Marmara Türkiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi

Yazarlar: Halil KURT, Mehmet Ali AÇIKGÖZ

Konular:Sosyal

Anahtar Kelimeler:Meskhetian Turks,USA,Immigration,Family bonds (ties)

Özet: Meskhetian Turks forced to immigration to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan on 15 th November 1944. Because of the Fergana incident which erupted in 1989, Meskhetians migrated to Krasnodar Kray in North Caucasus. After suffering 15 years, having the right of migration from the government of USA, Meskhetian Turks in Krasnodar migrated to the new World. USA granted the right of being USA citizenship to about 12 thousand of Meskhetian Turks and accepted them to USA. Meskhetian Turks who were migrated for political, economical and strategic purposes, were settled to low population and labor requirement zone, including 30 provinces in USA. Meskhetian Turks reconstructed the area in a short time, adapting the current conditions by their diligence and they were appreciated by nearby neighbors’. Unemployment is scarcely any among Meskhetian Turks zone in USA. Meskhetians believe that working, without exception, is worship and thus, they can get a job easily. Mostly, men are working as truckie, auto mechanic, auto purchase and sale and builder’s laborer while women are working in food sector. As Meskhetian Turks are trying to overcome their problems encountered in USA by the help of their solidarity and extended family bonds, they conduct conferences, education activities, entertainments, social activities together, forging close ties with Turkish Culture Centre in their current cities. It is probably that Turkish Republic is going to conduct the predominant lobby activities before USA on Meskhetian Turks in the future. At this point, organization ability and love of Turkey of Meskhetian Turks take an important place.

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