Migrant Cities: Nicosia, Cyprus
Nicosia City
Report(north & south)
Dilek Behcetogullari
Researchers:
Olga Demetriou & Mete Hatay
International Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
PRIO Cyprus Centre
Background
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Cyprus’ location key to migration flow: easily reachable from
Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and good connections with Egypt
and Greece
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Main feature of political map is inter-communal conflict (border
set up in current form in 1974 and remained closed until 2003)
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Differing economies between the two sides but overall higher
living standards compared to non-EU neighbors
Historical overview
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Existence of different cultures throughout history
(Lusignan, Venetian, Ottoman & British)
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Independence in 1960, conflict from 1963, war in 1974,
separation and self-declared state in the north
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Conflict caused considerable out-migration and large
constituencies in Britain and Commonwealth (e.g.
Australia)
Current Context
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Increase of migration post-1989
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Sharp increase post-accession to the EU (on both sides) –
south has one of highest percentages of asylum
applications in Europe (relative to population)
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Pressure in recent years to adopt more stringent human
rights standards resulted in review and changes to policy
both north and south
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Highest migration percentage in north from Turkey; in
south from SE Asia, E. Europe, Africa, central Asia
Methodology
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Interviews with ten (10) individuals took place in each
community (north & south)
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Interviews were recorded and took from 30 minutes up to 2
hours
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Information supplemented with statistical data
Legal status and relation with
authorities: north
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Ties to Turkey play a determining role – large proportion of
migrants from south and south-east Turkey
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Migrants from Turkey comprised of; professionals, manual
laborers and students (5 universities)
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Manual labor migration strictly regulated since 2005 and there are
no enforcement of laws on working hours
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Housing for lower-class migrants in old Nicosia is of poor quality:
crowded in rundown buildings
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Expulsion is often the result of complaining about conditions, so
much remains unreported
Legal status and relation with
authorities: south
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Limited access to public services apart from particular
sections
Education the most accessible – multiculturalism in
schools dealt with on a superficial level
Non-Greek speaking schools mostly private but minority
schools also open to migrant children Social services
provision problematic – few migrants can access them
(e.g. to receive welfare benefits
Migrant categories receive different types of labor
contracts (domestic workers, artistes, unskilled laborers,
refugees)
Many undocumented migrants are arrested and held in
detention for large periods of time
Social and cultural life: north
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Integration is partial, most integrated are professionals
Cypriot population view migrants negatively; this is mainly
related to view of Turkey in general
References to these migrants in popular discourse have
connotations of having ‘drifted’ to the island without free will, or
being culturally distant and backwards
Migrant associations are for Turkish migrants - often religious or
defined by place of origin in Turkey
Cultural festivals held and well-attended by local establishments
In some respect life in Cyprus is preferred because it has more
right. E.g. female students can wear headscarf at university
There is a general lack of awareness of rights
Social and cultural life: south
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The presence of migrants seems to be becoming more
acceptable overall
Border area is popular with migrants; rent is much cheaper and
as an area (Old Nicosia) is neglected
Vast majority of migrants do not have voting rights
Contracts for domestic workers disallow unionisation for civil
society formation is not allowed
Some social networks are based on religion, others on place of
origin and cultural markers such as food and music
Networking with Cypriots is limited, most often focussing on
migrants’ issues
Internet and mobile phones provide vital communication
channels with home
Identity and sense of belonging: north
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Sense of belonging related to class, education and contact
Unskilled laborers have little free time and no extra time to spend
on practices that might facilitate integration
Migrants who aim to return soon and buy property back home
also spend most of the time in the house
More confusion among youth or long-term immigrants
Long-term immigrants (some of whom may have intermarried
with Cypriots) express worry about rising levels of xenophobia
At the same time long-term migrants may also express negative
feelings towards more recent arrivals
Identity and sense of belonging: south
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Presence in public spaces noticeable because public space
hardly used by Cypriots (e.g. public transport, municipal parks)
Cultural festivals are organized but attended mostly by migrant
groups, including big annual “Rainbow” festival celebrating the
city’s multiculturalism
Little awareness of rights in general, but where this exists, rights
can be accessed and this is significant for integration
Media in general presents stereotypical images but xenophobic
stance is beginning to be addressed (positive images of migrants
becoming more frequent)
Migrants have very limited involvement in public depictions of
migration, and not invited to participate in debates on the issues
Indicative quotes: north
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“The wages are good but we work 12 or 13, sometimes 14 hours a
day, six days a week. We have Sunday off. But we don’t have a
vacation, we don’t get time off for holidays” (male, Turkish
national, 30 year old, waiter)
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“I wish there were a school I would be happy sending my kids to.
