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The Wall IV March 9, 2007

  This is the original Ledra Street checkpoint in divided Nicosia, complete with a concrete wall.

  A Greek Cypriot soldier helps to demolish part of the wall that divided Cypriot capital, Nicosia.

  Now, a new temporary barrier is in place after the wall was removed at the UN buffer zone that divides the Greek and Turkish Cypriot controlled areas in Nicosia, Cyprus.

Photo Credits: AP

The Wall III March 9, 2007

How the Turkish invaders and occupiers are selling the land which does NOT belong to them, nor its their property, nor they have any deeds to prove the opposite, nor, nor, nor, …………!

How the Turkish illegal regime of the occupied and military controlled northern part of The Republic of Cyprus they sell-out our own sacred lands!

Here is an excerpt from an article The Jerusalem apartment king appearing in the Jerusalem Post’s newspaper of Israel. This is a proof that one occupier and invader make siblings with another one of their kind!

QUOTE: Last month, he visited Turkish Cyprus in order to get a sense of the place. That neglected part of the divided island got a boost when Greek Cyprus jointed the European Union but refused (by referendum) to unite with the Turkish portion, and the EU, angered, sent hundreds of millions of euros flowing into the Turkish side.

Hasid’s impression of the place is mixed. On the one hand, he says, Turkish Cyprus does not have a sophisticated banking and mortgage system, and a developer must bring most of the equity capital from home.

On the other hand, “There is no bureaucracy there. They showed me a section of land for 500 cottages. They said to me: You want it? Pay us the [Cypriot pound equivalent of] NIS 30,000, take the plot and start building. They also showed me other plots. I’m checking them out,” Hasid admits.UNQUOTE

Turkey and Israel are nothing but the same kind of invaders and occupiers! Believe it or not, you like it or not, take it or leave it. Enough is enough!

And here is an article by Oktay Yenal who claims to be a retired Turkish economist who headed the World Bank office in New Delhi and served as the bank’s chief economist for the Asia region. The articleTime for Turkey to back away from the EU appeared on Friday, March 9, 2007 at the San Francisco Chronicle, CA, USA, newspaper. In this article the writer states the following, among other:

QUOTE: Turkey should withdraw from its negotiations to join the European Union. Consequently, Turkey’s efforts to join the EU, if not all her relations with the EU, have soured almost to the point of no return. Although most Turks would still like to see their country a full member of the EU, it is now clear to them that the EU doesn’t want them, on economic, cultural and historical grounds. The time has come to back away, gracefully.

Moreover, the negotiations are undercutting Turkey’s position on Cyprus. EU membership requires unanimous consent, so Turkey cannot afford to offend either Athens or Nicosia. Thus, we are forestalled from acting to protect the interests of the Turkish population of the island, no matter what arbitrary measures the Papadopoulos regime might ad opt. The major EU powers have placed the onus to resolve the Cyprus issue entirely on Turkey, ignoring the fact that they admitted Cyprus into the Union while the island was still divided de facto into two sovereign states. They have also conveniently forgotten their promise to ease the economic isolation of the Turkish north after Turkish Cypriots supported, and Greek Cypriots rejected, the Annan plan for reunification. UNQUOTE.

How appropriate!

The Wall II March 9, 2007

A timeline of key dates and events in modern Cyprus’ history >

1960 > Cyprus gains independence from colonial ruler Britain, which still maintains two sovereign military bases on the island. The genesis of The Republic of Cyprus.

1963 > Intercommunal fighting breaks out between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

1964 > U.N. peacekeepers, UNFICYP, first deployed.

July 15, 1974 > Athens-backed dictotorship’s coup d’etat try to overthrow the President, Greek Orthodox Archbishop Makarios, who barely escapes. The coup collapses eight days later. Meanwhile, Turkey invades Cyprus on July 20. A cease-fire is declared a couple of days later but not adhered to in many parts of the island.

