The president of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, has made it clear that the U.N.-controlled buffer zone in the war-divided island nation will not be used as a new avenue for the passage of illegal migrants. This statement comes as 27 asylum-seekers from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Sudan, and Iran are currently stranded in the buffer zone.
The migrants, including women and children, have been receiving humanitarian assistance such as food, water, first aid, and shelter from the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR. However, Cypriot authorities have refused to allow them to submit their asylum claims.
Cyprus, which joined the European Union in 2004, only extends full membership benefits and asylum or international protection to migrants in the internationally recognized south of the island. The U.N. has emphasized that it cannot process asylum applications or send the migrants back to the north or Turkey.
In recent years, Cyprus has seen an increase in migrants seeking asylum after crossing the buffer zone from the north. To address this issue, the government has implemented measures such as increased police patrols, accelerated asylum claims processing, and expedited repatriation procedures, resulting in an 85% reduction in such crossings.
While the island also faced a significant influx of Syrian refugees arriving by boat from Lebanon earlier this year, a recent agreement with Lebanese authorities has effectively halted these boat arrivals.
This situation is not unprecedented, as migrants have been stranded in the buffer zone before. In 2021, Cameroonian asylum-seekers were stuck in the buffer zone for six months before being taken to Italy by Pope Francis at the end of his visit to Cyprus.
The issue of migration has become a focal point in local and European Parliament elections, with the far-right making significant gains. The U.N. is urging the Republic of Cyprus to fulfill its obligations under European Union and international law to find a solution that works for all parties involved.
For more updates on migration issues, visit AP's coverage of migration issues.
