 CYPRUS
EBCO GENERAL ASSEMBLY
AND PUBLIC ACTIVITIES
15-17 May 2009
The annual meeting of the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection – EBCO took place on 16th May in Nicosia,
with the participation of representatives from Cyprus, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Macedonia,
Serbia, Britain, and Greece.
The meeting, hosted by the Initiative for Conscientious Objection in Cyprus, was held at the premises of the Turkish
Cypriot Teachers’ Union (KTOS)
The situation in the Council of Europe member states regarding the right to conscientious objection, the struggle
against militarism, peace and conflict resolution were evaluated and new members of the secretariat were elected.
EBCO Cyprus Representative Murat Kanatli was elected as one of the vice presidents. The other two vice-presidents newly elected
were Dimitris Sotiropoulos
and Derek Brett.
Gerd Greune and Alexia Tsouni were re-elected president and general secretary of EBCO respectively.
Gina Chappa and Murat Kanatli, our hosts in Cyprus
The representatives of conscientious objection organizations of various European countries who were in Cyprus for
the EBCO meeting participated as speakers in various panel discussions, which were held in the southern and the
northern part of the island.
Conscientious objection activities in Cyprus
The first of the activities of the Initiative for Conscientious Objection in Cyprus took place on 15th May at 19:00
hours in the southern part of Nicosia at the University of Cyprus. EBCO President Gerd Greune and EBCO General
Secretary and activist of Amnesty International in Greece Alexia Tsouni spoke at the public meeting about the implementation
of the legislation on conscientious objection by the Republic of Cyprus. An interested audience raised questions
for more than two hours…
On Friday, 15th May, within the framework of the activities, Bandista, (www.tayfabandista.org) one of the most
famous young music groups of Turkey, gave a concert at the Coskuner Beer Garden with the participation of a large
group of young people… The Bandista group performed their songs throughout the night; the international delegation
as well as the youth from both sides of Cyprus and the universities at the forefront and participants of different
age groups sang along some of these songs…
On Saturday, 16th May, at 19:30, Gerd Greune and Alexia Tsouni participated
again as speakers at a public meeting at the northern part of Cyprusthat took place at the KTOS premises under
the title “human rights and conscientious objection in international law”. Murat Kanatli also gave a presentation
at the open discussion evaluating the latest situation in the northern part of Cyprus…
The press coverage in the northern part of Cyprus of the events was impressive. In the southern part the press
agency gave a report.
Militourism in Nicosia
On Sunday, 17th May, the international EBCO group joined famous “militourism in Nicosia”. This activity was organized
in Nicosia, similar to an activity realized earlier in Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir by anti-war and anti-militarist
activists in Turkey. Militourism, derived from the “mili” of militarism and with the addition of tourism, was realized
on both sides of Nicosia, well suited to its name.
The first activity was held in front of “Asal Sube” (the building where conscription takes place in the northern
part of Czprus). In the first statement with the participation of activists of the Initiative for Conscientious
Objection in Cyprus and the international delegation, it was stated that the situation on both sides of Cyprus
is unacceptable and it was demanded that the right to conscientious objection should be recognized without any
discrimination and according to international standards. Later, the Cypriot activists gave information to passers-by
in front of the “Mehmetcik Gazinosu”, wh?ch belongs to the Turkish contingent in Cyprus (TURDIK), about the existing
military structures in Cyprus. A statement prepared by the Initiative was read there. Later on, the same statement
was read in front of the officers’ club which belongs to the Greek contingent (ELDIK.) The statement read in front
of both military buildings was as follows:
The Occupation of Weapons
We live under the occupation of weapons. They are trying to crush our hopes under the boots of the soldiers who
are dividing our island. We are in front of buildings that represent the armies who made us fight against each
other in our country, where we could have lived as brothers and sisters.
