CHANGING CONCEPTS OF EXILE Engin Erkiner
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CHANGING CONCEPTS OF EXILE Engin Erkiner
Like everything else, exile has also changed.
In the past, the leading component of exile was the longing for return. Exiled people longed to return to the country they had to leave. A common designation for these people was “living out of a suitcase.” They believed that they were temporary in the country they had to come to and that they would return one day.
Some of the exiles who had to come to European countries after September 12, 1980, returned after 1990, after the abolition of articles 141 and 142 in the Turkish Penal Code. . Their life in exile lasts about ten years. These people experienced classic exile. His life in exile lasted and ended for about ten years... It would be wrong to evaluate exile within the framework of longing for return after 30-40 years of exile. A new life was established in another country.
The country that was abandoned years ago has also changed a lot. There are no old relationships. When you return, a new life will have to be established again, and this is not easy. The meaning of longing for return has changed. Returning does not mean settling in the country that you had to leave years ago, but rather going and seeing it. Thirty years ago, communication opportunities were not as developed as they are today. It might not have been understood that the country had changed a lot over time and that it was not like the country left behind.
This danger is now eliminated. It used to be "homeland", but it is not anymore. That old homeland is not lost in memories, but it does not exist in reality.
Exile and statelessness used to be synonymous. This too has disappeared over time.
People settled in another country, their children went to school, and some even worked and retired. Vatan is the name of the place where these are made. The place they live in is their new homeland, their real homeland. Statelessness is over.
Some exiles may also see themselves as dual-nationals. The real homeland is the place where we have lived for years, the previous homeland is in the past. There are memories of that homeland, and those memories do not reflect today's reality. Some people's situations are truly strange. They worked and retired, their children studied in this country and they even bought a house. They have settled well in the country, but the thought of a definitive return still remains in their minds. In this respect, they are similar to first generation workers. Years passed and they always wanted to return, but they could not do it.
There is no danger of first generation workers going to prison when they return to the country, as there was in exile. Exile is a special case of immigration. It is politically forced immigration. After many years, immigration ends. It cannot be said that a person is still an immigrant even after 30-40 years. He is not an immigrant, he is of immigrant origin.
Similarly, exile ends after a long time has passed. The person originates from exile.
The important difference between exile and normal immigration is that one cannot return to the country at any time. The immigrant has gone to the country and returned many times throughout his 30-40 years of immigration. This is what is missing in exile. In this context, exiles have a longing to return. Returning not to settle like those who returned after ten years of exile, but to see and come back...
