A study of the rise in racism towards Syrian refugees in Turkey, where residents in Istanbul have described Syrian children as "ghosts" who are risking their lives.
Syrian children make up more than 46 percent of the 3.5 million Syrians who fled to Turkey because of the ongoing war in their country for more than seven years.
The study by the Istanbul Institute for Political Research showed that the basic feeling among Istanbul residents towards Syrian refugee children is "fear," the Turkish daily Hurriyet reported Tuesday.
The study, conducted in cooperation with the German-based Friedrich Ebert Foundation, suggests that Syrian children are often described by the local population as "beggars" and are no longer bothered by the harsh conditions they live in.
The study, entitled "Syrian children, a ghost in Istanbul," refers to three reasons why the term "ghost" is used with refugee Syrian children: disappearances among people, government neglect and fear of their influence on the city's economy.
The residents of Istanbul, polled by the study, fear that Syrian children will turn into criminals in the future, citing violence against these children and class differences and their common descriptions of them.
Ignore my people and government
Another shocking result of the study, which included people between the ages of 19 and 66, is that the residents of Istanbul have no interest in Syrian children and ignore their temporary and future needs.
In the most crowded areas of Istanbul, the study participants also showed negative views of the large Syrian refugees. These negative views stem from economic and cultural concerns.
According to these populations, Syrian refugees are now a burden on the Turkish economy. They also believe that the Syrians have problems integrating with the Turks, which will cause problems for Turkish society.
Most of Istanbul's residents do not hesitate to say they feel "strange" in their country.
