No country has been more affected by the crisis of migrants and refugees fleeing Syrian than its northern neighbor, Turkey.
Millions of Syrians have escaped into Turkey, with hundreds of thousands in Istanbul alone – dwarfing the numbers seen in Europe.
University of Oklahoma economist Firat Demir, who’s from the country and regularly travels back there through OU’s Journey to Turkey program, says 20 percent of the two million Syrians in Turkey are younger than 11, which puts significant pressure on Turkey’s education system.
“Turkish schools are free for these kids, but they require Arabic language instruction, and we do not have as many Arabic speakers to provide that education,” Demir told KGOU’s World Views. “This will be a lost generation, I'm afraid.”
Demir also says most of the migrants haven’t applied for refugee status, meaning they’re legally guests of Turkey and ineligible for work permits. The sheer volume of Arabic speakers is palpable on the streets of Istanbul, as is the absence of English and other European language. It’s changing the character of the city, and putting stress on the political and economic systems. Turkey’s unemployment rate is already close to 10 percent, and an influx of refugees willing to work for a fraction of the pay has put Turkish citizens out of work. Government blame for the crisis could affect parliamentary elections in November.
“Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are the major supporters of opposition against [Syrian] President [Bashar] Assad's regime,” Demir said. “So you may perhaps see this as the natural outcome of Turkish involvement in the Syrian crisis, and the price that Turkey will need to pay.”
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