants, and conducting interviews with children and young people, focusing on topics distant from the political and security situation.

Interestingly, Kuparan undertook a tour in Eastern Ghouta on the outskirts of Damascus, where he spoke about the region being under the control of "extremist terrorist groups."

However, the reality is quite different. Eastern Ghouta had been under the control of the Syrian opposition from 2012 to 2018 before the majority of its inhabitants were displaced to northern Syria near the Turkish border following a large-scale military operation in which the regime used chemical weapons on April 7, 2018.