200 Palestinians from Iraq in Cyprus
The Cyprus Mail reports that 200 Palestinian refugees who fled from Iraq are in a desperate financial situation and claim the immigration authorities are not adequately helping them. The group’s spokesman, Abu Ahmed, told the Mail that the 40 families have been on the receiving end of stalling tactics designed to stop them applying for asylum. "Every time we go to the Larnaca immigration office, we are told to come back in a week. When we return in a week, we are told to go back again in ten days. This situation has been going on for the last two months now. No reason for the delays is ever given. The officers are so rude and aggressive and are constantly shouting at us. Because of their delays, we are now living in fear of being arrested, as we are technically on the island illegally." Ahmed also says that the group has not been given free legal advice, which is their right.
Ahmed said the group left Baghdad following attacks on the camp in which "At least 500 people were killed, kidnapped or arrested. With everything going on around us, we couldn’t stay at the camp and had to leave before it was too late. We couldn’t go to any other Arab country as we’re Palestinian and decided to come to Cyprus as many of us had been to the island before on holiday and found the people sympathetic to us. We felt we would be safe here as our people are similar to one another."
Doros Polycarpou, President of KISA, Action for Equality, Support and Anti-Racism, described the Palestinian’s plight as, “very serious”, adding that they are "being denied the right to apply for asylum, which they are entitled to. The law is very clear: From the first moment that they arrived on the island, they should have been looked after, not had life made difficult for them." The group’s lawyer said it was regrettable that they had experienced delays, but said that she had been in touch with the relevant immigration authorities, "who will now be accepting asylum applications from the individuals in question."
