Tent of hunger striking Kurds almost washed away

Immigrant support group KISA on Tuesday called on the Cyprus government, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, and civil society organisations to turn their attention to the plight of Kurds from Syria, after they have been camped outside the interior ministry more than a month.
In a statement, KISA said they are protesting the authorities’ refusal to review their requests for international protection for seven years, while for four of the protesters, Tuesday marked their fourteenth day of hunger-striking.
In a meeting last Friday, KISA was assured by the competent state bodies that the applications to be granted refugee status would be examined in a favourable light by the end of this week.
But Tuesday’s torrential rain flooded their tents, destroying one.
Due to the emergency, KISA called on the government to conclude the evaluation of the asylum requests, the UNHCR to assist the authorities in coming to a fair decision, and civil service organisations, as well as the general public to contribute blankets, sheets, winter clothing, a tent and juices.
The non-governmental organisation also asked for foodstuff for the protesters who are not on a hunger strike, one of whom suffers from diabetes.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.