Cyprus-Forum.com

[Viewpoint]

By Jean Christou

Ban Ki-Moon highlights UN concerns over unpunished violations

UN SECRETARY-general Ban Ki-Moon is concerned over the human rights situation on the island, citing a number of incidents involving Turkish Cypriots that show the Cyprus government in a bad light.

The Foreign Ministry is furious over the six-page ‘note’ by the Secretary-general relating to a report on Cyprus by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

On Wednesday the Ministry called all refugee organisations, and representatives of missing persons for a meeting to coordinate a protest response to the UN.

In his note dated March 9, Ban said human rights violations were going unpunished in Cyprus due to the division of the island and the lack of cooperation between the two sides.

“A number of human rights violations, some serious, remain unpunished… in particular with regard to the law enforcement agencies, as well as to ineffective investigations by the authorities,” Ban’s note said. “There is a pressing need to deal with this issue.”

He referred to a “rising trend of criminal activity in the buffer zone” and in particular growing incidences of human trafficking.

Ban said both sides reported that fewer individuals were crossing the buffer zone as illegal immigrants, but at the same time the number of arrests for human trafficking was increasing.

While Ban’s comments outlined general events and incidents of alleged human rights violations on both sides over the past year, certain issues were the target of real criticism. The vast majority of these concerned behaviour by the Greek Cypriot side.

Ban singled out as “an incident of particular concern” the attack by Greek Cypriot nationalists on Turkish Cypriot pupils at the English School in November.

He said that although President Tassos Papadopoulos issued a statement condemning the attack shortly after its occurrence, “no judicial action is known to have been taken to date”.

The Secretary-general also said UNFICYP had received complaints of systematic discrimination from the representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in Limassol concerning immigration and deportation related
cases, delays in issuance of government documents and permits, and difficulties for Turkish Cypriots to secure citizenship for a foreign spouse.

“These cases can be aggravated by the fact that official documents and application forms are not available in Turkish, even though Turkish
is an official language of the Republic as per the Constitution of 1960,” Ban said.

He also said concern had been raised regarding allegations of discriminatory treatment against Turkish Cypriot prisoners in the Nicosia Central Prison.

These included denial of entry of relatives from Turkey to the Republic of Cyprus, which he said “in practice impedes prisoners’ visitation rights”, as does the fact that home visits are only permitted to take place in the Republic of Cyprus.

“The latter rule also affects eligibility for the more lenient “open prison regime”, for which successful conclusion of two home visits is a prerequisite,” said Ban. He added that UNFICYP had intervened, and in at least three cases, inmates who complained were now benefiting from the open prison arrangement

Turkish Cypriot students also continue to be confronted with lack of access to the Erasmus, Socrates and Bologna processes or other European scholarship programmes, Ban said.

He said the issue has been linked to the non-recognition of Turkish Cypriot universities. But he said the right to education was a fundamental human right, and the current situation prevented the free movement of students and staff, and constrained academic freedom, the exchange of ideas and international competition.

Bicommual projects were also a focus of Ban’s concerns. “There has been a disturbing trend with regard to the implementation of policies that impinge on the ability of organisations and individuals to carry out activities and projects designed to contribute to bicommunal contacts and cooperation
throughout the island,” he said.

As a result, the UN, and in particular the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), had been hampered in the implementation of projects
that benefit both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in areas of common concern.

Ban avoided blaming any particular side for hindering the UNDP but it is well known that the Greek Cypriot side launched a witch-hunt after the 2004 referendum against those who received UN funding. The issue was also taken up by parliament late last year.

Referring to his concerns regarding violations by the Turkish Cypriot side, Ban said restrictions on freedom of movement persisted in particular with regard to the military zones in the northern part of the island.

He said the Maronite village of Ayia Marina remained completely inaccessible, while access to Asomatos remains severely limited. “In the case of Ayia Marina, its original inhabitants have, to date, not been able to visit their village since 1974,” said Ban.

The note makes a passing reference to the Orams and Loizidou property cases, but in a move likely to infuriate the government, made no reference to the exploitation of stolen Greek Cypriot properties in the north, only that property remained a “sensitive issue”.

The “economic rights” of Turkish Cypriots also received a passing mention.

While the gap in the standards of living between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots has narrowed, overall economic opportunities in the northern part of the island remain limited, Ban said.

“The situation might change further with the implementation of the European Council regulation of February 2006 on establishing an instrument of financial support for encouraging the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community, and the pending adoption of a regulation on direct trade,” he added.

The Secretary-general said overall the “persisting division” of Cyprus had consequences in relation to a number of human rights issues on the whole island, including freedom of movement, human trafficking activities,
discrimination, property rights, human rights pertaining to the question of missing persons, the right to education and freedom of religion.

One of the few positive remarks in the note was the fact that political will had been demonstrated “by all concerned” with regard to the settlement of the issue of missing persons within the context of the Committee on Missing Persons.

Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2007

Great Article, the "RoC" as percieved by the UN.

[pitsilos]

anything about the ethnic cleansing of 200,000 people anywhere in the report?

[twinkle]

How about general HR issues in Turkey? Spanky Moon seems to have overlooked that one. Perhaps there's not enough paper in the UN to write the report......

[pitsilos]

don't worry thats next, and it will be a loooooooooooooooooooooooong one, starting with Mr Apo

[observer]

Turkish Cypriot students also continue to be confronted with lack of access to the Erasmus, Socrates and Bologna processes or other European scholarship programmes, Ban said.

He said the issue has been linked to the non-recognition of Turkish Cypriot universities. But he said the right to education was a fundamental human right, and the current situation prevented the free movement of students and staff, and constrained academic freedom, the exchange of ideas and international competition.

The communal character of education in Cyprus is confirmed in the Constitution of 1960, Articles 20(4) and 87. It has nothing to do with the communal troubles, and it is more than likely that a greater exchange of students and educated people will lower tensions. The GC government's position of blocking TCs from all these processes is sheer vindictiveness.

This indicates why few, if any, TCs want to be administered by GCs.

[pitsilos]

its quite simple observer, just walk over the line and demand it as a lot have done once they obtain a passport and off to the UK to study for free.

[observer]

... and yet another TC off the island!

[pitsilos]

but a lot of gcs study in the uk

[iceman]

“These cases can be aggravated by the fact that official documents and application forms are not available in Turkish, even though Turkish
is an official language of the Republic as per the Constitution of 1960,” Ban said.

That statement by the UN SECRETARY-general Ban Ki-Moon re:Turkish language still being an official language should end the argument we had on another thread not so long ago...

It also emphasizes the fact that UN still regard the 1960 Constitution valid..

[pitsilos]

so when can the people move back to their houses you reckon?

the only country that made a mockery of the 1960 constitution is turkey.

maybe ban was making a reference to turkey, what do you think?