But they’re not progressive enough and the standards really
aren’t high enough. May be my children want to remain in Cyprus,
but what if they don’t? They should be prepared for the outside
world” (female, returnee from UK, 48 years old, restaurateur)
Indicative quotes: north continued..
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“There’s also the same question: Why don’t you like Turks? Hey,
I’m also a Turk! It’s not that we don’t like Turkiyeliler, it’s the
people from Hatay and Mardin we don’t like” (female, TurkishCypriot resident of Nicosia, 28 years old)
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“It’s free here. They don’t pay attention to religion and things like
that” (female university student from Turkey, on being able to
wear the headscarf)
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“But here they see us all the same… I’ve actually started feeling
Turkish since I came to Cyprus” (female, Kurdish immigrant on
having migrated to escape discrimination in Turkey)
Indicative quotes: south
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“Once my son came back from school [a state kindergarten] and
wanted to kick Turks until they left Cyprus” (male, US national,
early 40s, lecturer)
“My welfare benefit is my only source for surviving here now.
Now I get 322 CYP a month… I pay 100 CYP for the rent of one
room in a house, and then I have other expenses like telephone,
and these expenses tend to rise. But before they raised the level,
I use to get 200 CYP a month and I really suffered then.” (male,
Nepalese, mid-40s, asylum seeker)
“In my previous job [at a family house] I used to finish at 3 or 4pm
and go to my room to rest. Now with yayá and papoú [the elderly
couple she looks after] there is no such rest.” (female, SriLankan, late 40s, domestic worker)
Indicative quotes: south continued..
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“Most of my friends go to the Lodge, or Scorpios, or Blinks
because they have special nights for R&B so they go on those
nights and have fun… There is one place for eating African food
in Nicosia but the person who owns it will close it down, so I am
thinking for opening one to offer cheap food.” (female,
Cameroonian, early 30s, shop assistant)
“My computer is linked to Nova100 in Melbourne, the radio
station that I always listen to, and I keep that just to feel that I am
at home, I look at Australian newspapers online daily, in the
morning when I come to work, I have Facebook and MSN and
Hotmail which I daily use to email and chat with my friends in
Australia to the level where spiritually I feel as if I never left.”
(male, returnee from Australia, late 20s, programme manager)
Conclusions: north
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Political problem a key issue in analyzing problems relating to
migration
Because of non-recognition, government in the north has been
slow to take responsibility for protecting migrants’ rights (no
international scrutiny)
Demography a matter of big debate - closely related to Turkish
policy and negatively affecting views of migrants
Ghettoisation of walled city by unskilled, manual laborers from
Turkey adds to discrimination issues – often this section taken as
representative of ‘immigrants’
Xenophobia recently began to be addressed
Conclusions: south
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Migrants face diverse problems and are not included in debates
that affect them
Amongst wider population there is lack of awareness regarding
what constitutes “racism” and “discrimination” – thus practices
that are discriminatory may be institutionalized (e.g.
naturalization levels for non- ‘western’ groups very low)
Basic infrastructure absent (e.g. reliable public transport)
Education has been the first field where issues are being
addressed
Access to welfare extremely problematic
Administrative detention also a big area of concern
However, worst aspects of racism (e.g. violence against migrant
groups) have not yet been witnessed in southern Nicosia
Recommendations: north
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Harmonization of laws with EU norms (e.g. on labor and human
rights)
Inclusion of immigrants in unions, or unionization of different
sectors
Further research – sectoral analysis (studies of labor)
Services to make education more multicultural
Stereotyping in media addressed – “peace journalism” can be
extended to include migrant issues
Recommendations: south
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Research: extend statistical research to include disaggregated
data in all fields, not only migrant-related issues
Ensure protection of human rights of migrants, especially
regarding administrative detention, treatment by police,
operations of agencies that may be involved in trafficking,
treatment by employers
Allow unionization of foreign workers (including domestic
laborers) and prioritize needs of vulnerable groups (e.g. women,
children, victims of torture)
Steer urban planning policies towards addressing migrant needs:
improve public transport, parks, road network, housing in old city
Involve migrants in public debate and urban planning
Improve multicultural education and make cultural diversity more
visible (e.g. through festivals)
Involve migrant groups in political debate on Cyprus conflict and
in cross-border initiatives