Are greater numbers of migrants heading for Cyprus?

Cyprus Interior Minister Socrates Hasikos has spoken out following the arrival of 93 migrants on the island’s northwest shore, of which almost 60 of them are women and children. He believes that a further 700 migrants are headed for Cyprus. This is based on reports around the activities of a Turkish smuggler known to the authorities.

Bashir Khashan who fled Syria more than six months ago, has since gained temporary residence in Cyprus, the authorities told Mr Khashan that his family would be joining him within a few days. The 49-year-old husband and father of four told The Associated Press that he had to sell his home to raise the $12,000 needed to pay Turkish smugglers to get his wife, children and a son-in-law aboard the treacherous 30-hour boat trip to Cyprus. He said that his government had been particularly harsh to members of his village, leaving him little choice but to flee. He is struggling to find work due to suffering with a back wound but he is hopeful for a better life when reunited with his family.

Cyprus lies 160 kilometers off Syria’s Mediterranean coast.

Let’s leave the last word to Mr Khashan, ‘There was no other way to get them here, what else can you do? You either die at sea or you die in the village.’

Véronique’s Verdict

The focus of today’s cards was specifically for the migrants. We have the Five of Hearts, the Seven of Wands and the Nine of Pentacles.

The Five of Hearts
This says that once upon a time, life was good. It may not have been perfect but it was good. There was love and laughter and harmony. The migrants undertake the journey because it seems like the only option, but there is a hesitation. A broken heart on the edge of despair? Within this card is the universal symbol of love’s presence. Love for self and for the family did not go away and people such as Mr Khashan may find that love will bloom again.

The Seven of Wands
This shows the courageous individuals who are challenged to assert the belief that even when the situation looks forbidding, they will know how to handle it. There is a determination within this card and an understanding that life is bound to get better.

The Nine of Pentacles
This is the reward. There is a sense of self-reliance, freedom and gain.

The families wishing to flee war-torn countries do so with a heavy heart, and I don’t feel that this will cease any time soon. Our prayers are with the migrants as they seek a safer life for themselves and their families.