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THE INHUMAN EMBARGOES ON THE
TURKISH REPUBLIC OF NORTHERN CYPRUS AND ITS PEOPLE
The inhuman embargoes imposed
on the Turkish Cypriot people since 1963 are among the major factors poisoning
the relationship between the two parties in Cyprus and impeding a settlement.
These illegal and immoral embargoes are in blatant violation of the UN Charter
and in contravention of the relevant international human rights instruments.
The main reason for the grave
violation of Turkish Cypriot human rights by the Greek Cypriot Administration
of Southern Cyprus is their illegal usurpation, since 1963, of the title of
“Government of the Republic of Cyprus”. The illegal occupation of the seat of
the “Government of the Republic of Cyprus”, the deprival of the Turkish
Cypriot people of their equal partnership rights and subsequent violations on
the human rights of individuals who are of Turkish Cypriot origin, present
numerous violations primarily by denying the Turkish Cypriot people any
opportunity to engage in political, economic, social, cultural and sporting
activities with the rest of the world, thus bringing about their political,
economic, social and cultural isolation.
The illegitimacy of the Greek
Cypriot title results from the violation of constitutional arrangements as
well as international law. Under the Zurich and London agreements, a
partnership Republic of Cyprus was established between the Turkish Cypriots
and the Greek Cypriots. In fact, the Republic of Cyprus was supposed to be a
partnership of two politically equal parties; no one side could dominate the
other; there had to be an effective participation of the sides in the
government; the communal affairs had to be within the jurisdiction of the
respective communities.
Although the embargoes are
imposed or instigated by the Greek Cypriot administration, the international
community, whether intentionally or not, participates in them in consequence
of their treatment of the Greek Cypriot side as if it were the “legitimate
government of the whole of Cyprus”. This is the main reason why these
embargoes are effective.
The all-encompassing Greek
Cypriot embargoes range from denying the Turkish Cypriot people the right of
representation in international fora; to preventing or restricting their
travel abroad and their communication with the rest of the world; to
curtailing trade and tourism between the TRNC and the outside world; and to
hampering all cultural and sporting relations of the Turkish Cypriot people
with other countries, even with Turkey. Listed below are examples of
the different forms of embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people, all
supported with actual cases. Hundreds more of these cases are documented which
are not included in this report for reasons of practicality, but could be
supplied if necessary:
As a result of the
unwarranted Greek Cypriot claim that all ports in the TRNC are “illegal”,
the international community restricts not only the freedom of movement of
Turkish Cypriots but also the freedom of movement of visitors who would like
to come to the TRNC.
i. Restrictions on
aviation:
-The International
Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has refused, in a letter dated
29 December 1986, to include Ercan State Airport in the TRNC as an
international airport on the alleged grounds that “ICAO recognizes
the government of the Republic of Cyprus as the only legitimate
government of that State … (and) the government of the Republic of
Cyprus has not requested the inclusion of Ercan Airport in the
ICAO Regional Plan and as such it is not and cannot be considered
an international airport in ICAO terms”. As a result, travel to
the TRNC can only take place via Turkey. This requirement of a
stopover in Turkey increases the time and cost of the flight,
causes undue inconvenience to the visitors and discourages them
from visiting the TRNC.
-Through a vicious
protest campaign, the Greek Cypriot lobby in London forced the
publishers of the well-known guide to tour operators, Charterline,
to remove Ercan State Airport from its pages. (English language
weekly, Cyprus Weekly, 3-9 March 1995)
-Another recent
example of the Greek Cypriot policy to exclude the TRNC from
international aviation fora is the Ireland case. After heavy and
coordinated initiatives of the Greek Cypriot Foreign Ministry and
South Cyprus’s embassy in Dublin, Ireland decided to refuse
permission for flights of Cyprus Turkish Airlines (a company
registered in Turkey) from Dublin to TRNC, even though the
aircraft would stop first in Turkey. Such flights are already
taking place from London and a very limited number of European
cities.
ii. Restrictions on
navigation
The Greek Cypriot
authorities, with the aim of damaging the economy of the TRNC, have
also been trying to hinder travel and trade through TRNC’s seaports.
