THE ISLAND’S top authority on racism yesterday blasted last Friday’s police sweep operation against migrants in old Nicosia, saying she was “revolted” and “deeply concerned”.
Ombudswoman Iliana Nicolaou, as head of the Authority against Racism and Discrimination, expressed her “revulsion and deep concern regarding the massive operation for the arrest of migrants in old Nicosia on Friday”, adding that her office would investigate complaints against the raids received yesterday morning.
The massive dawn hunt of illegal migrants last Friday led 257 police members to encircle the old town and carry out raids in migrant houses in the early hours of the morning. In total, 150 migrants were taken to police stations for identification, resulting in 36 arrests for illegal residence and 12 in connection with altercations at the Omeriye Mosque earlier this month.
Nicolaou pulled no punches yesterday, noting such operations had nothing to do with the country’s migration policy and only served to feed xenophobic attitudes and racist stereotypes. “This practice should be abandoned,” she said, adding that it “ultimately undermines the principles of a modern democratic state of law and fundamental human rights”.
“The way the operation was carried out, setting up roadblocks in the city centre, invading the houses of migrants, mass transfer to police stations, use of handcuffs, and the media coverage of all these images with the consequent reproduction of xenophobic attitudes and racist stereotypes about the ‘problem of illegal immigration’ are phenomena that are not consistent with the rule of law,” she said.
Nicolaou called for an effective response to the problem by drawing up “a modern, coherent migration policy” dealing with the reception, living conditions and integration of migrants into Cypriot society. The aim of such a comprehensive policy should be “social cohesion and solidarity, and the safeguarding of individual rights of the entire population, without discrimination on the basis of their legal status”.
The Ombudswoman criticised the police for systematically linking migrants with the issues of crime and lawlessness, saying, it was not only unfair to migrants but also failed to address the real problems faced regarding public order.
She called on all involved to “build bridges of dialogue with migrants” to allow greater understanding of their hardships but also provide a space to inform on their responsibilities as residents of Cyprus.
Interior Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis yesterday described the sweep operation as “unnecessary”, noting that emphasis should be given to programmes for rejuvenation of the old town. He repeated that he was not informed of the operation, noting that “some are not being given the full picture”.
Nicosia Mayor Eleni Mavrou echoed similar sentiments that there was no clear understanding of how illegal migration was being tackled.
The minister stressed that more targeted policies were needed, like clamping down on illegal employment, those who rent to illegal migrants, and increasing inspections of rented accommodation so as to take to court those who turn shops into livingquarters.
“The EU and we are sensitive to how we handle people. First, the basic principle in handling migration is respect of human rights of all migrants, even those you will deport,” he said.
Sylikiotis said a combined effort was needed to tackle illegal migration while improving the integration of legal migrants. For this, the EU has made available €7.5m to Cyprus to use by 2013, for programmes like joint camping holidays of Cypriot and migrant children. The aim is for 100 per cent absorption of these funds, he added.
Some political parties joined in the chorus of criticism against the operation, though some more hesitantly than others.
DISY’s Christos Stylianides said the government’s actions did not reflect a modern migration policy, while DIKO’s Fotis Fotiou said the differing views of the ministers of Justice and Interior was “worrying”.
Fotiou added that the state must show respect to legal migrants while “illegal immigrants are illegal, and so should be seen as a critical problem, which if allowed to take new dimension, can turn into a real mine field.”
