Research center in NE Syria organizes forum on migration from region
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Residents from northern and northeastern Syria, particularly young people, seek to migrate from Syria to European countries.
Despite the grave risks involved, such as drowning at sea, deaths in forests, and suffocation inside trucks, many people still choose to leave due to economic and security concerns, as well as the ongoing Syrian war that has persisted for the past 13 years.
The Rojava Center for Strategic Studies held a forum in the city of Qamishli, northeastern Syria, to examine the reasons behind migration from the region and the resulting consequences, as well as the solutions and measures that can reduce it, an organizer of the forum said.
Officials from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), along with writers, researchers, and politicians, participated in the forum.
They emphasized that the Turkish military operations in northern Syria, coupled with Turkey’s recurrent threats of further invasions, are the main drivers behind migration.
Dalil Dogan, a member of the forum’s preparatory committee, stated that the young population, in particular, is seeking a new future and opportunities for studying and working, adding that the region suffers from various security and economic problems.
He also added to North Press that the blockade imposed on the region and the attacks it faces increase migration. He further stated that poor governance by the ruling authorities and some administrative and individual mistakes are also factors contributing to migration.
The forum highlighted that the absence of a sense of belonging acts as a catalyst for migration. Furthermore, the economic crisis and the blockade were identified as contributing factors. The forum also discussed a policy implemented by anti-AANES entities that encourages migration through attacks.
In 2023, dozens of Syrian asylum seekers lost their lives in drowning incidents off Algerian and Lebanese shores. Regional countries that host Syrian refugees and the AANES warned of the dangers of illegal migration, particularly by sea.
A member of the Rojava Center for Strategic Studies, Gardayar Driei, believes that migration is a global phenomenon. However, in northern Syria, it has assumed a distinct form, as it is the result of a systematic policy targeting the region, regardless of the prevailing security and economic conditions.
He stated that the main objective of the forum is to find solutions to the phenomenon of migration with the cooperation of the AANES, the local community, and political parties.
He indicated that the outcomes of the forum will be derived from the discussions among the participants and will primarily aim to reduce migration in the region.
Regarding Syrian refugees from northern Syria, Driei said that they will continue to pressure influential international parties to ensure the refugees a dignified return.
On the other hand, Sabah Chabo, a member of the Syriac Women’s Union, spoke about the migration of the Syriac and Assyrian people and stated that it is an old policy of displacing us as an original inhabitants of the region.
She pointed to the attacks by the Islamic State (ISIS) on Assyrian villages in 2015, as well as the current Turkish attacks on all areas of northern Syria and their impact on the migration of the Syriac and Assyrian people from their hometowns.