Afghan Refugees Find a Harsh and Unfriendly Border in Turkey
By Carlotta Gall, 8/23/21, NY Times
For President Erdogan of Turkey, the burden of hosting so
many refugees — 3.6 million Syrians & over 300,000 Afghans,
among others — has become a burning political issue, esp.
as the Turkish economy has worsened. He has made clear he
has no intention of opening the door to more Afghans.
When photos emerged on social media of columns of Afghan
migrants walking through Iran toward Turkey in recent weeks,
opposition politicians accused Erdogan of negotiating a deal
with the EU, as he had done for Syrian refugees, to host
the growing number of Afghans who are arriving.
Erdogan has often used the migrant threat as leverage in
negotiations with the EU, while his police have long
conducted ruthless operations to control the numbers of
migrants & perceptions at home. But he has also railed
against Western nations for expecting less developed
countries to bear the migrant crisis.
“Europe, which has become a center of attraction for
millions of people, can't stay out of this problem by
firmly closing its borders in order to protect the safety
& prosperity of its citizens,” he said in a televised
speech last week. “Turkey has no duty, responsibility or
obligation to be Europe’s refugee depot.”
Erdogan warned Chancellor Merkel of Germany by phone
Sunday that his country “won't be able to shoulder the
additional burden” in the event of a fresh wave of
migration from Afghanistan. Turkey, he reminded Merkel,
“has already taken in 5 million refugees.”
Afghans interviewed in Van said Turkey had tightened
security along its border with a widespread and often
violent police operation in recent weeks, turning away
Afghans regardless of their requests for asylum.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/23/world/europe/afghanistan-refugees-turkey-iran-taliban-airport.html
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