Turkish people are so misinformed about Syrians living in Turkey that the biggest obstacle to social harmony among the two communities can be said to be disinformation.
The Human Development Monitor Survey conducted by INGEV TAM in collaboration with Istanbul Bilgi University Faculty of Communication revealed that local community members possess quite a bit of misinformation about the humanitarian aid provided to Syrians in Turkey.
The research revealed that local community members are better informed when it comes to issues related to daily life such as health care and payments of bills. A majority of the population, however, is under the impression that refugees get special treatment on topics such cash transfers by the Turkish government, reduced taxes, easier access to education and fast-tracked citizenship rights.
Half of the local community thinks that the most tense social relationship in Turkey today is the one between Turkish people and Syrians. Nearly half of the local community members say they do not want their children to be friends with refugees. This tension felt by the members of society seems to stem from pieces of disinformation prevalent in the society in relation to humanitarian aid provided to Syrians.
Click to access the press release. (Only in Turkish)
Click for the detailed research report.
Click for the summary findings of the research.