A resolution condemning the continued occupation by Turkey of Kyrenia was handed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and embassies on Monday, calling for an end of the occupation and the return of the Kyrenia people to their homes.
The elected Mayors of Kyrenia, Lapithos and Karavas, the President of the Union of Kyrenia district Communities and the Presidents of the Refugee Associations of Lapithos, Karavas and the Kyrenia District Women’s Association, handed on Monday, on the occasion of the occupation of Kerynia by the Turkish army, a resolution to the President of the House of Representatives, the British High Commission, as well as to the US, Chinese and Greek embassies in Nicosia.
In remarks after the meeting with the delegation, Speaker Demetris Syllouris said that cooperation and understanding on a practical level is crucial in promoting the issues of principle regarding the Cyprus issue.
The resolution says that 42 years passed since Turkey invaded, occupied and continues to occupy “our homeland, 37% of the Republic of Cyprus, an independent State of United Nations and a European Union member state”.
“We condemn: The continuous illegal occupation as well as any action attempting to legitimize the results of this military aggression, (often called “present realities”) the stealing, trespassing and illegal usage of property, the restriction or obstruction of our freedom of movement and religious observance. The rigorous attempt to change the demographic consistency of Kyrenia district and occupied Cyprus in general”, the resolution adds.
As our district remained since 1974 under Turkish military control, the resolution says, none of the Greek Cypriot Kyrenians, was able to return home and at least 50% of our Turkish Cypriot Kyrenian compatriots, have been oppressed by Turkey and forced to emigrate and subsequently being replaced by a twofold number of settlers from the Turkish mainland.
“We request your invaluable assistance in order to return in safety to our properties in the district of Kyrenia as this is the strongest, legitimate and by far, most effective, of all confidence-building measures and the unobstructed, unbiased, timely, accurate and scientifically complete, investigation/discovery of the burial place and indeed the faith and circumstances of their loss, of each and every one of our beloved missing persons. And the safe and unobstructed maintenance recovery-work and religious service on our churches, cemeteries and general cultural heritage areas, in our district without inhuman, illogical and illegal prohibition of work by ourselves and our own expertise and workforce”, the resolution adds.
We do expect, the resolution says, that a viable safe and long lasting termination and solution of the Turkish occupation problem should at least include respect of our basic and fundamental human rights; the resolutions of the United Nations, international Law and the European Acquis Communautaire and the removal of the Turkish occupation forces and the Turkish settlers from the island, as they were placed in our homes by the Turkish Government in order to further complicate and create a demographic problem in unique complexity”.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. UN led talks have been underway since May 2015 aiming to reunify the island under a federal roof.
