The Greek-Cypriot Refugees: Perceptions of Return under Conditions of Protracted Exile

Constituting a crucial element in the search for a permanent solution to the Cyprus problem, the needs and aspirations of the 180,000 refugees are examined in this article. Of the three durable solutions to refugee crises, repatriation has consistently been advocated as the only option for the Cypriot situation. Contrasting the images of temporariness and permanency of exile, the article examines the extent to which the refugees, in the light of the dramatic social and economic changes that have taken place in the refugee community since the exodus of 1974, might perceive of return as their sole feasible or potential objective. The article argues that the ambiguous identity of the refugees, as both insiders and outsiders, and the protracted political uncertainty of their status give contradictory messages about the likely scale, processes, and success of their return.