Alkan: Globe must stand up for Syrian refugees

As a diplomat of the largest refugee-hosting country in the world, I follow the "No to Syrian refugees in Texas" campaign with great concern. Regardless of the numbers, shutting out the doors completely will bolster DAESH to disseminate its cruel ideology, push Syrians into the hands of the human smugglers and terrorist networks, depriving these people of faith and hope for a better future.

While only a couple of thousand Syrians have been placed in Texas recently, Turkey, which is almost the same size as the Lone Star State, is now home to over 2.1 million Syrian refugees, according to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. In other words, Turkey is hosting "Houston" at one time. Mathematician Cahit Arf once said, "If you are searching the secrets of universe, visit the numbers first."

Around 960,000 Syrians in Turkey are children. Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, 66,000 Syrian babies have been born in Turkey. The number of school-aged Syrian children is 650,000; almost two-thirds of them are not going to schools. Just fewer than half of the refugees are female; 55 percent of them are under the age of 17. The number of Syrian refugees hosted by Turkey alone is more than 10 times the number of new Syrian asylum applications. The refugee population of Turkey now comprises all ethnic and religious groups such as Arabs, Kurds, Yazidis, Assyrians and Turcomans; it is as diverse as Houston. Four out of 25 camps in Turkey were set up to house Christians and Yazidis.

Although food, health and education services, psychological support, vocational training and social activities are provided, challenges loom large for Turkey after five years of the crisis. Turkey alone spent $8 billion for the refugees, notwithstanding the fact that the total support from the international community amounted to only $417 million. Whatever the heavy toll is, Turkey is committed to pursuing an open-door policy welcoming all refugees fleeing the brutal Syrian regime, DAESH terrorism and the escalating war in Syria.

Horrific terror attacks in Ankara, Beirut and Paris cast a dark shadow over the proponents of a free and peaceful world. We are all facing the scourges of international terrorism and one of the biggest humanitarian tragedies of our times. However, we need a revisited, enhanced and sustained international cooperation for sharing the burden of the refugees and the fight against international terrorism in all its forms. Turkey, with or without burden-sharing, will continue taking care of the people in her immediate borders, saving as many as she can. But if allies and the international community sincerely own the crisis and act together, almost 4 million Syrian refugees, half of them children and women, will believe in the humanity and the solidarity of mankind in these dire times.

This is not a matter for Turkey, the United States or a group of countries to cope with the crisis alone. This is indeed a moral responsibility for all of us that we should not let these people down; we should help them and furthermore deepen the understanding that a sustainable solution to migration and refugee issues can only be attained if the root causes, such as wars, conflicts and economic deprivation in source countries, are addressed.

Migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers find themselves in some of the most destitute situations of the entire human race. We should all remember the fact that prophets of Judaism, Christianity and Islam were also refugees fleeing from persecution and violence. It is, therefore, time to work together as mankind, in line with our values and beliefs, to address this humanitarian catastrophe before it is too late. Setting aside the controversy in Texas, we believe that the United States will stand out again as a beacon of hope for the refugees, by opening her doors and welcoming the oppressed, spreading a noble message that transcends many borders.

Alkan is consul general of the Republic of Turkey in Houston.