Refugee haven under attack
Kilis in Turkey is a place of sanctuary for thousands of people who have fled war-torn Syria but Syria’s rockets now threaten that safety
Last year a group of academics made a presentation to a conference held at Rutgers University in the United States about the changes in Turkey’s Kilis province following the influx of thousands of refugees from Syria.
Our remark that the number of refugees in Kilis exceeded the number of local residents within a few years drew more attention than we had expected, raising numerous questions from participants.
Three months later, the mayor of Kilis announced that the province had been nominated for the Nobel peace prize “for accepting more Syrian refugees than there are local residents living there”.
Kilis is again at the top of the news agenda on account of the loss of civilian lives because of cross-border rocket attacks from Syria.
Turkey, Syria’s northern neighbour, has become the country hosting the highest number of refugees — nearly three million. Kilis, the city closest to the Syrian border, has begun to function as a safe zone and buffer city.
Kilis had seen a dramatic social, economic, cultural and spatial change after receiving more than 120 000 Syrian refugees over the past five years. The city has been a transition zone since ancient times.
Most of the city’s residents moved into modern apartments over time in the quest for more luxurious living conditions, leaving many houses in the historic core abandoned. Lately, Syrian refugees have taken shelter in these houses and become the new dwellers of the old town.
Before refugees came to Kilis, there were stark differences between the two cultures: hours of work and rest, clothing, cuisine, wedding and condolence traditions. As a result of the increased interaction, the traditions of the two cul- tures are beginning to blend.
The Syrian refugees have also adapted the spaces they occupy to feel more “comfortable”. They painted the walls with the same colours and techniques used in Syria and rearranged interior spaces.
In other words, a multicultural space is evolving in the city centre of Kilis. Many Syrian refugees acknowledge that the conflict may last for many years and they could remain in Turkey for decades. They try to adapt to the local community and organise themselves to increase their resilience.
At a Syrian-run women’s centre, 260 Syrian students — children and adults — are taught sewing and hairdressing, and they produce various handicrafts. The centre also has a kindergarten and provides the opportunity for women to learn Turkish.
Rinus Penninx, at the University of Amsterdam, says integration occurs in two phases. Refugees initially demand basic requirements to survive.
Then they look for employment opportunities or set up businesses to live in better conditions, to enable their children to receive education, to get better medical care, and to become involved in society.
The first phase is over. Now, when the time has come to talk about medium-and long-term policy — which should be designed by national and local authorities to ensure a smooth transition to the second phase — Kilis is under attack.
The rockets that hit the town are a threat that disrupts the experience of living together and ensuring a robust integration. — Al Jazeera