(Eqtsad)- Around 30,000 Syrians from the provinces of Latakia, Idlib and Aleppo live in Urfa Tel Hamoud Camp 1, close to the Syrian town of Ras al-Ayn but inside Turkish territory. The camp residents experience terrible conditions with the absence of any local or international supervision of the camp. They are exploited by the organizations and camp management which is tarnished in suspicion of their corruption. The Turkish authorities built Urfa Camp 1 with the beginning of the migration from Syria towards Turkish territory.
The camp is formed of material tents that do not protect residents from the summer heat nor the winter cold. Refugees have managed to adapt to the situation and they added improvements to the tents to strengthen them using metal wire, nylon layers, material, and wood. They placed these items on the tents to insulate them better against heat and cold.
On the morning of 10/12/2016, the camp management began removing the tents and improved the quality of the tents provided. The management did not justify their action, but explained that they want to move the camp to another area within the district. The tents distributed are smaller in size than the original ones. “We have become very tired over the years, and we adapted to the camp situation. We added metal rods and strengthened the tents with earth, and every means available to us for them to become more insulated and stronger. And now in this freezing cold they want us to move to smaller tents, uninsulated and single layered. We may die from cold. They have started destroying the tents with bulldozers,” according to Abu Mohammad al-Hafawi of the camp residents.
He added that they cut the electricity from 3-5p.m. in the afternoon despite the extreme cold. He said, “We have no means of heating except the electric and oil radiators that are worn out, and can only be replaced by those who have authority or a relationship with the management.”
Several stalls are dispersed in the camp which serve as small shops providing camp residents with some products at relatively acceptable prices in comparison to the only big store (Mall) present which has a monopoly and sets prices without oversight or control.
Mustafa Saraqib, a stall owner, spoke to Eqtsad to convey stories of some of the difficulties he and other stall owners have faced. He explained that the electricity was cut off the stalls and people were prevented from selling in them under the threat of their merchandise would be confiscated. Mustafa added, “We are working to provide an income for our families with our trade in a few simple consumer products, and selling them at relatively cheap prices in comparison with the price of the mall. The refugees flock to buy from us.”
He explained, “I believe there is an agreement between the camp management and the mall contractor to stop us selling and buying, because it reveals the truth of the high prices of the mall which is taking advantage of all of us.”
He mentioned some of the mall prices, “A kilogram of potato is 1,50 Turkish Lira (TL), while outside the mall it is sold for 50 Kurush. A kilogram of onions is 1,50 TL while outside the mall it is sold for 75 Kurush. A kilogram of tomato is sold for 3TL, and bottle of Tahini for 11,5 TL, while outside it is sold for 7,5 TL. The same goes for the other products we need.”
-Lack of Oversight-
The camp lacks any oversight, and refugees complain about the lack of daily necessities, delays in distributing food supplies which arrive with large quantities missing that are smuggled out of the camp in trucks that enter the camp at night.
Some camp residents, who requested their names not be disclosed, said they witnessed the trucks enter the camp at night after the electricity is cut. The trucks headed to the warehouses where they were loaded with aid cartons and supplies specifically for the refugees by some of the camp management and with complete calm. After the trucks left the camp, the electricity was turned back on. They added, “Complaints were made to the camp management, but they overlooked the issue and started to monitor people’s movement at night, and prevent refugees from approaching the warehouse area.”
-Refugees’ Call-
Camp residents called on the Turkish authorities to improve their living conditions, allow them to work and trade inside the camp which has become a small city. They called on the Turkish authorities to break the monopoly of the Mall. They also demanded the electricity not be cut due to the cold conditions, and that they be allowed to remain inside the camp until containers offering more protection from the climate and more space for families become available.
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