Ayhan Nasibli
Azer News, 15 June 2004

“IT’S NOT FAIR” SAYS FOREIGN STUDENT IN CYPRUS’

The TRNC is a beautiful country with a warm-hearted and tolerant population. I have visited the historical places here. I would like to tour the southern part of the island to see the historical places and get a full impression of the whole island. Unfortunately, it is impossible to do so as entry to South Cyprus is not permitted. One may pass from the south of the island populated with Greek Cypriot people to the north populated with Turkish Cypriot people. However these travelling from the northernpart to the south are insulted by the law enforcement employees of south cyprus and taken into ,custody.

I was upset by a recent incident in which four foreign students from the university were arrested by the Greek Cypriot Police at the Ledra Palace check points they attempted to enter the South Cyprus for a one hour visit. They were detained in the Greek Cypriot Control Prison for more than 10 days and the Greek Cypriot Court of Nicosia finally fired them a record sum of approximate $4000.

The Greek Cypriot authorities, with the aim of damageing the economyof the TRNC are trying to hinder travel and trade through TRNCs seaports and airports. Penalties are imposed on foreign ships that moor in these ports, and captains of ships which later moor in Greek Cypriot ports risk arrest. Moreover, the Greek Cypiot authorities are putting pressure on foreign countries not to accept TRNC registered ships at their seaports.

When foreign visitors enter the island through the seaports and airports in South Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriot authorities allow them to visit the TRNC. However, the duration of this visit is limited by the Greek Cypriot authorities to one day and visitors are not allowed to stay overnight.As part of this policy, tourists are not allowed to purchase any goods and souvenirs from the North. Moreover, in the only mixed village of Pyla in the UN controlled bufferzone in Cyprus, the Greek Cypriot authorities prevent the Greek Cypriots and visiting tourists from buying anything from Turkish Cypriots. Anybody who buys goods from Turkish Cypriots, are either fined or jailed by the Greek Cypriot authorities.

The Turkish Cypriot people are also challenged by the Greek Cypriot restrictions in the field of sports. Some time ago, The Greek Cypriot football federation made an appeal to the Federation of International Football Association(FIFA) in protest of a Turkish Cypriot proposal to hold unofficial friendly matches in the TRNC. The Greek Cypriot football federation went as far as sending some parts of its officials to FIFA Headquarters in Zurich in order to prevent the Turkish Cypriot proposal from being accepted , alleging that this would lead to the recognition of the Turkish Cypriot football federation, lifting an embargo in the sporting activities of the Turkish Cypriot people.

Indeed, Turkish Cypriot people have been suffering from inhuman embargoes imposed by the Greek Cypriot side since 1963.

The Greek Cypriot side, purporting to be the “Government of the Republic of Northern Cyprus” is trying to deny the Turkish Cypriot people any opportunity to establish political, economic, social, cultural and sport contacts with the rest of the world, and to bring about their collapse in all spheres.