Filenews 7 August 2022 - by Marios Demetriou
While more than 2 thousand asylum seekers of 30 different nationalities are stacked inside the August sunshine in the prefabricated units and tents of the first reception centre "Pournara" and many of them roam outside it, looking for shade under dusty trees and in shops, factories and houses in the area of Kokkinotrimithia, the voices for an immediate reduction in their number are growing louder, for the good of themselves, but also of the inhabitants of the area. We were told that every day there are about 50 arrivals of foreigners in "Pournara".
The Asylum Service of the Ministry of Interior, which is in charge of the operation of the centre, admits in response to questions from "F" that "the living conditions are difficult and in any case they would be difficult, since it is a centre with a maximum capacity of one thousand people", while emphasizing that "now the process of examining the application for asylum is done by the Asylum Service at a much faster pace than, what used to be." Two of the non-governmental organizations that have officers inside the "Pournara" (UNHCR and Cyprus Refugee Council), emphasize in our newspaper that "Pournara" should be immediately decongested because the overcrowding and the longer stay in the center, inevitably leads to conditions that are unacceptable and clearly under internationally permitted".
Traffickers in action
On the part of the residents of Kokkinotrimithia, the president of the community Christakis Meleties reiterated to "F" the references to a recent open letter of organized groups of the community to the Government and the Parliament, related to safety and health issues. "It remains third-world, a shameful and dangerous situation created by the operation of "Pournara". We demand – he added – that the temporary accommodation centre be restored to its original form and accommodate the number provided for in its construction, namely 600 people. We have given the government too many opportunities and time to correct a lot. The last margin we give to rectify the situation is September."
The president of the community of neighbouring Denia, Christakis Panayiotou, expressed his protest to "F", stating that "lately traffickers for some reason are leading irregular migrants from the occupied areas to Denia, which is very close to "Pournara". My big complaint – he added – is that while Denia is the responsibility of the United Nations since it is in the Buffer Zone, the United Nations does not provide security to our community. If they provided it, they would not allow the migrants to pass, so the Ministry of Interior must intervene to find a way to protect the residents of Denia who live within the Buffer Zone."
Introduction and control
Laura Iakovidou, administrative officer of the Asylum Service of the Ministry of Interior, in response to our questions, told us that today, 2030 asylum seekers are hosted in "Pournara", of which 1598 are men and 431 women, while 198 are unaccompanied minors. She added that "priority is given to admission to the centre to vulnerable people such as patients, families with children or pregnant women. The top six countries of origin of those arriving in July 2022 are Syria, Congo, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan and Bangladesh. These people, initially registered by the Aliens and Immigration Department of the Police based on their travel documents, are quarantined for 7 days for COVID 19 and remain in the centre for another 7 days after applying for asylum. During this time, they will go through a specific process of control for issues of security, public health and registration of data in relation to the asylum application.
The process starts with fingerprinting and screening by the Police in cooperation with Frontex and Europol, since the centre operates with specific procedures (standard operating procedures) agreed with the European Commission regarding the hotspots. Some people may stay at the centre for a few days beyond two weeks, because the Police may want to give them a second clarifying interview, or because there are health issues. (If there is a contagious disease such as tuberculosis, HIV, hepatitis or syphilis, they wait for approval from the Ministry of Health to let them go; those who are identified with one of the aforementioned contagious diseases are referred accordingly to the Kyperounta sanatorium, to liver centres, or to the Grigorio Clinic). The person who goes through this process, leaves "Pournara" with a confirmation letter indicating that he is legally in the Republic as an asylum seeker and is entitled to move around without problem.
In response to a question regarding the complaints of residents of villages in the area about wandering foreigners in their communities, Mrs. Iakovidou told us that these are people who, due to lack of space in the main centre, are waiting in the waiting area that was formed next to "Pournara", where food is also offered by the Asylum Service. They may also be people who received the confirmation letter as legitimate asylum seekers and may be circulating for some days in the area because they were not accepted in the place of residence they declared to the authorities. But even "Pournara" cannot accept them because it is not a hospitality centre, but a first reception centre.
In 2021, 13,000 asylum applications were rejected!
"Of course, the number of guests is very large and the arrivals at "Pournara" are increasing", Laura Iakovidou told us. She added that "we are talking about illegal entry of foreigners into the Republic who have to pass through the first reception centre and are seeking asylum. Specifically, last March we had 2,357 arrivals, in April 1,866, in May 1,472, in June 1,449 and in July 1,436. Most of the asylum seekers come from safe third countries, i.e. they are not refugees and are not at risk in their homeland and now the process of examining their asylum application is done by the Asylum Service at a much faster pace than in the past. The data changed and this is shown by our data regarding rejections of asylum applications 2015 – 2021. In 2021, 13,000 asylum applications were rejected by the Asylum Service compared to 2020 when 1,730 were rejected and in 2019 when 2,053 were rejected."
