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| Merkel accused of turning a blind eye to plight of Syrian refugees in Turkey | Merkel accused of turning a blind eye to plight of Syrian refugees in Turkey |
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| German chancellor Angela Merkel flew into southern Turkey late on Saturday to inaugurate the EU’s new aid programme for Syrians in the country, amid concerns that her visit both validates Turkey’s creeping authoritarianism and overstates the EU’s humanitarian contribution to the Syrian crisis. | |
| Merkel, EU council president Donald Tusk and European commission vice-president Frans Timmermans attended a photocall with Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoğlu at a new refugee camp near the Turkish-Syrian border before visiting a child protection centre. | Merkel, EU council president Donald Tusk and European commission vice-president Frans Timmermans attended a photocall with Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoğlu at a new refugee camp near the Turkish-Syrian border before visiting a child protection centre. |
| Related: Angela Merkel in Turkey – in pictures | Related: Angela Merkel in Turkey – in pictures |
| The visit highlighted the initial beneficiaries of the €6bn that the EU has pledged to give Turkey over the next few years in exchange for the country readmitting all asylum seekers deported from Greece. “I think it’s very important that the EU supports you,” Merkel said in a press conference with Davutoğlu. “Germany, as a member of the EU, is willing to do its bit.” | The visit highlighted the initial beneficiaries of the €6bn that the EU has pledged to give Turkey over the next few years in exchange for the country readmitting all asylum seekers deported from Greece. “I think it’s very important that the EU supports you,” Merkel said in a press conference with Davutoğlu. “Germany, as a member of the EU, is willing to do its bit.” |
| Tusk was also glowing in his praise of Turkey, ignoring a slew of alleged rights abuses against Syrian refugees in Turkey. “Today Turkey is the best example for the whole world for how we should treat refugees,” he said. “Nobody should lecture Turkey on what to do.” | Tusk was also glowing in his praise of Turkey, ignoring a slew of alleged rights abuses against Syrian refugees in Turkey. “Today Turkey is the best example for the whole world for how we should treat refugees,” he said. “Nobody should lecture Turkey on what to do.” |
| In a tightly controlled photocall, the politicians posed with four young women in white ceremonial dress before shaking hands with five Syrian men and their children. All other refugees were hidden and journalists prevented from talking to them. There were several banners carrying the slogan: “Welcome to the world’s largest refugee-hosting country.” | In a tightly controlled photocall, the politicians posed with four young women in white ceremonial dress before shaking hands with five Syrian men and their children. All other refugees were hidden and journalists prevented from talking to them. There were several banners carrying the slogan: “Welcome to the world’s largest refugee-hosting country.” |
| Saturday’s photocall was the latest in a series of moves aimed at encouraging Turkey to help to end the continent’s greatest wave of human movement since the second world war. More than 850,000 migrants entered Europe after leaving Turkey last year, most of them ending up in Germany, and Merkel wants Turkey’s support to bring the numbers down. In exchange, Europe has also promised looser visa restrictions for Turks travelling to Europe, and has agreed to accelerate negotiations over Turkey’s proposed accession to the EU. | Saturday’s photocall was the latest in a series of moves aimed at encouraging Turkey to help to end the continent’s greatest wave of human movement since the second world war. More than 850,000 migrants entered Europe after leaving Turkey last year, most of them ending up in Germany, and Merkel wants Turkey’s support to bring the numbers down. In exchange, Europe has also promised looser visa restrictions for Turks travelling to Europe, and has agreed to accelerate negotiations over Turkey’s proposed accession to the EU. |
| The visa restrictions may prove to be the biggest stumbling block to the deal. All three European politicians said Turkey must meet certain legislative conditions for the visa liberalisation to occur, while Davutoğlu said it was a precondition for Turkey’s continued involvement in the readmission agreement. “If it doesn’t happen, then the readmission agreement will not come into play,” he said. | The visa restrictions may prove to be the biggest stumbling block to the deal. All three European politicians said Turkey must meet certain legislative conditions for the visa liberalisation to occur, while Davutoğlu said it was a precondition for Turkey’s continued involvement in the readmission agreement. “If it doesn’t happen, then the readmission agreement will not come into play,” he said. |
| However, Merkel and her European colleagues have been accused of pandering too much to Turkey, amid calls for stronger international criticism of its crackdown on the political opposition. On Saturday Can Dundar, one of two prominent Turkish journalists on trial for reporting that Turkey was supplying arms to Syrian rebels, said Merkel was betraying the principles of democracy and free speech. “When you arrive, we’ll be on trial – alongside several academics who signed a petition calling for peace,” Dundar wrote in Der Spiegel, the German weekly magazine. “Will you again leave, behaving as if none of this pressure exists? Or will you lend an ear to us, and those who stand with us, in support of free expression?” | However, Merkel and her European colleagues have been accused of pandering too much to Turkey, amid calls for stronger international criticism of its crackdown on the political opposition. On Saturday Can Dundar, one of two prominent Turkish journalists on trial for reporting that Turkey was supplying arms to Syrian rebels, said Merkel was betraying the principles of democracy and free speech. “When you arrive, we’ll be on trial – alongside several academics who signed a petition calling for peace,” Dundar wrote in Der Spiegel, the German weekly magazine. “Will you again leave, behaving as if none of this pressure exists? Or will you lend an ear to us, and those who stand with us, in support of free expression?” |
| There are also concerns that Merkel is undermining free speech in Germany, after she acceded to a request from Ankara to prosecute a German comedian who made fun of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. | There are also concerns that Merkel is undermining free speech in Germany, after she acceded to a request from Ankara to prosecute a German comedian who made fun of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. |
