Facebook is the Gateway to Europe for Syrian Refugees

Many refugees fleeing the wars in the Middle East have used Facebook as a medium to find smugglers, hoping these individuals will take them to a safe place in Europe for a better life than their homeland. In recent years, Facebook and other social networks were used to mobilize people for protest demonstrations in Arab countries, protests that toppled several ruling regimes in the region and became known as the 'Arab Spring.' However, with the situation worsening in some of these countries, especially in Syria and Iraq, Facebook has become an intermediary to connect those fleeing wars and other tensions to smugglers, providing them with a way to reach a 'safe place.' Some Facebook pages provide all the necessary information to refugees, from the price they need to pay to board a vessel, whether by sea or land, to the bribes they must pay during this perilous journey; risks that include drowning at sea to suffocating in containers. In addition, applications like WhatsApp and Viber facilitate contact with smugglers, while online maps help them navigate their dangerous routes. Many Arabic-language pages on Facebook list the numbers of smugglers. Smugglers also offer various proposals to refugees, ranging from transfers from Turkish shores to direct arrivals in Europe. These pages seem to answer many questions for those wanting to board a boat from Turkey to Greece. Some pages provide better details on how to cross the Serbia-Hungary borders. There are also pages claiming they can take refugees directly to Germany. For example, one page states: 'Greece by sea $750, Germany by land €2500, Germany by air €3000, Germany by air without fingerprints guaranteed €5500, Austria by land without fingerprints €3500, Switzerland and Denmark by air €5500.' Another recently published advertisement states: 'Boat from Izmir, Turkey to the main crossing point for refugees to Greece, $1200 per person. The trip is guaranteed, and a life jacket will be provided for free.' Another advertisement claims that the journey from Turkey's shores to Greece is conducted using 'luxury tourist boats.' This advertisement states the cost for each person is €2500. Many advertisements ask refugees to go to the Bismam area, which is considered an unofficial base for smugglers in Turkey. Social networks played a very important role in the recent protest movements in some Arab countries. Activists in countries such as Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and even Syria managed to use social networks, including Facebook, to call people to demonstrate in the streets and squares. Facebook pages were filled with news of revolutions, planning for protest movements, news of crackdowns, and more. In their journey to European countries, refugees continue to try to use social networks to find a way to reach these countries. Abu Mohammad, a Syrian refugee from Idlib, who recently went to Izmir, Turkey with his wife and three children, tells Radio Farda that he has long been looking for a way to bring his family to a safe place in Europe to secure his children's future. Abu Mohammad, who spent some time in Lebanon, cited pressures from Lebanese authorities on Syrians as the reason for leaving that country, as Syrian nationals have not been allowed to work in Lebanon for some time; meanwhile, Lebanon itself is grappling with severe economic and political crises. This Syrian refugee says he had visited many Facebook pages containing information about smugglers and the prices they charge refugees, and ultimately decided to go to Turkey to negotiate with smugglers and seek help from some acquaintances. He, still in Turkey, adds: 'I fear for my family from potential incidents and drowning, so I am looking for a means other than small boats and inflatable rafts. Incidents of capsizing boats and vessels are frequent. I was even willing to pay more to go to Greece with a reliable means. Twice it was agreed, and we went to the shore, but each time we faced situations where they wanted to deceive us and brought a small boat or inflatable raft. Once, when we refused to board, there was a confrontation, and they pointed a gun at us. In the end, I was left with my family in a forest where we walked for almost 12 hours to reach the city. I was close to losing my children.' Turkey hosts about two million Syrian refugees who have fled the war in their country; a war that shows no signs of ending. Many consider Turkey as the first station to reach Europe or even the USA and Canada. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has registered over 4 million Syrians in various parts of the Middle East. Seven million displaced people are also present within Syria, forced to flee from one area to another. Facebook users exchange the latest news related to the refugee crisis in Europe; negative news such as drownings or some countries preventing refugees from entering through borders, to positive news such as spectators at football matches in Germany holding banners in support of refugees or the Finnish Prime Minister offering his home to refugees. One advertisement on Facebook states: 'Reach Germany for €6000. The travel route is from Turkey, then Greece, then Macedonia, then Serbia, then Hungary, and finally Germany. You only need to walk for one hour; the rest of the journey is by boat and car.' Abdullah from Latakia, who is currently in Greece, tells Radio Farda that he searched on Facebook for three months before deciding to travel. He continues that he obtained all the information, including the route, prices, bribes that need to be paid, and the phone numbers of intermediaries from Facebook. He also adds that despite the routes seeming guaranteed, due to the large number of migrants, crossing has become very difficult, and many smugglers also exploit refugees in such a way that they do not provide the promised services or abandon migrants midway.