Penalties have been imposed on foreign ships that call at these
ports, which involve the arrest of ship captains, if they later call
at Greek Cypriot ports. Moreover, the Greek Cypriot authorities have
been putting pressure on foreign countries not to accept TRNC
registered ships at their seaports.
-The following is
the list of some ship captains and others who called at TRNC
ports and were punished upon crossing to South Cyprus at a later
date:
*Carl Eric
Sorenson, 10.04.1977, two-month imprisonment.
*Muhammed
Mambrouk Abdel, 17.05.1977, one month imprisonment.
*H. Bago Sunith,
500 Cyprus Pounds fine.
*The Italian
captain, 12.07.1978.400, Cyprus Pounds fine
*Jacob Martin
Jacobsen, 20.12.1978, two-month imprisonment.
*Beved Ian
Rivan, 25.04.1982, three-month imprisonment.
*Vanter Ian
Rivan, 25.04.1982, three-month imprisonment.
*Wilhelm
Richards, 25.04.1982, two-month imprisonment.
*Jensen Finn Ole
was arrested on 29.05.1982
*Muhammed
Mustafa Rahel, 14.06.1982, three-month imprisonment.
-On 13 June 1998,
the Greek Cypriot daily, Machi, reported that Mr. Piter
Oto Meyer (55), a German yachts captain who participated in the
“International Eastern Mediterranean Yacht Rally” and anchored
at Girne harbour, was later arrested by the Greek Cypriot
administration during a visit to South Cyprus. He was arrested
upon anchoring at the port of Limassol. Mr. Meyer was put under
arrest for three days and was fined 450 Cyprus Pounds before
being released.
-The yachts that
joined the 12th International Eastern Mediterranean
Yacht Rally, 2001, were protested by the Greek Administration
upon anchoring in Kyrenia Harbour. According to Alithia
newspaper, the spokesperson of the Greek Administration Mihalis
Papapetru pointed out that the people who joined the yacht rally
from Canada, England, France, Russia, USA, Germany, Israel,
Holland and Turkey were accepted by President Rauf Denktash and
that they were given information about the next route they
should follow.
The Greek Cypriot
administration imposes strict restrictions on the freedom of movement of
peoples.
iii. The Greek
Cypriot administration refuses entry for all foreign visitors into
South Cyprus if these visitors have chosen to enter the island
through the airports and seaports in the TRNC. If foreign visitors
enter the island through the seaports and airports in South Cyprus,
these visitors are allowed to cross to the TRNC provided that they
do not stay overnight in North Cyprus. In contrast, when
foreign visitors enter the island through the seaports and airports
in South Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriot authorities allow them to visit
the TRNC.
-On 23 March
1996, an Iranian named Massoud Rahimi, was sentenced to three
months imprisonment by the Limassol District Court for entering
the island from Gazimagusa Port in the TRNC. (Greek Cypriot
daily, Haravgi, 24 March 1996)
-On 11 June 1997,
nineteen-year-old British citizen named Jack Jellicoe, upon
visiting the South was arrested and sentenced to fifteen days of
imprisonment by the Limassol District Court for previously
entering the island from Ercan State Airport in the TRNC. (Greek
Cypriot daily, Mahi, 12 June 1997)
-On 25 March
1999, the Greek Cypriot daily, Machi, reported that Manos
Stefanides, a journalist at ET1, the Greek State TV, was
interrogated by Greek Cypriot authorities for entering the TRNC
through Ercan Airport and spending six days doing interviews.
-On 19 June 2001,
the Greek Cypriot daily, Machi, reported that Mr. Osman
Kein from Sierra Leone, who entered the island through the TRNC
and crossed to South Cyprus, was arrested and sentenced to jail
for three months for entering the island through a Turkish
Cypriot port.
ii. The Greek Cypriot
administration is trying to prevent visits to the TRNC through a mixture of
methods. The following are some examples of the methods used:
-In April 1998, the
blockade of the Ledra Palace checkpoint which started at the instigation
of a Greek Cypriot Member of Parliament, Mr. Marios Matsakis, continued
for twenty months. The supporters of the campaign, whose aim was to
discourage tourists from crossing to the North, have resorted to all
sorts of tactics ranging from handing out pamphlets to intimidation and
outright harassment. The protestors have been targeting everyone
attempting to cross to North Cyprus, including the UN and diplomatic
personnel as well as Greek Cypriots.
