In the process for a solution:
A DEMILITARIZED NICOSIA
Having passed through an important process, we are at a new process in the Cyprus problem. At this point in time, the mistrust among the sides and chauvinism has reached important proportions. The belief in a solution has been seriously wounded. The political will to change the status quo has been weakened.
Under such conditions, the most important aspect of building an atmosphere of trust and regression of chauvinism is by practical actions. There seems to be a need for a new push which would play a role similar to that of the ‘bi-communal activities’ and ‘intercommunal contacts’ back in the 1990s.
The military is coming up at every important step as a considerable aspect of the problem, just as it has happened during the (non-) opening of the Ledra Street and during the discussions for the return of Varosha to its owners. By taking into account the serious trauma created in 1974, we can see the role of the military for increasing mistrust and chauvinism.
During the process for a solution, the solution would be helped and deadlocks could be overcome by the immediate implementation of some trust-building measures.
At this point, the demilitarization of the divided city Nicosia carries big importance.
Nicosia, especially the walled-city of Nicosia is where the dividing line of Cyprus and Cypriots has the most proximity. This also means that the armed forces of the two sides have the most proximity to each other in Nicosia. This is the only area where most of the time, in some spots, 18 year old kids are on duty, seeing each other across a road on the dividing line. The old Nicosia also contains the no-man’s land, which cannot be used anymore as it is a military zone now and which has historical value since it was lively once.
The presence of the army in Nicosia is affecting negatively the development of the city, the flow of traffic, the social, sporting and cultural activities, especially in the northern part of the city.
Nicosia is also the city where the two sides hold military ceremonies, triggering each other...
That’s why the demilitarization of Nicosia would be the first and an important step for the demilitarization of the whole island. The demilitarization of Nicosia would start the process of reuniting the city first, and then the whole island.
The demilitarization of Nicosia would create the opportunity of recreating life in the buffer zone, where hundreds of houses and workplaces can be reutilized. This zone could be turned into a common working zone and the dividing line could turn into a space for reuniting Cyprus.
The demilitarization of Nicosia would mean that civilians could plan the future of the city with more ease. Nicosia, full of dead ends due to military zones, would solve its traffic problems more easily with the demilitarization of the city.
The demilitarization of Nicosia would start the discussion process about the presence of military forces in the habitation zones of other towns and villages of Cyprus.
The demilitarization of Nicosia would also mean the freeing of the city from military ceremonies, which create pretexts for each other. The tension created by such military ceremonies only pumps chauvinism and brings out the ‘enemy’ aspects to the forefront. Demilitarization would lessen this tension as well.
The demilitarization of Nicosia would bring a new push towards the process for a solution and would seriously contribute to the building of trust among the communities. The demilitarization of Nicosia would be the first concrete step where the ‘impossibles’ could be turned into ‘possibilities’...
With these pretexts, the New Cyprus Party (YKP) is starting a campaign which would take the whole world in it... The campaign is called ‘A DEMILITARIZED NICOSIA: in the process for a solution’. This would be the first but not the last campaign.
YKP will start new campaigns in the coming days and will put forward its will together with all Cypriots, in all platforms, during its struggle in the process for a solution, showing its determination to carry its struggle for a new Cyprus from the streets to the power...
These campaigns will contain all forms of action in them. We will use all methods of communication and will try to get the support of all Cypriots, of Europe and those sides who are part of the Cyprus problem in the world...
We will be one person short, if you are not part of this campaign...
The demilitarization of Nicosia is possible, a new Cyprus is also possible – for this, participate so that we can realize ‘a demilitarized Nicosia’ and a reunified Cyprus...