Syrian child sleeping at Istanbul’s traffic lights

It was a tweet and an accompanying photo posted the other day by a thoughtful citizen who is also a pediatrician: “Every morning while I am driving through Topkapı, I see Syrian children at the junction. Today though, the little girl sleeping at the side of the road shocked me…” 

The photo was of a sleeping small girl who used the refuge as a pillow. It found its way into the newspapers as “the photo that pierces the hearts.” 

We owe a thank you to our sensitive citizen and the newspapers that covered it because this will make the problems Syrian children are experiencing visible; but… 

It is difficult to understand the “shocking” effect created by this…

Is there anybody left who does not know, who has not heard of children living on streets, sleeping on the streets, being beaten up, crying, forced to work, forced to beg, forced to commit crimes and even sold and bought on the streets? 

Children constitute more than half of the 3 million Syrians who have come to Turkey. Those whose families are relatively well off are lucky indeed.   

Those living in refugee camps with their families are also safe; they receive education and they can benefit from health services and social activities…   

Both the state and various non-governmental organizations are making huge efforts for children but apparently they are unable to keep up…  

Reports show that, as of November 2015, out of the 750,000 Syrian children of school age living in Turkey, 450,000 of them are unable to receive any education.  

Despite all the good-willed efforts, most of the children do not have any means of education…

Reports also write about the unaccompanied children who have either lost their parents and relatives, or the kidnapped ones, who have fallen into the hands of gangs. What they have to suffer on the streets and the possible things that could happen to them… 

They are being sold; their bodies are sold, their organs are sold. They are forced into prostitution and they are subjected to sexual abuse. 

They are forced to work like slaves at textile workshops, and we buy and wear those products… 

They are being married off to much older men for money. With just a T-shirt and slippers on, they beg on the streets while it is snowing. 

They are constantly subjected to violence. For instance, in a market in İzmir, their feeble bodies are pushed to the ground by angry men. 

They are forced to steal and conduct shameless acts. They live unprotected against the evils of the world. 
It would be unjust and unfair to say efforts are not being made, however, on one hand there are those who could be reached and saved, but on the other hand, there are twice as many of them who are dragged onto the streets.

To the child who puts her head on the pavement pretending it’s a pillow and sleeps near the traffic lights as the sun rises…

What should we say to you? 

Should we say, “Look darlings, sorry, we cannot save all of you. We don’t know what to do. We are desperate. Would it be of any help to cry while looking at your photo from a far?”