-In August 1997, a Greek
Cypriot and his American wife were harassed by the Greek Cypriot police
at the Ledra Palace checkpoint while trying to cross to the TRNC. The
couple stated that on arriving at the checkpoint they were told by the
Greek Cypriot police that the necessary procedure had not been followed
and that they could not cross to the North.
-The couple was also told
even if the formalities were completed they were required to take a
guide with them for their own safety. The couple stressed that the Greek
Cypriot police constantly gave them wrong information about crossing to
the TRNC and that they tried everything they could to persuade them not
to cross, such as insulting those who visited the TRNC, claiming that
they often came back “with torn clothes, raped or were even killed”.
Following a complaint by the couple on the slander and lies of the Greek
Cypriot administration, a diplomatic source admitted that “they were
fully aware of the actions and persuasion techniques adopted by the
Greek Cypriot police at the Ledra Palace check-point.” (English language
daily, Cyprus Mail, 4 October 1997)
-Cyprus Weekly reported
that the Greek Cypriot side protested against some US officers from
Incirlik, Adana Airbase, who were having a holiday in Girne. Greek
Cypriot spokesman Miahailis Papaetru reported to Cyprus Weekly that “We
took some precautions and they all returned to Turkey. As far as we
know, it is the first time that members of the US army entered Cyprus
from an illegal port. We got the promise that it will not be repeated in
the future. (September 7, 2001)
-Haravgi and the other
newspapers announced on 2 November, 2001 the declaration published by
the official newspaper of the French National Assembly that French
tourists are not advised to go to the TRNC since, in case of any
problem, the French tourists there could not be protected by the French
government because the French government doesn’t recognize the TRNC. The
newspaper wrote that this was the answer of Michelle Demessine, the
undersecretary of the Ministry of Tourism of France, to the question
posed on 14 May, 2001 by the MP Andre Aschien. According to the
newspaper, Demessine stated that if French tourists staying in the South
wanted to visit the North, they had to show their passports and ID’s to
the only control place in Nicosia under the condition of not staying
beyond 17:00 hours.
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 buffer zone in Cyprus, the Greek
Cypriot authorities prevent the Greek Cypriots and visiting tourists from
buying anything from Turkish Cypriots. Anybody, including Greek Cypriots,
who buy goods from Turkish Cypriots are arrested and fined or jailed by the
Greek Cypriot authorities.
- On 22 September 1998,
the Greek Cypriot daily Fileleftheros reported that a British
couple was fined 36 Cyprus Pounds for purchasing a ring from a Turkish
Cypriot owned shop in Pyla and the ring was confiscated by the Greek
Cypriot police.
-Two Russian citizens,
Novocilos Oleg and Gumpler Irina were fined 55 “Cyprus Pounds” for
purchasing a ring and a bracelet from a Turkish Cypriot owned shop in
the mixed village of Pyla and the items were confiscated by the Greek
Cypriot Police. (Greek Cypriot daily, Alithia, 11 November 1998)
-Andreas Georgiu
Theudusiu was detained by the Greek Cypriot police for possessing three
rabbits which he had exchanged with car parts from a Turkish Cypriot.
(Greek Cypriot daily, Fileleftheros, 2 December 1998)
-A Greek Cypriot police
stopped a car on the Larnaca-Pyla main road, driven by Panayotis
Pitrakkos, and a bottle of whisky and clothing were found in his
possession purchased from a Turkish Cypriot shop in Pyla. He was fined
100 “Cyprus Pounds” and the goods were confiscated by the police. (Greek
Cypriot daily, Alithia, 9 January 1999)
-On 17 January 1999, a
Greek Cypriot named Kritonas Dimitriu was fined 30 “Cyprus Pounds” by
the Greek Cypriot authorities for purchasing 18 boxes of cigarettes and
2 T-shirts from a Turkish Cypriot shop in the mixed village of Pyla. On
the same day, Ioannins Makrogenis was fined 20 “Cyprus Pounds” by the
Greek Cypriot authorities for purchasing clothing from a Turkish Cypriot
shop in the same village. (Greek Cypriot daily, Alithia, 19 January
1999)
-The Greek Cypriot
authorities arrested a Greek Cypriot restaurant owner in Pyla for buying
fish on a systematic basis from the TRNC. (Greek Cypriot daily, Haravgi,
17 May 1999)
-On March 2001, the Greek
Cypriot daily Politis reported that the Greek Cypriot police
stopped the car of a Greek Cypriot named Theofilos Papapetru on the
Larnaca-Pyla road and found four cases of fish worth 37 Cyprus Pounds in
his possession. The fish was confiscated and Mr. Papapetru was put under
arrest for two days.
