![]() ![]() Moreover, in the Greek border camps, from the EU-Turkey Statement until today, many people have lost their lives trapped there, with no accountability from the Greek state and no change in migration policy. Many migrants’ applications for international protection are rejected on the grounds that Turkey is a safe third country, citing the EU-Turkey Statement, which also turned the islands into de facto open-air prisons for people who are not permitted to leave. ![]() Migrants who do manage to reach these islands after surviving pushback incidents face difficulties in accessing the asylum procedure and health care, and are forced to live in camps that operate as open-air prisons, far from city centers. Here, migrants are portrayed as a threat to the existence of Greece itself. In Greece, the islands that are close to the Anatolian peninsula are defined as ‘hotspots’ where exceptional procedural rules apply. On the other side of Europe’s border, the Greek Coast Guard and Frontex (the EU’s Border Protection Agency), with bloated budgets increasing further every year, are building up the walls of Fortress Europe, threatening people’s lives by pushing migrants back to Turkey. This fact reveals that Turkey has consistently avoided fulfilling its obligation to protect the migrant population. By the beginning of March there were still people in the earthquake zone who could not find a tent, while nightly temperatures dropped below zero. Migrants cannot travel outside their registered cities without travel permits and the lack of issuance of these permits left thousands of people stranded in the aftermath of the disaster. Not only did state representatives fail to take any precautions to ensure the safety of migrants, they also failed to take the necessary steps to transfer migrants to other cities. This openly threatened migrants who had survived the earthquake. As early as the second day of the earthquake, when thousands of people were still struggling to survive while trapped under the rubble, fake news with a racist, anti-migrant agenda was circulated by government agencies and representatives of political parties. ![]() ![]() Migrants, who already constitute one of the most vulnerable sectors of society due to their socioeconomic status, are among the most mistreated subjects post-earthquake. These cities also host the highest percentage population of migrants compared to the local population. The February 6 earthquake affected at least ten cities in Turkey. Further, migrants who survive the attacks may be tortured by law enforcement officers, as has been reported by legal and rights-based organisations working in the region. Representatives of the Turkish state publicly use anti-migrant rhetoric and promote racist sentiment. Migrants have been labeled as "looters", and there have been reports that members of Arabic-speaking communities in the region have been the target of racially-motivated mob attacks. As aid policies have excluded migrants from the relief system, migrants have difficulties accessing even basic necessities such as drinking water or shelter. Increasing racism has led to violent attacks against migrants for this reason, the earthquake-affected areas can no longer be considered safe for migrants. On February 6 2023, following the earthquakes in Turkey, living conditions for migrants have deteriorated. Turkey, however, did not hesitate to exploit this position, using migrants as a threat and, when necessary, as leverage against the EU. It received billions of Euros from the EU on the condition that it held migrants in Turkey and received those who were deported back. In 2016, Turkey assumed the role of the European Union’s border guard. Mamarks the 7th anniversary of the 2016 EU-Turkey Statement. ![]()
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