After Older Generations of Turkish Political Exiles in Greece, There is a New One in the Making
What Erdogan’s visit in Athens means for new generation of Turkish political refugees in Greece?
Greek — Turkish relations have a long history. In the past decades of neighbor relationship most diplomatic conflicts considered question about the situation in Cyprus and the Aegean Sea and now migration and Turkey’s prospects to join the EU. Facing various political situation in Turkey, a lot of Turkish nationals were escaping the country. And Greece is one of the first countries that political refugees from Turkey choose to come.
After older generations of Turkish political refugees in Greece, there is a new one. After the Turkey’s failed coup attempt last summer and declaring state of emergency, its leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the government got a power to tackle down anyone who is opposing the authority in any level. That’s why there is a new escaping group of people, which by now didn’t have the need to left the country.
The number one enemy of the state and who according to Turkish authority is behind the coup is exiled cleric Fethullah Güllen. Once Erdogan’s first associate and political partner now is accused of making a movement behind the failed coup. “And that’s the cover for all arrests and hunting anyone who says anything against the state,” believes Cemil, who left Turkey in August 2017.
40-year old Kurdish cook was many times arrested because of his radical political activities. “When I was 15 years old I started to be a political activist. Kurdish people were always struggling in the Turkish society.” Raising up in Istanbul, he was imprisoned for 6 years and as he claims also faced police torture.
But there are not only Kurds who are fleeing Turkey. 30-year old Dilara was growing up in rural Turkey. She became a journalist and later reported as a war correspondent from the war fields on the Turkish East border. She was one of the journalist who was reporting from Kobane seized by terrorist group Isis. She is in Athens now, as a political refugee.
Arslan has been living in Greece since the end of February, 2017. 19-year old law student in Turkey needed to fled the country and entered the Greece without visa because of his tweets. Proclaiming he was never affiliated with any of political group, but he always standed by his opinion. “When you are young in Turkey and you don’t want to be an Islamic guy, like they would expect, you want to fight,” says a son of two lawyers.
He was protesting at the protests in favour of Turkish media Cumhuriyet last year. He also participated in the occupation of the places of the Cumhuriyet paper which is accused of helping Kurdish militants and US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Güllen. Police started to follow Arslan on twitter ever since. He decided to left the country, because he thought he didn’t do anything against the law and he thinks that police is suppressing the freedom of expression. He applied for asylum in Greece and did the interview, now he is waiting for a response.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will be the first Turkish president visiting Greece in 65 years. The last time a Turkish President arrived in Athens was in1952. Erdoğan’s security could expect protests from several groups of different political and national orientation.
“We are upset about it. We would prefer Erdogan wouldn’t be in Greece because we simply don’t like him,” says 43-year old human rights activist Enver, who left Turkey two months ago faced threats of being arrested because of his work.
Cemil, who declare himself as anarcho-communist, says that both Tsipras and Erdogan will have benefits from each other, that’s why the visit is happening according to Cemils opinion. He saw several heads of states in Turkey: “The power of oppression is there from the beginning. What is the difference of Erdogan from others heads of states is that his violence is all over the place. He is not even trying to hide it.”
Erdogan visit will be a big safety and logistic deal for the Greek state. One week before Greek police arrested nine Turkish nationals who were suspicious of links with the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front, which is deemed a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.
Associated Press also reported that defense lawyer Aleka Zorbala said her clients deny the charges.“They believe that their arrest … is directly connected with the coming visit. They see it as a goodwill gesture, a gift, from the Greek government to Mr. Erdogan.”
The names of the interviewed exilses have been changed because of security reasons.
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