82 - Southern Cyprus: A Twist in the Story

2024 No 3

So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus… Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem.
—Acts 13:4, 13

This past May, we spent some extended time conducting field research on Cyprus. Our time in the north of the island put us in contact with university students and we also had the joy of meeting with the leaders of several churches. In the same way, our time in the South allowed us to engage migrants at various levels and hear from those doing incredible ministry in some challenging places. God brought the good news to the island two millennia ago through the Apostle Paul, and the message is still being proclaimed today.

Southern Cyprus is a diverse community encompassing not just Greek Cypriots but a host of immigrants from diverse backgrounds. Fifty years ago, the island was divided by war, the economy was a wreck, and nearly two hundred thousand citizens had been displaced. For a history, see our post on Cyprus here. Her recovery was dependent upon two things. First, Greek Cypriots found work in Middle Eastern oilfields. Their remittances allowed their families to survive. Second, wealthy individuals displaced from Lebanon, Russia, and Syria found a home. Their money fed both construction and commerce, bringing financial security to the island. Consequently, this part of the island is strongly associated with emigration and immigration.

But not all who came to Cyprus were rich. The Arab Spring initiated a pattern of migration across the Mediterranean, whereby those with very few resources began to arrive. As we have witnessed in other areas, the Eastern Mediterranean Route became the pathway of choice for smugglers in the Arab and Persian worlds. Their “ticket” to Europe would promise Europe as a destination… while shielding their clients from the fact that many of the transition points could leave them stranded. Southern Cyprus has become one of those places.

Migrants arrive in one of two ways. The first is via a boat from Lebanon, a journey of just over 150 miles.¹ These are mostly Syrians who pay upwards of $3,000 each to cross in small fishing vessels. Lebanon hosts nearly a million Syrian refugees.² In April of 2024, more than 500 arrived on just one weekend.³ This is a marked increase from the number of migrants who crossed in 2023. But even now, that is changing. Those numbers have begun to decrease with the adoption of a one-billion euro agreement between Lebanon and the European Union earlier this year.

But these refugees are not African. Very few Africans are flying or walking to Beirut to secure a boat to Cyprus. Remember, water flows along the pathways of the least resistance... and those are well established. African streams go to Istanbul, where a significant, stable African presence already exists. From there, they fly to Northern Cyprus, having been convinced that crossing to the South equates to arrival in Europe. It doesn’t work that way, but the smugglers still peddle their lies. Cyprus is a part of the EU but not a part of the Schengen Agreement. That means that Cyprians must still pass through border control and passport checks to travel to the continent. The only advantage to Cyprus if you are a refugee. In 2022, over 20,000 people applied for asylum in Cyprus.⁴ One in five were from Africa. Rejection rates are high (Nigeria 98%, DRC 95%, Cameroon 90%). Since we focus on sub-Saharan African movements in this blog, we will focus on their journey to Southern Cyprus.

Crossing the Green Line

The preponderance of Africans arriving in Southern Cyprus must pass through the Turkish North because most could not secure a direct visa to Cyprus, or anywhere in the EU for that matter. The general testimony is that individuals flew to Turkey with a promise of eventually landing somewhere in Europe. Many have bought into a package that takes them from their home through Istanbul and then directly to Cyprus. Others have been in Turkey for a while, and the cost of going to Greece or the Balkans was beyond their capacity. For them, Cyprus becomes a viable option. Allow me to share the story of one migrant named Samuel.

Samuel's dream was to go to Belgium. He has family in the capital, and they told him they would help him become established if he could only get there. He had found an agent on Facebook who helped him travel from Nigeria to Istanbul and secure passage across the Evros River into the Balkans. Smugglers would then guide him via social media through the maze of transit points into Germany and beyond. Unfortunately, he was captured by a Greek border patrol and pushed back into Turkey. With that, his money was gone, and he was stranded. Samuel had since lived in Istanbul for two years.