On 5 July 1994, the European
Court of Justice (ECJ) gave judgment in proceedings (Case C-432/92)
initiated by the Greek Cypriots in the English Courts. The Court held that
the member states of the European Union could only import citrus fruit and
potatoes carrying movement and phytosanitary certificates issued by
authorities of the “Republic of Cyprus”. As it is not politically possible
for Turkish Cypriot exporters to get certification from South Cyprus, the
decision of the European Court of Justice stopped all such exports from the
TRNC to the EU. Even though the attitude of the Court seemed to have changed
when the citrus fruit was not directly imported from the TRNC but via
Turkey, the problem persists.
Recent proposals from the
European Commission aimed at eliminating restrictions on trade on the TRNC
did not adequately address the legal and practical impediments. Especially
insistence on the issuance of phytosanitary certificates by the appropriate
authorities, which are expressed to be the authorities of the “Republic of
Cyprus”, actually confirmed the embargo and failed to create a viable
alternative for the export of agricultural products produced by Turkish
Cypriot farmers. Furthermore, the European Commission package included the
requirement that Turkish Cypriot products to be exported to EU destinations
should exit the island through Greek Cypriot-controlled ports. This
politically biased and unfeasible requirement, amounting to the further
empowerment of Greek Cypriot authority and the subordination of the Turkish
Cypriot people, was yet another factor that killed the package.
Other countries which are not
members of the EU are also copying EU practices. A Norwegian company named
Trygve Tonjum Import AS had, for some time, been importing potatoes from
Northern Cyprus. Until 1997, the Norwegian agricultural authorities used to
accept certificates issued by the TRNC authorities. However, as a result of
strong reaction from the Greek Cypriot administration, the Norwegian
Ministry of Agriculture asked that all imports from Cyprus requiring health
certificates must be accompanied by certificates issued only by the
“Republic of Cyprus. Although Norway is not an EU member, its Government
followed the decision of the ECJ and upon the request of its Foreign
Ministry, the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture decided that certificates
issued by the TRNC authorities would no longer be valid for import of
potatoes to Norway as from 1 October 1997. Considering this to be an illegal
decision, the said company instituted legal proceedings against the
Norwegian Government and demanded that certificates issued by the TRNC
authorities be accepted as they had been before 1997. The company even
suggested that since the issue is one regarding phytosanitary standards
inspection and certification could be realized through a non-political
independent and specialized body. Unfortunately, no result has yet been
achieved and potato growers in particular and the TRNC economy in general
are suffering from this injustice.
Other examples aimed at
internationally isolating the Turkish Cypriot economy:
- The President of the Greek
Cypriot House of Representatives, Mr. Alexis Ghalanos, sent a series of
letters to the leaders of the British political parties demanding that they
prevent their Members of Parliament from purchasing properties in the TRNC.
(English language daily, Cyprus Mail, 24 September 1995)
-The Director of a
construction company based in Holland, Mr. Kess Priem was warned by the
Counsellor of the Greek Cypriot administration in Holland on his company’s
business relations with its Turkish Cypriot counterparts. The Tailor Made BV
Company was involved in constructing and selling luxury villas in the TRNC.
(Letter of the aforesaid addressed to Mr. Kees Priem dated 25 August 1999)
Embargoes on the Turkish
Cypriot people in the field of sports:
The Greek Cypriot policy in
the sporting field that only Greek Cypriot institutions can represent
“Cyprus” is particularly abhorrent given the fact that sports in Cyprus has
historically been in the context of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sports
organizations and that under the 1960 Agreements sports was considered a
“communal affair”, with authority in this regard being vested in the
respective Communal Chambers of the two sides. Religion, education, culture
and sports were specifically defined as “communal affairs” under Articles
86,87, 89, 108 and 182 of the 1960 Constitution and administered separately.
