Cyprus is prepared to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants stranded in the buffer zone, President Christodoulides said on Tuesday. Asked about the stranded people in the buffer zone, Christodoulides said Nicosia had conveyed its readiness to help the United Nations if needed.
“What I can say is that the Republic of Cyprus, and we have conveyed our readiness to the United Nations, is prepared to provide any necessary humanitarian assistance if the need arises,” he told reporters. “In fact, on our own initiative, let me tell you that the Red Cross is already providing humanitarian aid to the individuals there.”
Obligations and Cautions
However, the President said the country has obligations under the EU’s Green Line Regulation governing the transit of goods and people across the UN-patrolled ceasefire line. And he cautioned the Mediterranean island “will not become a new route for the descent of illegal immigrants.”
“We saw yesterday, and it is something that I will also mention to the Ambassadors in our discussion, that they came from Afghanistan to Turkey and from Turkey to the occupied areas,” Christodoulides said. “You understand that Turkey also has responsibilities for individuals coming from Syria and other countries.”
Last week it was reported that fourteen migrants have been stranded in the buffer zone near the University of Cyprus campus in Aglantzia. The Republic of Cyprus’s temporary suspension of asylum applications prevents their entry into government-controlled areas. The stranded group includes women and children from Afghanistan, Sudan, Cameroon, and Iran. The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are collaborating to assist them.
Increased Migration and Government Response
This year has seen a rise in migration across the Green Line from the occupied territories. In response, the government strengthened patrols along the buffer zone. Newly recruited officers conduct continuous patrols to deter migrant arrivals. Furthermore, Cyprus suspended asylum applications for Syrian nationals.
The U.N. human rights office stated earlier this year that based on evidence it has gathered, Syrian refugees who fled the ongoing Syrian civil war are facing gross human rights violations such as torture and abduction on their return to Syria, while women are subject to sexual harassment and violence.