He knew that Southern Cyprus was supposed to be a dead end, but in his mind, so was Istanbul. He had heard that the EU was forced to accept migrants, even those from Nigeria, simply because there were so many on the island. To get to Northern Cyprus, he would need fake travel documents (5,000 Turkish Lira / $150 USD) and a one-way plane ticket (1,700 Turkish Lira / $50 USD). Once he arrived at the Ecran airport, he would stay with a group of Nigerians who were moving people to the South.

As noted previously, the island is divided by a UN-controlled buffer zone. Crossing that "Green Line" is not as hard as one might imagine. Border guards closely monitor the entry points in larger towns. However, many other crossing points are only monitored by cameras. Someone in a properly tagged car can pass through easily. In other words, $300 can buy a seat in one of those vehicles. Since the UN patrols the zone, controlling these entry points is left to local authorities. At that level, bribes and corruption can pave the way for many to cross.

In Samuel's case, it indeed was that simple. He paid the money to his new Nigerian friends, and they took care of the details. A car came by the next day and picked him up with one other. They drove east for a short while and then south across the border. When crossing, all the driver asked them to do was lean towards the middle of the car. He told them that it would make it harder for the cameras to identify them as Africans. Within just a few short hours, they were in Larnica, Southern Cyprus.

He would soon realize that he now had a problem… he was in Larnica.

Trapped in Paradise

Cyprus is a world apart from Istanbul. The largest city in Turkey has nearly 16 million inhabitants, whereas Southern Cyprus’s total population is only 750,000. Unlike the Bosphorus Strait, Cyprus has over 300 days of sunshine each year. Warm beaches, open countryside, Mediterranean cuisine, and a decent economy. What is there not to like? It truly is a paradise… for those with an EU passport and money in the bank. For everyone else, it can be like a prison.

Samuel found himself in Larnica and quickly discovered that there was no place for him to sleep at night. Africans have three options. The first would be to find an apartment. Most are unregulated, meaning that unscrupulous landlords can charge whatever fees they like and can evict at any time. Any available apartments are always filled, often providing shelter for 2-3 families at a time. They are costly by migrant standards, and one must have many connections to get into an open space. That was not Samuel.

The second option is to file for asylum and hope to be accepted into one of the refugee camps. There are three reception centers on this side of the island.⁵ (Kofinu, Pournara, and Limnes) These centers were only designed to house 3-400 people but often have upwards of 2,000 each. As people rotate out, they are given a small stipend on which to live. Most will pool their resources and find a place to stay under the first option above. These refugee camps, however, are only available once your asylum application has been accepted. Due to overcrowding and shifting political policies, just getting an application recognized can take time and effort. There are so many genuine refugees from the Middle East that Africans seldom get a hearing.

The third option is to live on the streets. This means squatting in abandoned urban spaces or constructing a cardboard and plastic structure in rural areas. Most Africans do this. In the same way that migrants stuck in Morocco or Tunisia find a way to live in the forests, their counterparts in Cyprus carve out spaces for themselves. In some places, informal migrant camps have arisen, rivaling the government-run systems. Panhandling for food, they survive, but only by a little. It is a tough life, and Samuel was thrown into the deep end of this pool on his very first day. Fortunately, he made friends on the streets, and they taught him how to survive.

One may think that if things were so hard, why not just return to Turkey? After all, he had a better life in Istanbul. The challenge is, once again, the water does not flow that way. Migrants without legal standing and valid visas can only move in the direction the smugglers provide. Turkey is content with Africans coming to Istanbul, for they provide a source of cheap labor for her industries. The government is also willing to facilitate passage to the West because that gives the country bargaining strength with the EU. But for the smugglers, everything is a one-way street. The structures are not in place for return trips, so once one is in Cyprus… they are stuck.

A Crisis in the Making

As you might imagine, unchecked immigration on an island can only be sustained for so long. In 2023, an estimated 193,500 non-Cypriot people, expats, lived legally on the island. Another 31,672 individuals were awaiting a decision on their asylum applications. And then, there are an estimated 50,000 who reside illegally. Together, they represent some 36% of the total population. As one might imagine, there are not enough services to care for these people, and their needs have overwhelmed all social and faith-based systems.

