An open letter to UNHCR

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We are a family of four people: my wife and I and our two children. We have been registered for three years and eight months with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Ankara, Turkey. Now we refugees are in a very bad situation because UNHCR does not respond to our cases and they have closed every way of traveling between cities. Nobody can move anywhere inside Turkey so as not to create problems or demonstrate in front of the UNHCR.

A few years ago, every family registered their names in the UNHCR and after that they attended the immigration administration in their cities that were given to them by the UNHCR. After a few days or a few weeks, UNHCR opened health insurance for every family and they could go to a hospital without paying a penny.

Unfortunately for the last seven months, the health insurance has stopped, so anyone who wants to go to the hospital must pay money before seeing the doctor and for drugs, so we are not able to go to the hospital where my children are patients.

Also on 10/09/2018, the UNHCR was stopped the registration process and they closed the door on new refugees that wanted to register their names. UNHCR said that the immigration administration of Turkey was handling new immigrants that wanted to register their names and doing the first interview. After that, Turkey would then refer the cases and file numbers to UNHCR.

But this is only speaking, not more. UNHCR didn't answer anyone and they didn't provide any information about the interview or anything about our case when we ask them or about when we should go to UNHCR. They said we can't do anything for you and you can ask the immigration administration about your case and for the interview. None of them answer anyone and will not do anything for the four million people here. The future of these people is not clear. Every door is closed and they've called on every travel terminal not to sell tickets to refugees without travel permission.

UNHCR is not working to solve the refugees' problems and they do not give information to the people.

Also, there are some families that consist of a mother with her children, without a husband, who finished their first Interview two years ago and have not received a settlement. There are some other families that are waiting for the second interview, but they didn't get an answer from anywhere so their future is not clear. Anyone who lives in Turkey even for a few days, they know that life here is very difficult. There is no work opportunity, no financial assistance. Most refugees get financial help from their relatives.

On behalf of all refugees, we ask the humanitarian organizations and those who are able to help refugees to respond to us, because we can't wait without any response anymore. We are tired of waiting.

Also, there is another issue as well. There are some families that I know who have been waiting more than three years to get a visa and travel to America. They have finished everything but they are depressed and take medicine because of this bad situation. Now, some of them buy and sell those medicines because there are no work opportunities here. Also, there are some families they are doing awful work like selling themselves to get money because they can't live and they don't have a choice.

Additionally, there are some other people who are committing fraud using the name of UNHCR. They say: we are able to give the appointment for the interview and we have a lawyer that will charge you to process your case, but they are lying. They take a lot of money from people and after that they escape. I contacted UNHCR and I gave them information about these people to catch them, but the UNHCR has neglected this issue and they have not followed up to investigate.

So we've lost hope about the UNHCR because they don't process the cases and we are unable to go back to our countries. Please pass our voice to the humanitarian organizations everywhere because UNHCR didn't respond to our case and we are tired of waiting.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Hemn Hadi

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency of NRT.

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