TURKMENS OF GOLAN IN SYRIA ARE IN THE STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL
Turkmens who are settled in almost all the provinces of Syria mostly live in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Homs, Hama and Golan. Some of the Turkmens settled in Golan which was lost in the Syrian-Israeli War in 1967 are currently living in the UN controlled area on the Israeli border.
The residents of the area can travel to Damascus with special permits and the area is opened for visit once a year in the Newday Holiday of the Golan Turkmens on 17 April. Most of the Turkmens who were driven away from a total of 12 Turkmen villages of Sindyane, Kadirriyye, Dabya, Razzaniye, Ayn El-Sumsum, Ulleyktu, Ayn El Alak, Ahmadiye, Kefer Neffah, Mugeyyir, Hafar and Huseyniyetü which are located on the most productive lands of Golan immigrated to Damascus at that time.
The Syrian administration overlooks the Turkmens who are living in various regions of the country and Turkmens of Golan, which reportedly number around 40 thousand. Apart from this, the Syrian administration keeps them under close surveillance due to the strategic importance of the region in which they are located.
The Turkmens who are more underprivileged and deprived of their social rights compared to the other minorities such as Circassians and Armenians in Syria are occupied with farming in villages and business in cities. They have no publication and cultural activities regarding their language. They are not allowed to have any associations by the administration. The repeated attempts to have an association to strengthen the Turkmens politically and culturally and increase the economic and social solidarity among Turks have not produced any results. As a matter of fact, the application to the Syrian authorities for permission to establish an association under the name of “Nureddin Zerki Association” lead by Muhammed Hayir Bayramaga, the Turkmen author was finally refused in late 2005.
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