In March of this year, the EU signed a 7.4 billion euro deal with Egypt.⁶ As noted above, they then signed a 1 billion euro deal with Lebanon.⁷ These are intended to increase border controls and decrease departure from these countries. However, to date, little has been offered to Cyprus to deal with its own migrant crisis. The EU is hesitant to release significant aid internal to the Union, fearing it would face unwieldy demands from her other border countries dealing with migration pressures. Cyprus is geographically and politically isolated. To manage, they have begun to suspend acceptance of asylum applications from places like Syria and have increased the incidences of illegal pushbacks of boats entering her waters.⁸ Like others, one of her key goals has become one of deterrence.

Despite all of these efforts, migration to Cyprus is only increasing. The pressure to escape increases as war looms over the Middle East. European Union financial agreements may line the pockets of governments and their officials, but those resources seldom make it to the smugglers. They then capitalize on the suffering of the people… and as long as people are willing to pay… the smugglers will find ways to put them in the water with a compass heading toward Cyprus.

The Realities on the Ground

While in Larnica, we had the opportunity to visit with a local immigration attorney. One of her goals was to help migrants weed through the paperwork of an asylum application and often the appeal for those who have been rejected. She shared that the prospects of EU asylum for sub-Saharans were bleak, even if they could demonstrate that they genuinely were refugees. One must never forget that African refugees can fall into the traps of smugglers just as easily as those who are only seeking a better life economically. The backlog in the system was substantive, and the capacity of authorities to verify applications was lacking. Success was rare, and she shared that it was easy to get discouraged. She emphasized that the need was great, and the suffering for many was beyond measure. Like other Greek Cypriots on the island, her heart was not to lose a sense of compassion. We did our best to offer encouragement.

Yet another part of her efforts was to assist those seeking to be repatriated to their home countries. In the first half of 2024, Cyprus had assisted with repatriating over 4,500 migrants. Last year, they sent over 11,000 back to their countries of origin. Not all left voluntarily. Perhaps a third were forcibly expelled. The rest were given incentives to leave, including cash. Despite the hardship of living on the island, it is not an easy sell. Many of the migrants who land in Southern Cyprus have spent much more than what is being offered on smugglers. Often, those resources came from the pockets of family members. Returning home with a financial loss is only one aspect of the shame of failure. Many people have no home to go to. The attorney recounted one migrant who said that poverty was the same in Cyprus as it was back home. Only in Cyprus, there was no shame. Consequently, she aimed to negotiate conditions where the migrant could return home in a way that brought honor to their family. Not an easy task!

God’s Presence Through the Cyprian Church

Many of the migrants who find themselves in Southern Cyprus are Christians. They were active in their churches before leaving home and have clung to their faith through difficult times. No wonder they find courage, hope, and peace as they gather and worship together. Immigrant churches abound wherever migrants call home. Some are informal, while others are more organized and meet in established locations. As in most migratory transition points, these churches are led by the migrants themselves. Many have been here for years, meaning that the church’s membership and structure are stable and can serve their fellowship and community in practical ways.

In the same way, many Greek Cypriots still feel the pain of displacement. If you remember from a previous post, nearly 150,000 Greeks were pushed out of the North during the Civil War of 1974.¹¹ They landed in the South and survived only by the care and hospitality of others. That sentiment runs deep and helps explain why Cypriots, often Christian, offer legal services and humanitarian aid to those immigrants suffering the most.

We had the privilege of working alongside one such ministry in Nicosia, the capital. It is a divided city with the Green Line running through the middle. Many ministries serve immigrants. We met a pastor who ran one of those centers, distributing food and clothing to those in need. Along the way, they shared the hope found in God and the gospel's message.