August 14, 1974 > Following the breakdown of talks, Turkey launches a second large-scale military operation. In two days, Turkish forces extend their control and eventually capture about 39 percent of the island. Some 240,000 Greek and Turkish Cypriots are forced to move to opposite sides of the island. Turkey keeps more than 47,000 troops on the occupied areas of Cyprus and alters demographics by allowing Turkish citizens from Anatolia to inhabit into the occupied areas.

1983 > Turkish Cypriots declare their self-proclaimed illegal state, the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is only recognized by Turkey.

2003 > Turkish and Greek Cypriots are allowed to cross the dividing line for the first time since 1974 after the Turkish side eases movement restrictions.

April 2004 > Greek Cypriots overwhelmingly reject the latest U.N. brokered peace plan, while Turkish Cypriots approve it in separate referendums.

May 2004 > A still-divided Republic of Cyprus joins the European Union. EU rights and obligations only apply to the Greek Cypriot controlled south.

Mid 2005 > U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan is urged by all sides in the dispute to tackle anew the island’s division.

December 2005 > Turkish Cypriots begin building a bridge in Nicosia to ease movement of the Turkish army, angering Greek Cypriots and frustrating plans for a new crossing at Ledra Street in the heart of divided Nicosia.

January 2007 > Turkish Cypriots begin dismantling the contentious bridge as a reconciliation gesture.

March 9 2007 > Greek Cypriots demolish a wall on the boundary on Ledra Street in Nicosia.

The Wall March 9, 2007

The Wall Of Shame >

 It has been dividing Nicosia in two parts with a Green Line in between. It was standing there, at the end of Ledra Street, since July 1974. Now, it was demolished. Temporarily, for security reasons, replaced with an aluminium partition.

 Until further notice. Until the occupying Turkish military forces withdraw their army. Until Cyprus is united again. Until Peace and Freedom and Justice and Democracy shines at last all over this island, until that time We Do Not Forget! Cyprus and Nicosia’s borders are the currently under Turksih military control and occupied towns of Kyrenia, Morphou, Famagusta, Apostole Andreas Monastery in Karpasia, Xeros and all Greek towns and villages are set free!

Until that time the souls of our Heroes, the souls of our Missing Persons, the souls of our Enclaved Heroic People, the souls of the thousands of Greek Cypriots who became refugees into their own Land, will never rest.

A Wall Of Shame has been demolished. Long Live the Wall Of Shame!

Until that time, when Cyprus will be united, until that time Nicosia will be the last divided City in Europe. Like Berlin used to be.

Until that time Pink Floyd’s The Wall will accompany our dreams and hopes for Peace!

Peace! Let it be!

Ledra wall diving Nicosia comes down March 9, 2007

Gesture of goodwill, but crossing not open yet

In a surprise move, Cypriot Greek governmental authorities began knocking down the Ledra Street wall just before midnight last night, saying it would be gone by sunrise but this didn’t mean the crossing would open, government spokesman Christodoulou Pashiardis said.

“The removal of the wall was undertaken by us. You could say it is an indication of goodwill and a first positive step,” he said. “It does not mean that Ledra Street is open because there are other issues to be solved regarding security matters.”

The government has been insisting for months that Ledra Street could not be opened until Turkish troops disengaged from the area and until the security of pedestrians was guaranteed, which included the strengthening of the neglected buildings inside the Green Line.

Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos also said he wanted Turkish and ‘TRNC’ flags and symbols removed from the area, a demand which angered the Turkish side.

The two sides have been at loggerheads over opening the crossing point for over a year since the Turkish side erected a bridge that would allow Turkish troops to continue patrolling nearby Ermou Street as pedestrians passed over. However the Greek Cypriot side insisted the crossing would never open until it was gone. Its removal was only a precondition for a dialogue.

Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat ordered the removal of the bridge just before Christmas, demanding the removal of the wall in return, but the government insisted on its conditions. Since then the two sides have been engaged in talks with UNFICYP to discuss what needed to be done to open the street. A UN spokesman said last night it was hoped the move by the Greek Cypriot side would lead to the opening of the crossing.

