Aşkın 233
Registered and Unregistered Statelessness Syrians in Turkey
The problem of the statelessness that the Republic of Turkey faced shortly after its
establishment allowed it to have important experience. Between 1933-1945, during National
Socialism in Germany, A. Hitler canceled many individual citizenships, mostly for Jews, and a part
of them came to Turkey, which started the debate on Haymatlos. The word “Heimatlos” in Germany
passed to Turkish as Haymatlos(z) and was used to express the position of stateless people. Even
still, this concept, especially used by Turkish security units, has increased the state’s experience of
developing a systematic way to intervene and solve structural problems. This will mark the origin
of the encounter with the stateless phenomenon of the young republic (Arslan, 2014, p. 124). Many
years passed up to now has also strengthened the process of gaining institutional culture and system
for Turkey in terms of migrants, especially from the Balkans and the Middle East by taking mass
immigration. Following the “Arab Spring” that erupted a few years ago, social rebellions have
caused political changes, which has appointed Turkey’s policies towards the migrant masses from
Syria, and the inheritance of the previous corporate heritage determined the direction of the
following developments.
Turkey worked in coordination with the UN to create a database after the decision to take the
Syrian immigrant population. Firstly, the information was compiled by GOCNET and then
coordinated with POLNET, the database was created with the two mentioned software. In particular,
the registration procedures of the Syrians were performed, and some information necessary for them
to be able to access the basic humanitarian services in a healthy way was recorded, and the
identification numbers were given to foreigners. Today, with this system in Turkey, information
such as location, transition, marital status, childbirth is recorded (UNCHR, 2016, p. 36). After the
displacement of migrants, they update this information via The Directorate General of Migration
Management (DGMM) and inform the authorised units so that the circulation within the country is
also recorded. This way, Syrians within the scope of temporary protection are required to apply and
update their information to take advantage of the necessary transactions when they move in the
country. With these records, which are provided by authorised units (DGMM), it is possible to reach
the number of Syrians in the cities in Turkey. Another important aim of this system recording
Syrians is to solve the security problem and minimise informality (Mackreath and Sagnnic, 2017,
p. 20). In this way, as a result of coordinated studies with the General Directorate of Security, the
registration, renewal or determination of persons in the search lists are arranged. However, the need
to register the Syrians who have moved to Turkey carries the purpose of providing the necessary
services, also, the desire of the newborn children to be registered also constitutes an important
dimension of the subject.
According to the ombudsman institution report (2018, p. 113.153), from the date of the Syrians
began to migrate to Turkey until the date of December 2017, a total of 276.158 birth was reported
in Turkey. Syrian infants born in Turkey before the war have could be registered as a citizen of
Syria, via the Syrian Consulate in Turkey by asking and confirming the documents. However, it is
seen that the alternative false identities have been started to be produced, as the Syrians consider
their consulate to be a potential danger, with the fear of to be deciphered. The cost of these identities,
which have been obtained in exchange for approximately 1000 dollars, and on the other hand, the
idea of to be registered as opposition by the Syrian consulate has led to the absence of identity and
nonregistration, especially for newborn babies. It is seen that this system is reduced to an easier and
risk-free dimension in the advancing process in Turkey. Therefore, it was provided that a father and
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