JINHA

ISTANBUL – Thousands of refugees, most displaced by the war in Syria, spent days at Istanbul’s Esenler Bus Station last week. Refugee women shared their stories with JINHA as they waited for a chance to take the overland route to Europe.

Thousands of refugees fled war in Syria to cities across Turkey. Last week, refugees (most of them Syrian) gathered at Istanbul’s Esenler Bus Station, hoping to make their way to Europe overland because of the danger of sea routes. Every day, the refugees waited in the courtyard of the Cumhuriyet Mosque, trying to make it inside the bus station while surrounded by a police blockade. JINHA spoke to women fleeing the war in Syria as they waited for an opportunity to take the overland route to Europe.

“My husband was among those who went to Europe by sea, and he was saved from drowning,” said Amine, waiting at the bus station with her three daughters. Amine reached Turkey with great difficulty, miscarrying her baby on the way. However, she said, living in Turkey has been difficult and expensive. “Right now I have very little money; I can’t feed the children. All I want is for my children not to go hungry,” she said.

Hanife Alo had to flee to Lebanon when a bomb destroyed her home in Syria. Her family stayed in Lebanon for two years, but life was hard and many of her children fled to Germany. Hanife, who has breathing problems, became sick in the poor-quality homes reserved for refugees and decided to leave, but feared the sea route. “Lots of people died at sea, my neighbors among them,” she said. Now, Hanife has made her way to Istanbul with the hope of reaching her children in Germany.

Riha was only able to bring her elderly mother and her four-month-old infant with her as she fled Syria. Her father, husband, and brothers remained behind. The family has tried the sea route six times and nearly drowned. Riha’s baby is freqently sick and her mother is elderly, but the family cannot access hospitals in Turkey. It would cost her 500 lira ($170) just to obtain the identity document necessary to be seen.

Another refugee, Semira, has been in Turkey for three years. State hospitals refused to give medical care to her family, and private hospitals would see the family only for a high fee. Unable to obtain medical care for her children when they got sick, Semira decided she could not stay in Turkey. She has spent days waiting in the Esenler Bus Station for a ticket out.

“If we go by sea, we drown; ,if we try to go by land, they won’t let us through,” said Semira.

(ro-fg/dc/fk/cm)