Turkish Cypriots have set up
social, cultural and sports organizations, which have, over the years,
become institutionalized. The countries with which we have established
social, cultural and sportive contacts, are continually threatened and
harassed by the Greek-Greek Cypriot front. Such an immoral approach prevents
us from exercising our collective rights, as well as our young athletes from
competing with those of other nations in the spirit of universal solidarity
in sports.
It is stated in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and in the Rules of International Olympics that
“there shall be no discrimination against any individual because of his
religion, language, colour or race”. Under these principles, and in view of
the international agreements regarding Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriot people
should not be prevented from exercising their basic human rights and
therefore should be given the chance, through their own institutions, to
enter into sportive competition with others.
-In February 1998,
the Greek Cypriot Football Federation made strong representations to
the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA)
protesting against a Turkish Cypriot proposal to hold unofficial
friendship matches in the TRNC. The Greek Cypriot Football
Federation went as far as sending some 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 and thus the
lifting of the embargo on the sporting activities of the Turkish
Cypriot people. In the end, the matches were cancelled.
-On 7 May 2001, the
Greek Cypriot daily, Politis, reported that the Greek Cypriot
administration sent letters of protest to the participating
countries in the “12th International Eastern
Mediterranean Yacht Rally”, whose participants called at Girne
harbour during the competition.
-In September 1998, A
Germen soccer team, Bad Lippspinge was fined 20,000 US Dollars by
FIFA for having a football match with the Turkish Cypriot team
Çetinkaya.
Embargoes on cultural
activities
The Greek Cypriot irrational
and intolerant attitude has shown itself in the cultural field as well.
-The Greek Cypriot
authorities strongly protested, for months, the holding of the
“International Othello Festival”, in 1997, in the TRNC on the ground
that this purely cultural event would mean the indirect recognition of
the TRNC.
-The International
Federation of University Woman (IFUW), the headquarters of which is in
Switzerland, couldn’t accept the Turkish Cypriot Association of
University Woman (TCAUW) as a full member because only one association
from each country could be accepted. TCAUW was advised to form an
umbrella association representing both Turkish and Greek Cypriot
associations. This idea was refused by the Greek Cypriots claiming this
would constitute the recognition of the TRNC.
-The application by the
same association to have an advisory status at the United Nations
Economic and Social Council was also refused because of discussions
regarding the status of TCAUW. Furthermore, TCAUW couldn’t get any UNOPS
support, available for attending the 45th Annual Commission on the
Status of Woman which took place in New York in March 2001, because
support was made conditional on Greek Cypriot participation. On the same
vein, TCAUW couldn’t be accredited to the Official Conference of Habitat
II in 1996 because the association wasn’t registered in the so-called
‘Republic of Cyprus’.
Embargoes in the field of
communication
Turkish Cypriots are also
denied the freedom to communicate with the rest of the world. The Turkish
Cypriot Postal Administration is excluded from Universal Postal Union.
Turkish Cypriots cannot, for example, use their proper addresses. The need
to use the postal code Mersin-10 Turkey in our address causes practical
problems, and further problems in establishing business links with
international companies. When overseas businessmen see such an address they
naturally jump to the conclusion that the applicant is based in Turkey,
where they may have arrangements with another company. Furthermore, all
postal services need to go through Mersin which causes delays and
unnecessary expense.
Prohibitions and Restrictions
on Education
The Greek Cypriot hostile
policy aiming at the isolation and ultimate destruction of the institutions
of the Turkish Cypriot people also revealed itself in the form of Greek
Cypriot assault on academic freedom, both in the TRNC and elsewhere.
-One example was the
protocol for mutual cooperation and collaboration between the Eastern
Mediterranean University (EMU) and Central Connecticut State University
(CCSU), signed seven years ago. When the Greek Cypriot side learned of
the protocol, the Greek Cypriot envoy in Washington DC lost no time in
writing a slanderous letter to the CCSU president. The letter went so
far as to threaten the president of the university with legal action in
the event that the CCSU failed to cease all cooperation with EMU.
Although both peoples in Cyprus have always had their separate
educational systems, also endorsed under the 1960 arrangements in
recognition of the distinct ethnic, religious and cultural identity of
each people, the Greek Cypriots pretend that education like all other
spheres of activity is within their jurisdiction as the so-called
“Government of Cyprus”.
