ANKARA
Fuat Oktay, President of Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management (AFAD), emphasized that they are planning to build up a structural system to aid Syrians besides Syrians' camps in Turkey.
Oktay and United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Turkey representative Carol Batchelor gave a joint press conference about Syrians in AFAD headquarters.
Since the number of Syrians, who had to migrate to other countries, has exceeded one million, a meeting was simultaneously organized in Geneva and in UN offices.
During the meeting, Oktay said, “Turkey tries to do its best for Syrians despite everything.”
Oktay underlined that Syrians have been living in tents and containers for two years, no matter how good the service is.
“We are hosting Syrians, who have some psychological illness, and have lost their relatives” said Oktay.
Oktay stressed that the number of Syrians exceeded 186,000 in Turkey’s camps, 75 percent of Syrians consisted of women and children, 26,000 Syrian children were in primary, middle, and high school, and 3,300 children were receiving pre-school education.
Oktay also said that some courses go on for Syrians, and medical services are thoroughly given to Syrians in camps.
“We have 17 camps, and three of them are container camps. We have also some camps whose construction continue. We are trying to figure out a system which is globally competitive for Syrians, who cannot get into camps in Turkey” said Oktay.
Oktay said that international community should play an active role for the camp constructions, internal and external camping services.
Oktay pointed out that Turkey gave pretty good service to Syrians, but international community has some misperceptions.
“Turkey already gives pretty good service to Syrians, so Turkey doesn’t need any aid by all manner of means, which is a misperception” said Oktay.
Oktay referred to AA’s donation campaign “Winter came. One bread and one blanket for Syrians” and stressed that non-governmental organizations also spent approximately 100 million Turkish Liras (55, 7 million USD).
-No political settlement for Syria for two years-
Batchelor, UNHCR Turkey representative, said that the disputes in Syria have been going on for two years, considering 15 March.
"However, political settlement could not be still found," Batchelor noted.
“The number of Syrians, who migrated to other countries, increased with each passing day. The number of Syrians was 20,000 at this time last year; however, the number rapidly increased and reached a million in the region covering Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq,” said Batchelor.
Batchelor also emphasized that needs from a million Syrians, who had to escape from civil war in Syria, rapidly increased.
“Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan are assuming the most part of responsibility for Syrians” also underlined Batchelor.
Writing by Emre Solak