Conclusion

In most transition zones, migrants blend into the background of millions of nationals… or move forward rather quickly. Indigenous, immigrant, and even international churches have a hand in ministering to their needs, but all must be done in short order. Why? Because those are not places of destination. No one wants to stay there, and they eventually move on. The situation in Southern Cyprus is unique. It is a transition zone, just without an outlet. Very few find a way to move forward… and those who leave are often forced to return to their countries of origin. As such, they are there for a long time, and their situation seldom improves.

The global church has work to do in Southern Cyprus. Local churches have a heart to serve but are overwhelmed like the rest of their country's systems. The needs are significant, and the numbers continue to increase daily. It is here where the knowledge and experience of working in large refugee camps can come into play. I often lament that most diaspora resources are focused on these large camps to the exclusion of so many other areas of similar but viable engagement. Yet, in this case, the global church would do well to bring her capacities to this island in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Paul and Barnabas were led by the Holy Spirit to bring the gospel to this land some 2,000 years ago. Could it be that the Spirit is now leading others to follow in their footsteps?

¹ Hanna Davis, "Cyprus Is Favored Route for Thousands of Syrian Migrnts Escaping Lebanon", Al-Monitor https://tinyurl.com/2ptbrtjf (accessed August 20, 2024).

² Abby Sewell, "EU Announces 1 Billion Euros N Aid for Lebanon Amid a Surge in Irregular Migration", AP News https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-cyprus-eu-migration-europe-8639a76924445f2d2494684bc8e3b649 (accessed August 20, 2024).

³ Emma Wallis, "Cyprus: More Than 500 Migrants Rescued over Weekend", InfoMigrants https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/56186/cyprus-more-than-500-migrants-rescued-over-weekend (accessed August 20, 2024).

⁴ Uzay Blut, "Cyprus: Mass Migration Leads to Demographic Replacement", The European Conservative https://europeanconservative.com/articles/essay/cyprus-mass-migration-leads-to-demographic-replacement/ (accessed August 20, 2024).

⁵ UNHCR, Cyprus: Reception Capacity (Geneva, 2021).

⁶ Lisa O’Carroll, "EU Seals €7.4bn Deal with Egypt in Effort to Avert Another Migration Crisis", The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/17/egypt-eu-deal-refugees-mediterranean (accessed August 20, 2024).

⁷ Elia Ayoub, "EU’s 1 Billion-Euro Gift Will Hurt Lebanon and Its People", Aljazeera https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/6/11/the-eus-1-billion-euro-gift-will-hurt-lebanon-and-its-people (accessed August 20, 2024).

⁸ Hanna Davis, "Cyprus Pushbacks Fail to Deter Refugee Boats from Lebanon", InkStick https://inkstickmedia.com/cyprus-pushbacks-fail-to-deter-refugee-boats-from-lebanon/ (accessed August 20, 2024). See also, Nikolaos Prakas, "Migrant Pushbacks Continue Unabated", CyprusMail https://cyprus-mail.com/2024/08/01/migrant-pushbacks-continue-unabated/ (accessed August 20, 2024). And, Hanna Davis, "Growing Violence and Harsher Policies as Cypriot Politicians Weaponise Migration", The New Humanitarian https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news-feature/2024/06/04/violence-harsher-policies-cypriot-politicians-weaponise-migration (accessed August 20, 2024).

⁹ "IOM and the Republic of Cyprus Assist 84 Migrants with Voluntary Return", IOM https://cyprus.iom.int/news/iom-and-republic-cyprus-assist-84-migrants-voluntary-return (accessed August 24, 2024).

¹⁰ "Cyprus Riots over Migrant Influx: 13 Arrested", Deutsche Welle https://www.dw.com/en/cyprus-riots-over-migrant-influx-13-arrested/a-66703271 (accessed August 20, 2024).

¹¹ M. Augustus Hamilton, "Historical Context of Cyprus", M2M3 https://m2m3.org/80-historical-context-of-cyprus/ (accessed August 20, 2024).