Filenews 16 April 2022 - by Dora Christodoulou
The phenomena of social explosion, xenophobia, the separation of the inhabitants on an ethnic and racial basis and the incidents for insignificant reasons, make their appearance again in another community of Pafos. After Chlorakas and the continuous incidents caused by the over-concentration of immigrants in recent years, the problems began to appear in the neighboiring community of Emba, where a large number of immigrants were transferred from Chloraka in recent times.
The first large and serious incidents between foreigners and local residents of Embas occurred on Friday night, an observation by a resident of Syriaos parking his vehicle just outside a door of a residence on the main road, resulted in some Syrians reacting and attacking local residents with batons and knives.
A group of local residents of Emba reacted to this action, resulting in street fights being held for some time in the centre of the community, with cafes and other premises reminiscent of a battlefield. In the central area of Emba rushed, as soon as the fact became known, many young residents of Embas who began to search for foreign residents and threaten retaliation.
A strong police force rushed to the community to enforce order and defuse the situation. The police carried out all-night patrols in the area to avoid the resurgence of the incidents and to protect the homes of foreigners of Arab and African origin who were recently transferred to Emba.
A person of Syrian origin was arrested and detained as the ringleader of the ensuing incidents. This is the young owner of the vehicle who parked outside the residence and who made obscene gestures to the residents who triggered the incidents.
Friday's serious incidents are the culmination, so far, of the underlying dissatisfaction of authorities and residents with the planned transfer of foreigners to the territory of the community in order to decongest Chloraka from the very acute problem it has faced in recent years. There had been lesser incidents and tensions between local and foreign residents, while the community authority had from the outset reacted negatively to the transfer of so many foreigners to residences within Emba, considering that it was only a matter of time before Chloraka's problems were transferred to this area.
The Council at Embas had also sent a warning letter to the Ministry of Interior, stating that both the mass movement of foreigners in the community, as well as their placement in unsuitable premises, often up to 10 people in a small house, is a slow-burning bomb in the foundations of the local community.