In relation to unaccompanied minors, Mrs. Iakovidou said that "a new Safe Zone has been formed in the centre where unaccompanied minors will reside for whom the initial procedure has not yet been completed. Vulnerable people such as families or solitary women with children or pregnant women will also reside." She added that "several unaccompanied minors have recently been transferred to facilities outside Pournara and so there has been a significant decongestion of the centre."
The patience of the inhabitants has reached its limits
"The patience of the residents has reached its limits", said the president of the community of Kokkinotrimithia Christakis Meleties. "With claws and teeth - he continued - we try to contain the indignation and anger of all the inhabitants! Our safety, our health and our family are not a piece of cake for anyone responsible who is paid a fat salary by the taxpayers of Cypriot citizens, for a decent, safe and hospitable state and instead we have this third-world, shameful and dangerous situation.
Mr. Meleties referred to "F" about "immigrants who circulate uncontrollably outside the accommodation centre, continuous incidents of thefts of all kinds, fights and incidents of violence between immigrants, paid sexual acts, drug trafficking, complaints to the Police Station of Kokkinotrimithia without any result, if there is an incomplete number of shift police officers". As stated in the letter of July 7, 2022, the residents request, among other things, that "Pournara" "become a closed structure with accommodation of 600 people, an increase in policing around the centre, but also within the community and the carrying out of frequent health checks, sprays and medical examinations to everyone without exception and the provision of the appropriate treatment to those of them who are ill". They also request "a health official written report to the Community Council of Kokkinotrimithia on the diseases detected inside the centre, cleaning of the area from waste coming from migrants, to strengthen the community's cleaning crew and spraying for insects and rodents, compensation of residents who have been victims of theft by the residents of "Pournara" and strict criminal prosecution of traffickers and participants in illegal collaborations with immigrants."
For decent conditions of stay
"As the Cyprus Refugee Council, we have raised over time the issues that the large reception centres present for both residents and surrounding communities and the problems that arise, especially when the centre operates with numbers much higher than it should", underlined to "F" the director of the organization Korina Drousiotou.
She added that "most of the demands of the organized groups have also been raised by us to the State, that is, a short stay in the centre, rapid procedures that will reduce the time of stay, improvement of conditions. In addition, however, actions are required outside the centre, so that we do not shift the problems to other areas - for example, the creation of a reception system that ensures decent conditions of stay throughout the examination of asylum applications, rapid asylum procedures, but also integration actions for refugees who will receive protection in Cyprus". She also mentioned that "we have an officer permanently in 'Pournara', a member of the vulnerability assessment team. We have very good cooperation with the Asylum Service and other competent Authorities and organizations in the centre. Nevertheless, we consider that there are significant gaps and problems that we communicate to the authorities. Overcrowding and longer stays in the centre inevitably lead to conditions that are unacceptable and clearly under internationally permitted conditions. A typical example is the beneficiary of our organization, who had been transferred from the detention facilities of Menogia to "Pournara" and begged us to return to the detention facilities. There are occasional reports of sexual violence or harassment by residents of the centre in most cases women or LGBTI people."
To seek holistic solutions
"The overcrowding in the Pournara center clearly affects the living conditions of asylum seekers," the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Cyprus (UNHCR Cyprus) told F. It added that "the centre is not suitable for long-term accommodation as the infrastructure, such as access to electricity and adequate hygiene conditions, is not sufficient. Holistic solutions should be sought that ensure the dignified living conditions of asylum seekers, wherever they reside, throughout the asylum procedure, in accordance with international and European law. For this reason, "Pournara" should be immediately decongested, with asylum seekers being released from the centre after their registration and after they have been paid the state aid provided for by law (they have the right to work one month after the submission of the asylum application). All unaccompanied children should be transferred from Pournara to more suitable and open facilities, as this would be in their best interest. As regards unaccompanied children, more accommodation structures should be set up to promote their integration into society, through housing, education, vocational training and cultural guidance programmes, among others.
UNHCR provides technical advice to ensure that appropriate reception conditions are met, including advice to address the risks of exploitation for children and women in the camp. To this end, the UNHCR and the NGO's main partner, have a physical presence in the camp to conduct vulnerability assessments, inform the authorities of daily challenges and help find solutions to issues ranging from medical needs to the provision of information to the asylum. Also in July we began to support the Asylum Service by hiring a consultant who conducts a first needs assessment, upon the arrival of asylum seekers, regarding health issues, incidents of exploitation, violence and gender-based violence, food, clothing. From November 2021 to June 2022, the Commission employed a camp management expert to propose solutions to improve infrastructure and workflows for faster and more efficient asylum procedures in the camp. UNHCR has donated blankets, plastic sheets, family tents, residential housing units, camp beds, benches, shady space for protection from the weather."