In Brussels President Papadopoulos told reporters last night: “Mr Talat had wanted to make a point that the Turkish side was showing goodwill by building the bridge, obviously under pressure from Turkish Cypriot shopkeepers. They then made us out to be the ones blocking the opening,” he said. “The blockade was not by us. It has always been by the Turkish troops in the area. We have said and we say now that the opening of Ledra can only occur if the Turkish troops move out of the area.”

Throwing the ball back into the Turkish Cypriot court, Papadopoulos said the Greek Cypriot side had now made a gesture of goodwill. “If the Turkish army doesn’t pull away as well, then we will all know who is causing the blockade,” he said. “Efforts will also be needed to be made to ensure that the mines, which we suspect are there, be removed.”

Nicosia Mayor Eleni Mavrou agreed. “Safety issues are the most important on a road where civilians will walk. The army has no place there. A lot is still needed and the government will decide on the next move,” she said.

Pashiardis said the government had invited the Turkish side for a dialogue to resolve the outstanding issues. “That is if they really want Ledra Street to be opened,” he added.
Pashiardis was at the forefront of the demolition scene last night along with Police Chief Charalambos Koulentis when the work began.

Members of the anti-riot squad MMAD were also at the scene as around 40 National Guardsmen carted off a sentry post and the steps to the wall that were also removed.
Curious crowds began filing down to the end of Ledra Street around midnight but the area near the wall was cordoned off by police.

“This is something totally unexpected and I don’t understand why they had hushed such a historic event. I am just glad that I have been here to witness this”, said onlooker Marios Polyviou. Also looking on was student Aristos Christodoulou who said, “Wow, this is something that I will be able to tell my future children. That I was there.”

One television cameraman recording the bulldozing from a car park overlooking Ledra said, “This is something wonderful to see. It feels so strange to watch it come down like that. Let’s just hope that something actually good comes out of this and this is not just another night of work for me.”

Opposition parties welcomed the move. DISY’s Averoff Neophytou said it was “surprising and positive”. “We will wait and see what the government’s next move is,” he said.
Michalis Papapetrou from the United Democrats called the demolition of the wall “historic”. “The oldest dividing wall of Cyprus and of Nicosia is coming down. I am so happy. The light of hope is shining and this giving the initiative for everyone to work towards a settlement…the walls of our minds now need to come down now,” he said.

Turkish Cypriots hail symbolic gesture March 9, 2007

Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat’s main advisor Rasit Pertev said, “This is extremely symbolic. It is a great pleasure to see”. The dynamism created by this move will lead to the opening of the crossing,” he said, adding that he had received news that the wall was being demolished from his Greek Cypriot negotiating counterpart Tassos Tzionis as demolition begun. Pertev said he believed it would take a few days before people would be able to use the crossing.

Around 50 people were gathered at the barricade at around 11.30. One of them was  Murat Obenler who said he was “always happy to see borders open”, and added, “Hopefully now they will all be knocked down”.  Yusuf Alp, a construction worker, said he heard the news of the wall’s demolition on Greek Cypriot TV and had come to see it coming down. “It is a lovely thing to see the wall come down. We have waited years for this,” he said. “This was the first barricade between us and the Greek Cypriots. It’s been here for 43 years. Hopefully people will change and get more used to living together. Even if it takes 50 years, this is a step,” Alp added.

Turkish occupied and military controlled Nicosia Mayor Cemal Bulutoglulari was also on the scene, and expressed great pleasure at events taking place on the other side of the barricade. “I was with Eleni Mavrou, Greek Cypriot Mayor of Nicosia, today celebrating women’s day. UN envoy’s Mr Moller was there and he asked us what was happening at Lokmaci, when we were going to open the crossing. I answered that we had done our part by taking down the bridge. For the first time since I’ve known her, Eleni looked nervous”.

As demolition took place, two Turkish soldiers filmed proceedings with camcorders while others handed out tea to local dignitaries. High ranking officers appeared to have been taken by surprise.