Main opposition party criticizes government’s Syria policy amid escalating tensions in Turkey

The main opposition party, the CHP, on Tuesday pointed to the government’s Syria policy as a reason for the ongoing tensions in various provinces, including Istanbul, Gaziantep, Hatay and Antalya. The unrest initially broke out in Kayseri’s Melikgazi district after an incident in which a Syrian refugee allegedly attacked a 7-year-old child, leading to widespread anti-refugee protests.

Deputy chairman of the main opposition CHP party Ali Mahir Basarir has condemned recent attacks on Turkish flags in northern Syria, calling the incidents “unacceptable” and carried out by “dark hands and groups”.

He called for the resignation of the governor of Kayseri after comments about a Syrian child involved in a local incident, emphasizing that the nationality of an abused child should never be questioned. Başarir urged citizens to remain calm, while condemning the governor’s statements as shameful.

In response to these events, CHP leader Ozgur Ozel stressed that responsibility rests with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The CHP said on social media that the government’s policy towards Syria and refugees had collapsed, listing ten key points in its criticism:

1. Turkey’s Middle East policy, including its approach to Syria and refugees, has ended in failure.
2. Erdoğan and the ruling AKP bear the primary responsibility for the current tragic situation.
3. The government not only failed to resolve the crisis it itself caused in Syria, but also plunged Turkey into this crisis.
4. Erdogan’s policies have contributed to the destruction of Syria and turned Turkey into a refugee center, using the lives of these people as a bargaining chip in contacts with Europe.
5. The government has ignored the growing social, political, economic and demographic problems caused by the growing number of refugees and has taken no steps to address these issues.
6. Turkey must adhere not only in theory but also in practice to the Atatürk-era policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of its neighbours.
7. Türkiye should redefine its policy towards Syria, recognizing that the current status quo is unsustainable. It is unacceptable that members of the Free Syrian Army, financed by Türkiye, burn Turkish flags and destroy Turkish property.
8. The Erdogan government must immediately publish a realistic and feasible roadmap to resolve the refugee problem, including their repatriation.
9. The process of normalization of relations with the Assad regime should continue.
10. Citizens are asked to remain calm and vigilant in the face of potential provocations in such situations.

In the face of rising tensions, attacks on Turkish assets and provocations against security forces in northern Syria, the CHP’s call for a comprehensive and practical approach to the crisis is more urgent than ever