-The number of overseas
scholarships granted to Turkish Cypriot students for undergraduate and
graduate studies is not done on a fair basis. Rather than basing
scholarships on the criteria of merit, societal need and financial
status, these are mainly allocated on the basis of a fixed ratio of 7 to
Greek Cypriots and 3 to Turkish Cypriots. However, Turkish Cypriots need
more support than Greek Cypriots, because they have limited financial
resources due to the inhuman embargoes against them. Furthermore, the
widening gap between the two communities needs to be bridged.
-During the “China
International Higher Education Exhibition Tour” 2002, which two TRNC
universities attended, the organizers of the event, upon a notice from
the Chinese Ministry of Education, asked the representatives of the TRNC
universities to close their stands immediately. Naturally, the two
universities asked for the reason of the unexpected notice of the
Ministry of Education. The Chinese officials eventually admitted that
the Ministry of Education was pressurized by the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs upon complaints received from the embassies of South Cyprus and
Greece in Beijing.
Recent developments
-
The Governments of the TRNC and of Turkey have
recently taken the initiative of proposing confidence building measures
packages which could assist in preparing the socio-psychological ground for
the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue based on the establishment
of an equal partnership between the two sides.
-
President Rauf R. Denktas has written to the
Greek Cypriot Leader Tassos Papadopolous on 2 April 2003 and on 3 April 2003
drawing his attention to the deep crisis of confidence between the two sides
and expressing the wish for a sustainable and viable settlement to the
protracted Cyprus question. In these letters he proposed four substantive
measures in order to address some of the major obstacles that have been
contributing to the deep crisis of confidence. The proposals included
opening parts of the fenced area of Varosha for resettlement; removal of all
restrictions on overseas trade, transport and travel, as well as on cultural
and sportive activities; the free movement of peoples, including tourists
and UNFICYP; and the free movement of goods.
The Greek Cypriot Leader
Tassos Papadopolous rejected these proposals by stating that he did not
share President Denktaþ’s view “… that the stalemate at the Hague was due to
“the socio-psychological” dimension of the problem, and especially the deep
crisis of confidence between the two sides”.
Convinced that the deep
crisis of confidence between the two sides had to be addressed through the
creation of a new climate of confidence, thus facilitating a comprehensive
settlement, the Council of Ministers of the Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus passed a decision which was executed on 23 April 2003 that
unconditionally provided for the free movement of peoples between the two
sides. This was an historic decision to which both the Turkish Cypriot
people and the Greek Cypriot people reacted very positively.
The mutual visits injected a
major dose of realism to the perceptions and relations of the two sides.
Greek Cypriots, if not the Greek Cypriot Administration, came to realize
that there was a functioning government in North Cyprus and that they could
not return to their previous houses where now Turkish Cypriots, most of whom
left their houses in the South, live. Those houses were not left in a time
vacuum for 30 years to which they could return and settle. Turkish Cypriots
found out that the properties they left in the South were in ruins and that
many of them had been expropriated.
Noting the evolving positive
environment that emerged on the Island, and believing in the need to spread
this further, Turkey unilaterally declared on 22 May 2003 that it had lifted
restrictions on the travel of Greek Cypriots to Turkey.
-
One of the most fundamental issues in the Cyprus
question is the property issue. The Turkish Cypriot side has for long been
proposing to the Greek Cypriot side that a Joint Property Claims Commission
be set up to look into Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot property claims and
to develop the modalities as to how the property issue can be settled on the
basis of the agreed principle of bi-zonality. The Greek Cypriot side has
been refusing this proposal while affected property owners are deprived of
remedies to their suffering.
In the absence of cooperation
from the Greek Cypriot side, the TRNC, in consultation with the Turkish
government and relevant international bodies, has passed a new statute
through its Assembly providing remedies to Greek Cypriots who wish to
receive either full compensation against their properties, or exchange their
properties in the TRNC with those Turkish Cypriot properties in the South.
The humanitarian and practical significance of this legislation cannot be
over-stressed.
