The measure of installing barbed wire is ineffective

 

Statement by AKEL MP Aristos Damianou and Chairman of the Parliamentary Internal Affairs Committee, after the Committee’s session

20 October 2022

The Parliamentary Internal Affairs Committee has almost completed its ex officio examination of the matter entitled: “The installation of eleven kilometres of barbed wire on the ceasefire line and the problems created in the surrounding communities”. The picture has become quite clear on many things.

The first conclusion that can be drawn is that the creation of the fence has hardly addressed the real issue of managing migratory flows. The statistics reveal that these flows have doubled and at the same time, according to the testimonies of community leaders and citizens from the neighbouring communities, the flows have simply been transferred to other adjacent communities where the fence has not been extended. It is clear that this measure is ineffective.

At the same time, it is also evident that there has not been the necessary documentation or even necessary consultation with affected structures and state institutions. More specifically, in a letter dated 19/10/2022, from the Commissioner for Personal Data Protection, the Internal Affairs Committee is informed that it has not been involved, but neither consulted, nor has it yet been consulted, nor has it yet given its opinion, regarding the affecting of personal data of citizens, due to the decisions and the implementation of these government decisions.

Most, but also most worrying, is the fact that, as a result of the Anastasiades-DISY government’s decisions on how to manage the migration flows, we have come into direct conflict with United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), but even worse, we have come into direct conflict with the United Nations Security Council.

More specifically, in the latest report of the UN Security Council regarding the renewal of the mandate of UNFICYP in Cyprus, dated 05/07/2022, it is recorded in paragraph 9 that despite the repeated warnings of the Security Council to the parties to respect the mission of the peacekeeping force concerning the ceasefire line, a violation has been observed, due to unauthorized construction along and within the ceasefire line, which endangers the integrity of the ceasefire line.

Furthermore, it goes on to explain how the Greek Cypriot community, in the assessment of the UN Security Council, has violated the statutes relating to the ceasefire line. It makes no difference whether this assessment is justified or unjustified. What matters is the result, and the result is that, due to the government’s unilateral actions in an attempt to manage the migratory flows, we have clashed with the United Nations on this issue too.

At a time when we are appealing to the United Nations Security Council, invoking international law to find justice on the matter of occupation, it is a shame and unfair that the victim, which is the Republic of Cyprus and the Greek Cypriot community, is being fingered by the UN itself, instead of Turkey, which has been proven to be an instrumentalising force for migrants and, of course, has occupied a large part of Cyprus for almost half a century.

For that reason, it is obvious that there has been a serious lack of proper political judgment by the Anastasiades and DISY government.