The biggest issues in present-day Turkey is, in fact, refugees. The number of Syrian refugees alone in our country has reached 3,787,880 according to September data. Although life is tough, particularly for the people in Kilis and its surrounding areas, individuals from Afghanistan, Palestine, Iran, Pakistan, and many other ethnic backgrounds have spread from there to all over Turkey. Senegalese who have come due to economic reasons alongside those who came due to war form another community.

The fact that these communities are often found together and share commonalities, in my opinion, poses a problem. The inability of these ethnic groups to adapt to Turkish culture leads to a lack of acceptance by Turks. Societies that have been generally suppressed from a religious perspective tend to be uncomfortable with and react differently towards individuals who dress according to their religious beliefs on the streets. This leads negative effects on tourists. However, since this is considered normal for Turkish society, these people are often labeled negatively.

This situation negatively impacts the Turkish population. Slowly, we are turning into a society that forgets to question religion and simply follows what we hear. In short, we are assimilating. This situation also tarnishes and alters the image of Turks in other countries. Additionally, the difference in language and their lack of knowledge of Turkish pose a significant problem. We have started to see signs, announcements, and shops in Arabic and other languages around us. Finding a Turk in some places has become difficult.

The fact that the number of registered refugees alone is 3 million explains this situation. The foreseeability of refugees not wanting to leave the country even if the war ends may lead to the division of Turkey or the outbreak of a civil war in the future. The primary reason for this will be sectors like Afghan and Syrian wanting their independence and rights. Even though Turkey has a strong defense industry, engaging in war against them will put us at odds with NATO and the EU. In this case, Turkey will inevitably play a significant role in its division.

The situation is not just this, of course. In other countries, especially in Europe, Turks are not well received. I attribute this to the refugee situation and our position. Our proximity to the Arabian Peninsula in Central Asia is enough for them to mistake us for Arabs. They still think we roam the deserts with camels and wear hijabs. Personally, I have never seen a camel except at the zoo. Only 62% of the population is Muslim, the rest consists of various groups like Jews, Christians, atheists, etc. Turkey is a secular country and also quite modern. However, in rural areas, like villages and less developed towns, it’s possible to see donkeys which used to use as transportation.

Economic crisis is also a major problem in the country. The purchasing power of citizens has drastically declined. Despite this, the wage increases are very low. I witness people buying rotten tomatoes and collecting bread from the trash because they have little money. But if you’re Syrian in this country, your quality of life is higher than ours. You have priority in hospitals, and you have special homes. As a girl under state protection, when I turn 18, I might end up on the streets.

Actually, it seems like we’re being accused of racism because all Turks complain about this, but as you can see, that’s not the case. I’m not against the government taking in these refugees as our religious brothers and sisters; I’m against the government’s attitude. Aren’t Uighur Turks our brothers and sisters? We come from the same ethnic background, and our religion (We don’t belong to any religion but whatever.) is the same, so why did we sell them to China? That’s why I’m against it. We’re being subjected to rape and harassment by them, and we can’t make a sound. We’re under a silent invasion, and nobody notices. I can’t help but wonder how we got to this point without even asking ourselves.”