In view of the encouraging
results of previous initiatives, President Denktas has written to the UN
Secretary-General on 11 July 2003 seeking his support to initiate another
major undertaking. Based on former Secretary-General Dr. Boutros
Boutros-Ghali’s assessment and his proposals, the Turkish Cypriot side
proposed the opening of Nicosia International Airport under UN
administration to serve both sides, thus facilitating the lifting of the
restrictions and embargo weighing so heavily on the Turkish Cypriot people,
especially as regards overseas travel and tourism. The proposed package
included the other measures foreseen in the UN Confidence Building Measures
proposals of 1993 and 1994, including the opening up of the fenced area of
Varosha for re-settlement under UN administration.
-The Turkish government
agreed to contribute to this proposal by opening Turkish sea and air ports,
as well as Turkish airspace, to Greek Cypriot ships and airplanes if the
package was implemented. They also expressed the wish to develop reciprocal
trade relations with the Greek Cypriot side as another element of the
package.
-On 24 July 2003, in a letter
addressed to the UN Secretary General, President Denktas confirmed that the
military authorities of the TRNC are prepared to discuss with UNFICYP the
issue of de-mining in Nicosia and its close vicinity.
- Unfortunately, the Greek
Cypriot side has failed to respond to these positive proposals and
confidence building initiatives in the same spirit. For instance, the
proposals of the Council of Ministers of the Greek Cypriot administration
announced on 2 May 2003, offer, yet again, mere “minority rights” to the
Turkish Cypriot people. The letter and spirit of the said proposals are far
from serving the objective of creating a new partnership based on the
equality of its constituents. Furthermore, despite the positive moves of the
Turkish Cypriot side, Greek Cypriot authorities continue to discourage both
Greek Cypriots and tourists from crossing over to North Cyprus. The Greek
Cypriot authorities do not allow tourists to stay overnight in North Cyprus
and threaten the Greek Cypriots and others who choose to stay with legal
action and fines. People who buy consumer goods from Turkish Cypriot shops
in the TRNC are faced with difficulties on their way back to South Cyprus.
Greek Cypriot press reports confirm that such goods have been confiscated by
the Greek Cypriot police in spite of public outrage in the face of such
senseless acts. Some examples of such cases include:
-On 17 May 2003, Greek
Cypriot police and Customs Office officials confiscated 16 cartoons of
cigarettes, 17 undershirts, 5 pants and 1 belt which came from the North
(Fileleftheros, 17 May 2003).
-On 16 July 2003, Greek
Cypriot police conducted a search in a car belonging to a Greek Cypriot
and confiscated 4 cartoons of cigarettes which the owner of the car
purchased from the shop of a Turkish Cypriot in the mixed village of
Pyla. The Greek Cypriot was fined 80 Cyprus pounds for this “crime” (Filelefteros,
15 July 2003).
-On 23 July 2003, the
Greek Cypriot police found 102 boxes of fig and apricot and confiscated
them after the Greek Cypriot owner told the police that he had purchased
the fruit from a Turkish Cypriot. The purchaser was fined 150 Cyprus
pounds for this “crime” (Politis, Simerini, Haravgi, 23 July 2003).
-A draft bill has been
prepared and submitted to the Parliament by Greek Cypriot Member of
Parliament Hristos Clerides which proposes imprisonment for Greek
Cypriots who choose to stay in the TRNC (Fileleftheros, 4 June 2003).
Greek Cypriot Spokesperson for the Minister of Justice and Home Affairs,
who participated in the discussions of the bill, condemned those Greek
Cypriots who stayed in North Cyprus (Fileleftheros, 6 June 2003).
-The Greek Cypriot side
continues to discriminate against Turkish nationals and other nationals
(tourists, including EU nationals) who try to cross over to the Greek
Cypriot side from the TRNC. This is a totally unacceptable situation, which
has drawn considerable reaction and uproar from the public. This becomes
even more puzzling when one considers that the Republic of Turkey has
decided recently to permit entry to Greek Cypriots with their passports.
-The incident involving
the Greek singer, Leftheris Pancazis, who was scheduled to perform at a
hotel in the TRNC on 5 July 2003 and had to cancel his concert at the
last minute because of strong reactions from the Greek Cypriot side and
Greece, is indicative of the extent of Greek Cypriot chauvinism and
intolerance and how even the most innocent or non-political subject can
be turned into a tormenting affair in order to serve narrow political
ends. According to the Greek Cypriot press, if the Greek singer Pancazis
had performed in the TRNC, he would have been imprisoned for six months.
