By Leo Leonidou
CYPRIOT society is deeply racist towards non-locals, according to a survey of migrants, repatriates and Pontians.
Sixty-three per cent of those asked reported suffering from discrimination and prejudice on a daily basis.
Forty-seven per cent also reported having encountered institutional discrimination from the immigration and migration departments, welfare and health services as well as the police.
The findings of the survey, titled ‘Policy and Practice: Issues of Ethnicity and Race in Contemporary Cyprus’, were yesterday released by the Research Unit in Behaviour and Social Issues and the University of Nicosia.
Three hundred personal interviews were conducted focusing on three main groups: in Nicosia at immigrant support group KISA – with people from different communities that used the counselling centre for information regarding immigration, asylum issues and employment; one in Larnaca with Cypriot repatriates and one in Paphos with Pontians.
The sample included people from 29 countries, 70 per cent being Asians, something reflected in the 2001 and 2004 census.
Seventy-five per cent had “minor” or “nil” knowledge of the Greek language, with 25 per cent having “fair” knowledge.
Sixty-six per cent had lived in Cyprus for less than two years, something that demonstrates the characteristic of the migrant or foreign worker as it is the main trend in Cyprus (as defined by law and practices on migration and employment).
As regards income and work, 90 per cent of respondents said that their income was insufficient for their needs, 27 per cent said they could send money back home and 51 per cent accepted money from friends and family back home, or from Cyprus or elsewhere within the EU.
When it came to questions about housing, 87 per cent stated that it was either difficult or impossible to find accommodation. Fifty-four per cent said the main reason is the high cost of housing, 22 per cent cited lack of family and friends who could help them find accommodation and 19 per cent gave race-related reasons such as: “They think we are dirty” or “they wouldn’t show me the flat because of the colour of my skin”.
Seventy-seven per cent reported living in a shared house or apartment with three to six people sharing one bedroom, with 83 per cent not satisfied with their accommodation.
Only 17 per cent of participants reported membership of a community organisation or group – including religious activities and social events. This indicates a trend towards isolation and low community activity and participation.
In conclusion, the survey found that, “everyday societal discrimination against migrants was positively correlated with the level of difficulty in finding employment and negatively correlated with membership of community, religious or social organisations and certain types of membership activities, respectively. The above results support the conclusion that as migrants become economically and socially isolated in the host society with limited participation in the community and little public voice, they are likely to receive little public support and sympathy and encounter more discrimination.
“Finally, reported institutional discrimination was correlated with everyday societal discrimination. The link between institutional and society discrimination indicates that perhaps combating discrimination against migrants needs to be examined in terms of both government policies and practice and cultural integration of immigrants into the host society. This combined approach may help the government build a fairer, more culturally and racially tolerant society.”
There are estimated to be anything between 80,000 and 140,000 migrants currently on the island, representing 10 to 14 per cent of the population.
Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2007
How many.........
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Perhaps I should be demoted and you should try and read the article without the need for colours....You know...Like the couple of people before you did... 