| By going ahead with the EU-Turkey deal, Merkel was also accused of turning a blind eye to the predicament of Syrians in Turkey; many are due to be deported back there on the basis that Turkey guarantees their rights. | By going ahead with the EU-Turkey deal, Merkel was also accused of turning a blind eye to the predicament of Syrians in Turkey; many are due to be deported back there on the basis that Turkey guarantees their rights. |
| But, despite recent legislative changes, only a tiny minority of Syrians have the right to work in Turkey. The majority work in the black market and live in urban poverty, far from camps like the one Merkel visited – which house just 10% of Turkey’s 2.7 million Syrians. And some have been deported back to Syria, according to research by Amnesty International. | But, despite recent legislative changes, only a tiny minority of Syrians have the right to work in Turkey. The majority work in the black market and live in urban poverty, far from camps like the one Merkel visited – which house just 10% of Turkey’s 2.7 million Syrians. And some have been deported back to Syria, according to research by Amnesty International. |
| In the areas surrounding the camp, Syrians praised Merkel for her wider support for refugees in 2015 – but reminded her of the predicament of the majority who did not have homes provided for them by the Turkish state. | In the areas surrounding the camp, Syrians praised Merkel for her wider support for refugees in 2015 – but reminded her of the predicament of the majority who did not have homes provided for them by the Turkish state. |
| “It’s true the camp in Nizip is very nice,” said Abu Shihab, Syrian manager of a sweatshop in Gaziantep that employs Syrian children. “But what about those who live outside the camps?” | “It’s true the camp in Nizip is very nice,” said Abu Shihab, Syrian manager of a sweatshop in Gaziantep that employs Syrian children. “But what about those who live outside the camps?” |
| While Merkel’s visit to a child-protection centre highlighted her intention to help Syrian children, solving the humanitarian crisis requires a more concerted effort. In Gaziantep, surveys of refugees by the Syria Relief Network, a coalition of NGOs, suggest only a third of the children go to school – partly because of a lack of capacity, and partly because they are put to work by their parents. | While Merkel’s visit to a child-protection centre highlighted her intention to help Syrian children, solving the humanitarian crisis requires a more concerted effort. In Gaziantep, surveys of refugees by the Syria Relief Network, a coalition of NGOs, suggest only a third of the children go to school – partly because of a lack of capacity, and partly because they are put to work by their parents. |
| Sitting near a line of children making shoes, Abu Shihab said: “Their families may earn only $100 a month, so [the parents] send the children to work.” | Sitting near a line of children making shoes, Abu Shihab said: “Their families may earn only $100 a month, so [the parents] send the children to work.” |
| This was, he argued, too big a problem for Turkey to deal with on its own. “Turkey has nearly 3 million refugees, and only a small percentage of them went to Europe – and yet Europe has already had enough,” he said. “So how do you expect Turkey to do more?” | This was, he argued, too big a problem for Turkey to deal with on its own. “Turkey has nearly 3 million refugees, and only a small percentage of them went to Europe – and yet Europe has already had enough,” he said. “So how do you expect Turkey to do more?” |
| Rights activists also argue that Merkel’s support for the EU-Turkey deal has forced Turkey to take increasingly brutal measures against Syrians crossing its borders, in order to ensure its refugee burden does not increase. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both documented an increase in shootings of Syrians attempting to cross the Turkish border, and an increase in Syrians being deported back the other way. | Rights activists also argue that Merkel’s support for the EU-Turkey deal has forced Turkey to take increasingly brutal measures against Syrians crossing its borders, in order to ensure its refugee burden does not increase. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both documented an increase in shootings of Syrians attempting to cross the Turkish border, and an increase in Syrians being deported back the other way. |
| Judith Sunderland, HRW’s acting deputy Europe director, said: “Instead of touring a sanitised refugee camp, EU leaders should look over Turkey’s new border wall to see the tents of thousands of war-weary Syrian refugees blocked on the other side. Then, go to the detention centre for people who were abusively deported from Greece. That should make them rethink the flawed EU-Turkey deal.” | Judith Sunderland, HRW’s acting deputy Europe director, said: “Instead of touring a sanitised refugee camp, EU leaders should look over Turkey’s new border wall to see the tents of thousands of war-weary Syrian refugees blocked on the other side. Then, go to the detention centre for people who were abusively deported from Greece. That should make them rethink the flawed EU-Turkey deal.” |
| Gauri van Gulik, deputy Europe director for Amnesty International, said: “Merkel and Tusk should not confuse PR for reality. Abuses against refugees in Turkey are real and, what’s worse, [Merkel and Tusk] are complicit. Instead of focusing on whitewashing Turkey’s behaviour, and indeed stimulating it, Europe should focus on its own responsibility and start resettling a serious number of refugees from Turkey.” | Gauri van Gulik, deputy Europe director for Amnesty International, said: “Merkel and Tusk should not confuse PR for reality. Abuses against refugees in Turkey are real and, what’s worse, [Merkel and Tusk] are complicit. Instead of focusing on whitewashing Turkey’s behaviour, and indeed stimulating it, Europe should focus on its own responsibility and start resettling a serious number of refugees from Turkey.” |
| In Gaziantep, Merkel and her colleagues put a more positive spin on the situation in Turkey. “Mercy is like rain,” said Timmermans, quoting Shakespeare as he sat alongside Merkel and Davutoğlu on Saturday night. “It blesses the one gives and it blesses the one who takes, so in that sense the Turkish people are really blessed.” | In Gaziantep, Merkel and her colleagues put a more positive spin on the situation in Turkey. “Mercy is like rain,” said Timmermans, quoting Shakespeare as he sat alongside Merkel and Davutoğlu on Saturday night. “It blesses the one gives and it blesses the one who takes, so in that sense the Turkish people are really blessed.” |