Why won't Syrians return from Turkey?: A striking assessment from Arapkirli

According to Zafer Arapkirli, the reason Syrians came to Turkey is not a reaction against the Assad regime.

Syrians left their country due to the civil war, terrorist organizations (ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Nusra, etc.), and societal collapse.

In his post, Arapkirli stated that Syrian society had a secular structure in the past, but those who refused to live with the sharia-based groups that emerged after the civil war were forced to migrate.

Expressing that the "new regime" in Syria is currently shaped by a sharia-based and jihadist ideology, Arapkirli argued that under these conditions, Syrians should not be expected to return to their country.

Furthermore, Arapkirli stated that the symbolic return demonstrations regarding the repatriation of Syrians do not offer a real solution, noting that Syrians will continue to stay in Turkey and the current economic burden will remain on Turkish citizens.

Giving an example from his own economic situation, the journalist questioned the state's spending priorities.

Stating that high prices are paid for basic needs such as medicine in Turkey, Arapkirli criticized the fact that the costs for refugees are not shared by the international community.

Arapkirli explained with concrete reasons why the return of Syrians is not possible.

HERE IS ARAPKIRLI'S POST

WILL SYRIANS RETURN?

Let me say it straight. No.
The reason is very simple.

Why, and from whom did they flee?
From Assad? No.

It is not because they could no longer tolerate their dictator, whom they had endured for so many years (50 years including his father) and with whom they had gotten along just fine, but because a civil war broke out in the country and many of them did not want to live with sharia-based groups like ISIS, Al-Qaeda, HTS, Nusra, etc.

— Zafer Arapkirli (@ZaferArapkirli) December 9, 2024

WILL SYRIANS RETURN?

Let me say it straight. No.

The reason is very simple.

Why, and from whom did they flee?

From Assad? No.

It is not because they could no longer tolerate their dictator, whom they had endured for so many years (50 years including his father) and with whom they had gotten along just fine, but because a civil war broke out in the country and many of them did not want to live with sharia-based groups like ISIS, Al-Qaeda, HTS, Nusra, etc. Because, for better or worse, Syrian society was a secular society.

And now?

A new phase of the civil war is just beginning. And the "new regime" in Damascus is thoroughly sharia-based and jihadist.

Would you return if you were them?

Let no one deceive themselves or us.

They will stage demonstrations at the borders with a few (say, three or five hundred) people to pull the wool over our eyes and create a perception. But we won't buy it, of course.

They will continue to live here comfortably. And we will continue to feed them with our taxes.

I have nothing to say to those who will call me a "racist" or whatever for writing this. Those who don't know me can say it.

Today, because I mentioned the "de facto" Kurdish state on our border, even a Socialist friend who knows me quite well treated me unfairly and tried to remind me of the "right of nations to self-determination":) May he be well.

As a citizen, I am only against wrong decisions in this country, wrong spending priorities, the fact that money not spent on me is spent on refugees, and that the international burden in this regard is borne solely by my country.

I paid 750 TL for a box of medicine (which I know for a fact is given to refugees for free) just today (as an unemployed retiree).

Let no one tell me fairy tales from La Fontaine.