"Yazidis are subjected to discrimination"

In the violation of rights report prepared by Diyarbakir Bar Association, it is noted that Yazidis who ran away from Sinjar and took shelter in Turkey are subjected to discrimination in accessing health care services. It is reported that while Syrian refugees benefit from free health care service upon the order of the Ministry of Health, people from Sinjar pay for health care services. 

According to Doğan News Agency's report, lawyers from Diyarbakir Bar Association Child Rights Center prepared a report assessing the situation in Diyarbakir Fidanlık Camp, where Yazidis from Sinjar region were quartered. In the report, it is stated that there are more than 30.000 Yazidi refugees in Turkey and most of them were quartered in the camps established by the municipalities. 

Volunteer health care providers 

In the report, it is stated that no governmental agencies provides support to the camp which is established by Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality with 850 tents and the refugees in that camps can get health care service only from volunteer health care providers. 

It is also reported that 470 people had an operation, 90 women gave birth and 74 women had abortion. Many of the health care services were provided by volunteers from Chamber of Physicians and Turkish Health Care Workers Union (SES). 

Discriminatory treatment 

Yazidis have refugee status according to international conventions, but they are subjected to discrimination. “People are distinguished as the ones from EU countries and and the ones from non-EU countries. This means that there is discrimination in the process of acquiring refugee status. Legal status of Yazidi refugees should be recognized immediately and they should be provided with every right that all Turkish citizens have. AFAD (The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority) and Turkish Red Crescent have the responsibility of fulfilling the needs in the camps.”