The Central Executive Board of Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) released a statement on the Turkish state’s use of refugees as a tool to blackmail Europe.

The statement includes the following:

“After 33 Turkish soldiers lost their lives in Idlib region of Syria, Turkey declared on 27th February 2020, that the refugees would not be prevented from going to Europe. Simultaneously, the AKP-MHP regime transported the refugees in Turkey to the border region in Edirne, Çanakkale and İzmir. Upon this announcement, thousands of refugees from different cities all over Turkey have begun to go to Pazarkule Border Gate with the hope that they can get out of the inhuman conditions they are in. While the mainstream media and Minister of Internal Affairs are giving unreal numbers to increase the rush to the border, the government does not allow the refugees who want to get out of the buffer zone in Pazarkule at the border between Turkey and Greece and to come back to Turkey.

This must be asked first: Why do the refugees who escaped from war, death and poverty and had to take refuge in Turkey want to escape from here?

Because, for the refugees who cannot reach the most basic rights such as health, education or working, who experience issues iike exclusion, marginalisation or poverty, who cannot or can hardly provide their basic needs, “leaving for Europe” is “an excellent dream” even though it is not certain what it will bring along.

The refugees who have taken refuge in Turkey haven’t got the refugee status described in international law. They don’t have humanistic sheltering conditions. They have to live in the same flat with 15-20 people and 3 or 4 families. They cannot benefit even from the most basic health services. They cannot take their medicine and some openly wait to die. As they don’t have work permit, they work uninsured and under unsecured conditions with earnings far under life salary. As they do not have any registry, they cannot object to any injustice in their workplaces where they have been exploited, they have to face racist discourses and they are under the threat of fascist assaults. They are like modern slaves who work during the day and the night in aggravated circumstances without any humane opportunities. The refugees are trying to escape from Turkey to get rid of these inhumane conditions by taking risks such as losing their lives, being shot by the security forces or freezing to death while crossing the Aegean Sea or the Evros River.

On the other hand, civil deaths are occurring in the ongoing conflicts because of Turkey’s expansionist and warmongering policies in Idlib and even hospitals are targeted. The rights to live of the civilians that are guaranteed to be protected under the international agreements even in war and right to access to health services of all people including non-civilians have been ignored. Turkey hasn’t opened its border for the 800 thousand civil Syrian survivors waiting at the Turkey-Syria border zone because of the conflicts in Idlib for which Turkey itself is responsible, too. It assumes no responsibility for either the killing of or the massacre and displacement of the local people. AKP-MHP regime is trying to hide its expansionist goals and its support for the jihadist gangs in Idlib under the discourse of “national matter”. They label everybody who does not support the war policy as “traitor”. They send the poor young people to death. For what? To support the jihadist terrorist organizations in the middle of Syria!

The Greek Government, on the other hand, has been spreading hatred and fear through Europe and Greece with the myth of “the influx of illegal immigrants” that has been triggered by Erdogan’s remarks. The refugees who have gone to the border have been prevented in various ways by the Greek police for days. While they have been exposed to gas bombs continuously, lots of refugees who attempt to cross into Europe through Maritza by boats are being sent to Turkey back or arrested after torture and maltreatment. Four refugees died on a boat that capsized and three were shot dead by the Greek police. While both EU and Turkey are responsible for the refugee policy being made into political blackmail, only refugees suffer the consequences.

President Erdogan continues promising death to the people by saying “The Hill of the Martyrs won’t be abandoned”. He also makes his promise repeated by Tansu Ciller who is one of the master builders of the notorious 90s marked by unidentified murders, burning down of Kurdish villages and massacres. This promise is coming true with the increasing deaths of soldiers in Syria. The anger and reaction of the society and democratic opposition asking, “what do we have to do there?” is responded with pressure, bans and arrests.

We, as Peoples’ Democratic Congress, want the Syria war to stop as soon as possible and want peace to be established there with the free wills of the Syrian people. We demand that no refugee be forced to return, their access to their rights be guaranteed and consequently refugee rights be valid everywhere and in every condition.

The refugees waiting at the border have vital problems of nutrition, shelter and health. Their most basic needs should be provided at first. Their rights should be respected under refugee law in Turkey. The most basic rights such as education, shelter and working should be guaranteed. The border gates shut by EU and Greece against the refugees escaping from death should be opened immediately. The use of refugees as a means of political bargain should be stopped and the existing humanitarian crisis should be solved. It is a must to make policies and practices for equality and against discrimination towards all the fractions living in Turkey real in every part of the society and in every step to ensure their rights.

We, as HDK, have always said that: No matter what their race, religion, nationality, membership of a social group or political view is, everybody has the right to live honourably and this right must be preserved in every condition. We want to remind again that nobody’s right to live can be attacked and everybody should be provided with humane living conditions equally. Societies should share the responsibility of the crisis to avoid policies and practices that will leave people under risk and to develop permanent solutions for the refugees.

We are insisting on peace. We say that the borders kill and they should be opened. We are aware that democratic opposition has responsibility to reveal the peoples’ transnational will and organize immediate solidarity

Without any doubt, the lives of refugees cannot be left to the consciences of the states and to their bargains. We will either establish an honourable solidarity or we will trample on all the values that have been carried to today by the humanity with great efforts at Pazarkule border. Time to choose!”