Nicosia: Turc military camp
We have been living in fear since the day they came to our country. They imposed the tyrannical Juntas of their
countries on us. First they made us fight against each other within the framework of their games and then they
intervened with weapons and tanks in order to protect us. These armies not only deal with military interventions,
but have also managed to have a say in all spheres of life through political games. They have placed their representatives
with epaulets and weapons into the educational system, at the peace negotiations and the TV channels. They monitor
how we live and they watch over our lives with weapons in their hands.
Hundreds of square kilometres of our land have become a training and battle area for soldiers from other countries.
We have lived years of suffering due to the attacks and instigations of the guarantor countries under the pretext
of protecting our republic where we hoped to live in peace. They brought to our island the machines that killed
us. These “protectors” who thought that the machines they brought were not sufficient, provided the gangs here
with death machines, trained them and made them fight against each other. Since the first day they came, they have
organized assassinations of those people who struggled for freedom and peace and they are still continuing their
attacks with oppression and threats.
It is now time for these fascist armies, who continuously remind us of their presence through military exercises
and official ceremonies, to leave the island.
How safe can people and nature be under the protection of weapons? These weapons’ depots that are a threat to nature
should immediately be sent back to their countries, and in return for all the suffering and sins committed, their
weapons should be taken away and destroyed.
Nicosia
Backyard of a southern Cyprus house with a view on the UN controlled zone to the Turc side
We should build everything needed for peace with our own hands. Peace under the shadow of weaponry will again lead
us to days of suffering. In order to raise our hopes during these days when negotiations for a solution are taking
place, and to come one more step closer to peace, it is necessary to save ourselves from the “saviours” and to
do away with guarantors. Although it may not be to the liking of those who do not want a solution, raising our
struggle for peace everywhere on the island will lead us to better days.
In order to see the days where we can live in peace like brothers and sisters, we should start from liberating
ourselves from these armies, so that we will never experience again the sufferings of war. Every weapon and soldier
leaving from the island will provide us with peace, serenity, a green environment, and confidence; we believe this
and that is why we shall continue our struggle.”
After the statement was read, the soldier keeping guard at the checkpoint was given a carnation and the walk continued…
The group then walked to the Fighters’ Premises (Mucahitler Sitesi) where the TMT museum is also housed. Here,
Cypriot activists read statements about EOKA and TMT, the paramilitary organizations, established in the mid 1950’s.
As a result of police harassment, who were trying to prevent the group taking pictures in front of the premises,
the Initiative activists explained to the group that we live in a place where taking pictures in the street is
not allowed and that 90% of the northern part of Cyprus is considered to be a military zone and warned them that
when taking pictures to avoid, if possible (!) military areas.
Then another statement prepared by the Initiative was read here. The same statement was later read in front of
the NationalStruggleMuseum, in other words, the EOKA museum. The statement was as follows:
“Symbols of Shame"
We are standing in front of one of the symbols of shame for humanity and our island;
The system which has created many stories of heroism is trying to brainwash us. Neither Cypriots, nor humanity
will ever forgive these gangs who have killed us during the years, when the weapons were stealing our dreams. We
should also not forget the bitter truth on our island which no official history book could dare to write about;
these gangs not only savagely killed those who they perceived as being on the opposite side, but also those who
spoke their own language. Because they betrayed them; yes, they betrayed the weapons, the tanks, the bombs, and
they asked for peace. They called them traitors and murdered them without any hesitation or conscience. But we
have conscience and like Dervish Kavazoglu and Kostas Mishaoulis who were killed arm in arm, we are betraying war
and death. We are rebelling, we are confronting those who say that we should be enemies and we are calling on them
to answer to this; aren’t those who kill people for the interests of other countries and for their own petty scores
the real traitors? And aren’t they traitors, especially because they betrayed humanity?
