Hamamboculeri.org: Alternatif Haber, Genel, 30 Aralik 2002
(Cyprus Alternative News):-
Youth festival for peace banned by Turkish side
(Cyprus
Alternative News):-
A youth
festival to have taken place last Sunday (29.12.2002) at the Ledra Palace Hotel
on the Green Line dividing Cyprus into two parts was banned by Turkish
authorities in the northern part of Cyprus.
The festival,
organized by CTP (Republican Turkish Party) Youth Branch from the northern and
EDON from the southern part of the island aimed to “Express the hope for peace
as we are entering the New Year” said Dervis Aygin, General President of CTP
Youth Branch. He said they had decided about the festival as Turkish Cypriot and
Greek Cypriot youth about two weeks ago and made the necessary arrangements with
the UN based in Cyprus. Aygin said “We also contacted the Turkish Cypriot
ministry of foreign affairs for permission to cross the border in order to
organize the festival on the buffer zone. We were told last Wednesday that there
was no ‘Permission’ and the pretext of the refusal was not disclosed to
us...”
At the youth
festival, EDON and CTP Youth Branch would read a joint declaration about peace
but this could not take place due to the ban coming from the Turkish authorities
in the northern part of the island.
Meanwhile EDON
protested the ban on the festival with a demonstration starting from the main
square in southern part of the divided capital Nicosia, Eleftheria Square and
marched until the Ledra Palace check point with placards in Turkish saying
“Peace cannot be prevented”, “Peace, democracy, federation..”
Photo: A moment from the demonstration of EDON