The Greek Cypriot daily, Simerini, stated that following Pancazis’
arrival in the Greek Cypriot side, the Greek Cypriot Security Forces
engaged in efforts to prevent Pancazis from going on stage in Girne, and
added that a high ranking Greek Cypriot police official had warned
Pancazis at Larnaca Airport that “his action was unlawful, and that
because of this he would be arrested and sentenced according to the
law.”
-The most recent case is
the incident of Mrs. Gülsevin Shah, a Lebanese passport holder and a
Turkish Cypriot by origin, who was not only refused entry with a valid
passport and visa at the Larnaca Airport, where she along with her two
children arrived, but was subjected to degradation and ill-treatment.
Mrs. Shah was kept in a room surrounded by men with guns, not allowed to
use her cell phone to get in touch with her family who were waiting in
the Airport, her TRNC passport and identification card which she also
carried were confiscated and she was not even sent back to Lebanon with
the first flight. She was interrogated and subjected to false
allegations. She, along with her two young children, were kept in the
Airport for 24 hours before being taken to a plane accompanied by
policemen and deported to Lebanon. It must also be noted that Mrs.
Shah’s letter to the Greek Cypriot Embassy in Lebanon was not taken
seriously and she was told that she cannot be assisted with her
complaints.
-On 17 August 2003, the
Sunday Mail reported that police deported 14 Israelis on 16 August 2003
who had tried to cross into North Cyprus. According to the report 14
Israelis arrived at Larnaca Airport on 15 August and told officials that
they would be staying at various Larnaca hotels for the duration of
their stay. When they were caught trying to cross to North Cyprus
through the village of Pyla their visas were cancelled and they were
told they would be deported to Israel on the next available flight. The
14 were formally accused of “violating the conditions of their residence
permits and not informing the relevant authorities, as provided by the
foreigners and immigration law.”
The above examples are by no
means exhaustive. The all-encompassing embargoes are not only hampering the
relations of the Turkish Cypriot people with other countries but also adversely
affecting the Turkish Cypriot people’s efforts to integrate with the world and
to promote its unique culture. It is high time that the restrictions and
embargoes weighing so heavily on the Turkish Cypriot people, especially as
regards travel, tourism, trade and exports/imports are lifted.
The Turkish Cypriot people wish
to be given the opportunity to establish and develop economic, social, cultural
and sportive relations with the rest of the would and hope that the Cyprus issue
would not be allowed to be an impediment in their efforts to establish friendly
relations with other nations.
The embargoes represent one of
the core issues that should immediately and satisfactorily be addressed in order
to prepare the ground for meaningful negotiations. For this purpose, we need to
work towards the realization of the following objectives:
All the ports and airports in
the North and South of the island should be open on an equal footing to
unhindered use of third countries and their nationals for flow of tourism
and trade to and from the island;
Both parties should equally
enjoy unrestricted cultural and sporting relations with third countries as a
matter of human rights. The right of Turkish Cypriots to participate in
international sporting events and to have international contacts and
exchanges should be respected;
Both parties should benefit
from unrestricted export and import possibilities and procedures;
There should be no
restrictions on the flow of services, capital and international assistance
to the Turkish Cypriot people;
The parties should terminate
and discourage all current or pending recourse before international bodies
against the other or against Turkey or Greece before exhausting local
remedies.
The removal of the embargoes
should not be made contingent upon the solution of the Cyprus question, as they
serve absolutely no purpose other than further embittering the relationship
between the two parties in Cyprus. These anachronistic and inhuman measures are
totally irrational, since, in the final analysis, they do not serve the real
interests of the Greek Cypriots either. Their immediate lifting would clearly
remove one of the major impediments in the way of progress towards
reconciliation.
Therefore, it is of utmost
importance that, at this delicate juncture, the Greek Cypriot side refrain from
all attempts which would deepen the existing divide between the two peoples and
instead adopt policies that would help eliminate the deep crisis of confidence
between the two sides. The immediate lifting of the illegal embargoes imposed on
the TRNC and the Turkish Cypriot people would be a first logical step in the
right direction.
We expect this gross violation of
the human rights of Turkish Cypriots to be halted forthwith and we call upon the
international community to stop, in the interest of reconciliation in Cyprus,
taking part in these embargoes.
Lefkoþa,
18 August 2003.
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