Greece gave birth to EOKA and Turkey to TMT for the interests of NATO. In the 1950’s we witnessed motherlands’
compassion. Weapons came from the motherlands, murderers with blood on their hands were trained in their motherlands,
and teachers of death, with stars on their shoulders, came to our country to even give lessons. We heard and learnt
all these from them, they did not deny it, to the contrary, they bragged about it. Those who could not write their
savagery into history books recounted the assistance of their motherlands with pride and arrogance. They killed
children who were playing in the street and attending school. And this is why children should not be taken to this
kind of places during school excursions, for this reason they should no longer have toy guns, children should not
be introduced to bullets.
We defend life and not death. We want to bury weapons and not to live under their shadow. This is the reason for
our rebellion. We neither want anyone to give us weapons nor to kill each other, this is what we want. We no longer
want to be taught how to kill each other. With flowers in our hands and without bowing, we extend our heads towards
the barrels of weapons. We know that the higher we hold our heads the further away we will keep our island from
weapons, from war, and of course from death.”
After the statement a carnation was left at the door and the walk went on…
The group which then walked to the
Ledra Street
checkpoint was given information on the historical situation of the military units in the area and on the ceasefire
line. It crossed to the southern part of Nicosia went to a guard post behind the “Berlin 2” restaurant manned by
a Greek Cypriot soldier. Statements were read here as well. In the statements it was pointed out that in Cyprus
absurd things are taking place. The group was informed about the anomalies taking place in Cyprus with the words
“As you eat outside someone can keep guard ten meters away; after the checkpoints were opened in 2003, this soldier
is facing north looking out for the “enemy” while behind him only ten meters away Turkish and Greek Cypriots can
eat kebabs.”
After the National Guard soldier was also handed a carnation, the group continued its journey along the ceasefire
line. The group which arrived at the ELDIK Officers’ Club after passing
Solomou Square
, was again informed about the armies in Cyprus and the role of ELDIK in the conflict. Then one of the statements,
read earlier in the northern part of Cyprus, titled “the occupation of weapons” was read. Then, the group continued
its walk to the NationalStruggleMuseum, also known as the EOKA museum, near the archbishopric palace where the
walk ended. Here information was given on the events of the 1950’s and 60’s and the role of the EOKA and TMT members
in those events. After this, the statement titled “the symbols of shame” which was earlier read in front of the
TMT museum was also read here. The walk ended with these statements…
Meeting the Ministry of Defence in Southern Cyprus
A delegation comprising the president, secretary general and vice president and Cyprus representative of EBCO and
our Russian and Serbian member had a 2/hours meeting on 18th May with the officials of the Ministry of Defence
of the Republic of Cyprus. The military official who participates in the evaluation committee for conscientious
objectors was also present at the meeting. The EBCO officials gave information on the international standards and
received information on the legal processes and their application in Cyprus. It was reminded to the officials that
the application for conscientious objection should be made to a civil institution and to a committee whose members
are made up entirely of civilians, the application should not be evaluated according to subjective criteria, that
is, no-one should test someone else’s values of conscience, the alternative service should be entirely of civilian
nature and it should not be punitive in its length. The EBCO Secretariat stated that the legal procedure in the
Republic of Cyprus falls very much behind Council of Europe standards in this respect.
Meeting the Defence Ministry
The secretariat also handed the officials a copy of the joint declaration prepared at last year’s Athens meeting
which was at that time given to the Cyprus embassy there as well. As it may be recalled, copies of this declaration
were given to the Turkish embassy, the Cyprus embassy in Athens, and to the Greek prime minister’s office on 11th
April 2008. (see report on the Athens meeting on this website) |
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| The meeting, hosted by the Initiative for Conscientious Objection in Cyprus,
was held at the premises of the Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Union (KTOS) in northern Nicosia |
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| Gina Chappa and Murat Kanatli, our hosts in Cyprus |
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| Public meeting at the northern part of Cyprus |
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| Militourism in Nicosia |
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| Nicosia: Turc military camp |
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| Nicosia> Backyard of a southern Cyprus house with a view on the UN controlled
zone to the Turc side |
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| Meeting the Ministry of Defence in Southern Cyprus |
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