THIS SUNDAY the immigrant support organisation, Action for Equality, Support and Antiracism (KISA) will hold its 12th Rainbow Festival in Nicosia. The festival will be repeated next Sunday in Limassol.
Under the slogan “Migrants produce wealth, racists just fear” the festival aims to raise awareness of racism and the plight of immigrants in Cyprus.
Doros Polycaropou, Executive Director and founding member of KISA said “We oppose racism that produces fear and hatred. The 12th Rainbow Festival projects the richness inherent in diversity. It celebrates the beauty of multiculturalism that characterises our new society. It demands equal rights for all people. irrespective of race, colour, national origin, religion, community, gender, sexual orientation or other kind of diversity.”
Held under the auspices of the Interior Ministry, the festival brings together tens of organisations and migrant communities, asylum seekers, human rights and pro bicommunal organisations.
One sector of Cypriot society, which has been had a conspicuously small in recent Rainbow festivals, and which is unlikely to turn out in any substantial number this time, is Greek-Cypriots themselves.
Asked why so few Cypriots attend, or are prepared to combat racism, Anthoula Papadopoulou, a KISA steering committee member, said yesterday “No study or report into why Cypriots are not engaged has been done. It could be because civil society is not as developed as in other European countries. Also, the inward looking and closed Cypriot society probably accounts for why Cypriots are not so engaged.”
Papadopoulou added: “We have faced so much resistance against our effort to stop racism and xenophobia. One problem is that (Cypriot) people are afraid to associate with us. For example, we had one person who wanted to work with us, but their family did not allow it.”
Part of the problem, she explains, is a ‘Chicken and Egg’ effect in whereby civil society and the state reinforce each other’s xenophobic attitudes and policy.
Polycarpou said: “For example the Ministry of Labour’s policy in combating unemployment is to replace migrants with Cypriots. However, studies have shown that migrant workers in Cyprus have contributed to nearly 50 percent of the GDP increase. Now that there is a recession and higher unemployment, they are dispensable and have restricted access to the labour market.”
In the leaflet for Sunday’s event, KISA also criticise the Nicosia police force’s operation to find illegal immigrants. “Based on this xenophobic hysteria… the victims of the harshest exploitation, discrimination and social exclusion are arrested en masse and humiliated because of the colour of their skin.” In a 200 man operation, only 25 of 300 people were arrested.”
There are a few early signs of progress towards acceptance of migrants, however. “We have managed to persuade the Ministries to use the word ‘migrant’, and stop referring to “foreign labour” which dehumanises them.” said Papadopoulou.
For more information about the event, or to arrange free transport to the festival, call 22878181 or visit www.kisa.org.cy
