Greater than half of the migrants who landed at RAF Akrotiri a month in the past have now claimed asylum within the Republic of Cyprus, officers stated at this time.
For the previous three weeks the group of 115 Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians have been housed in a tented transit camp at Dhekelia, simply exterior the British army garrison.
The British Authorities has refused their calls for for passage to the UK and final weekend they have been served with letters by the Sovereign Base Areas (SBA) Administration giving them a option to both declare asylum within the Republic or face deportation again to Lebanon.
As we speak an SBA spokesman stated “simply over 50 per cent” of the migrants had now requested for permission to remain.
He declined to provide an actual determine saying it was topic to alter.
These purposes will now be processed by the Cypriot authorities who will determine whether or not or to not allow them to keep.
The remaining migrants are actually anticipated to be served with letters informing them they are going to be eliminated again to Lebanon.
A spokesman defined;
“As soon as issued with a deportation order they’ve seven days by which to lodge an attraction,”
“We’ve got supplied them with unbiased legal professionals.”
Questions stay over what is going to occur to any migrants who’re refused asylum within the Republic of Cyprus.
The SBA says it’s “in discussions” with the Authorities of Cyprus over the problem.
Nonetheless, the Cypriot Ministry of Overseas Affairs instructed Forces News at this time that any failed asylum seekers would stay the accountability of the SBA.
The migrants have been introduced ashore inside RAF Akrotiri on 21 October after they entered SBA waters in two fishing boats.
They claimed to have paid smugglers $4,000 {dollars} every for the journey from Turkey to Greece however been deserted at sea, finally drifting in direction of Cyprus.
Palestinian Ibrahim Maarouf, 37, is among the many migrants at present housed contained in the transit camp at Dhekelia.
He stated he believed as many as 70 individuals had now claimed asylum.
“I’m not one in every of them,” he stated, “I’m nonetheless combating for my rights.”
“I ran away from a rustic the place the one assist you get is assist to die. However I’ve been instructed that going to Mars will likely be simpler for me than going to the UK.”
The SBA authorities declined to say when the deportation orders will likely be served.
However they stated any migrants who haven’t but claimed asylum are nonetheless free to take action.
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