MIGRATION ON THE UP!
A POPULAR CHOICE OF DESTINATION
Cyprus has recently experienced a mass increase in both illegal and legal migration with a steady increase in numbers since 2017. The island has become a popular choice of destination. All migrants are attracted to the island because of its European status, large unpopulated coastline, and its position in between three continents. The island is aptly within easy reach of Europe, Africa and the Middle East, meaning less distance for small boats to travel from all of these locations. The island’s status as a member of the European Union also attracts people seeking refuge from war, persecution, and economic hardship. Those fleeing conflict often cite that Europe offers stability, protection and a better economic life.
ASYLUM APPLICATIONS
An asylum seeker is often forced to leave their home country because of violence, persecution, and instability and they often arrive on the island with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Some of these people immediately seek safety, security, and more often than not, a new beginning on the island,. Others simply see Cyprus as a way of gaining a foothold into Europe. Many arrive from war-torn countries, whilst others come from countries in Africa and Asia, where poverty, political repression, and lack of opportunities compell them to seek refuge elsewhere. Cyprus also receives asylum applications from a number of several non-European Balkan countries.Â
EUROPEAN STATUS
Cyprus’s European status has generally provided a stepping stone for asylum seekers looking to move on to other parts of Europe. Despite this, the trend for asylum applications to remain on the island has gradually increased year on year, since Cyprus became a full member of the EU in 2004. Applications have reached record numbers and the influx of population has presented a number of challenges for Cyprus officials. The population boost has inevitably caused a strain on the island’s resources and infrastructure, and authorities are struggling to develop a comprehensive system for processing and integrating refugees into Cypriot society.
A RISK TO LIFE
Asylum seekers often find themselves at the mercy of unscrupulous people traffikers who exploit their desperation for profit. The journey to Cyprus is not an easy one and is generally very dangerous. Despite this, many still risk their lives crossing the Mediterranean Sea in overcrowded and unsafe boats. Cypriot authorities constantly struggle to patrol the island’s coast and people traffickers have found several ways to take advantage of this. They offer asylum seekers organised routes into the country and these include locations in the north. Asylum seekers who arrive this way simply cross over to the south at different points along the green line and then seek asylum. On arrival they then face a number of challenges. These often include a lack of adequate housing, healthcare, and social services. They then face the difficulty of navigating a complex asylum process and integration into Cypriot society.Â
A CONSTANT STRUGGLE
The issue of asylum seekers in Cyprus is not just a matter of humanitarian concern, but also a test of the country’s commitment to upholding its international obligations and values. As a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, Cyprus has a legal and moral duty to protect the rights and dignity of asylum seekers within its borders.Â
STRETCHED THIN BY RISING NUMBERS
The Cypriot Government constantly makes efforts to address the needs of asylum seekers. They provide temporary accommodation in reception centres and they have also actively supplied healthcare and education to them. Legal assistance is also available for asylum applications, but these resources sometimes become limited and the capacity of the government to effectively respond to the needs of all asylum seekers are stretched thin by rising numbers.Â
A LENGTHY BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS
In addition to the challenges of meeting the immediate needs of asylum seekers, the Cypriot government also faces the task of processing their asylum claims in a timely and fair manner. The asylum process can be lengthy and bureaucratic and several asylum seekers wait months or even years for a decision on their application. During this time, they are often unable to work legally or access social benefits, creating a state of limbo and uncertainty about their future in Cyprus.
IMPROVING CONDITIONS
The Cypriot Government has also taken steps to strengthen its asylum system. They have improved conditions for asylum seekers with the establishment of a new Asylum Service. The adoption of a national asylum law and the implementation of European funded projects, to support the reception and integration of refugees are also apparent. These initiatives are an attempt to enhance the capacity of the island to respond to the needs of asylum seekers in a more efficient, transparent, and humane way. At the same time, civil society organisations, international NGOs, and volunteers have also played their part in supporting asylum seekers on the island. They have provided information, advocacy, and practical assistance in the daily lives of applicants. These grassroots efforts have also helped to raise awareness about the plight of asylum seekers, challenge stereotypes and prejudices, and they have promoted a more inclusive and compassionate society in Cyprus.
A RESILIENCE & DETERMINATION
Despite all of the challenges, asylum seekers in Cyprus have shown resilience and determination in the face of adversity. Many have formed communities and networks of support, helping each other navigate the asylum process and then build new lives in their adopted country. These efforts have been instrumental in bridging the gap between asylum seekers and the wider Cypriot communities on the island, fostering understanding and solidarity across cultural and linguistic barriers.
A POLICE CLAMPDOWN
Ultimately, the issue of asylum seekers in Cyprus is a complex and multifaceted one, requiring a coordinated and comprehensive response from all involved. Efforts to stop illegal migration are ongoing and recent police clampdowns have led to a series of arrests. Successful convictions, involving people traffiking on the island, have also followed. These convictions have included a number of offences for conspiracy to commit crimes, being members of a criminal organisation, and money laundering. Despite this, arrivals on the island are still rising! This confirms that the challenges faced by everyone concerned, with both legal and illegal migration to the island, remain difficult.Â
POLICING THE BUFFER ZONE
The Republic of Cyprus is also constantly strengthening security along the buffer zone. This is to prevent increasing numbers of migrants crossing from Turkey and then through the occupied north. Migrant living conditions, amongst other things in buffer zone camps, are notoriously bad, promptIing several migrants each year to flee to the south. The Republic of Cyprus provides humanitarian aid and medical care for these particular migrants, but it has maintained that this cannot continue indefinitely.Â
GREEN LINE MANDATES
International organisations in the past have accused the Republic of Cyprus of failing to uphold international law by denying some of the people crossing from the occupied north access to asylum procedures. These accusations have emerged amid claims that Cypriot authorities have previously pushed some of these asylum seekers back to the buffer zone. Some of these migrants are actively seeking to sue the government over alleged pushbacks, but Cypriot authorities maintain that they have acted within the law. They cite that green line regulations mandate that the area is a ceasefire buffer zone, which they are obligated to monitor and that it is not an international border or a recognised boundary. Cypriot authorities also maintain that these people originate from Turkey, which is considered a safe country and that it is obliged to provide access to asylum procedures to migrants within its territory under its international legal obligations and agreements that it has with the European Union.
A RECENT CRACKDOWN
A recent crackdown by Cyprus immigration authorities has located and arrested over 50 undocumented third country nationals. The crackdown also included routine inspections across the country, revealing several people without work visas, expired documents and inaccurate identification papers.
10 of these individuals have already been repatriated and police have set the necessary logistics in place to repatriate the rest in cooperation with the relevant authorities.
Authorities continue to locate and repatriate individuals who are not legally residing in Cyprus on a daily basis. To date, over 3,000 third country nationals, illegally living in Republic of Cyprus territory, have been deported or repatriated since the beginning of this year.
