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As we write this, potentially thousands of tons of oil are on their way to blanket the east coast of Cyprus, with some of it already reaching Dipkarpaz/Rizokarpaso, irreversibly damaging the sensitive marine and coastal ecosystems of that region. While we are monitoring the situation as it develops, several facts are clear.
First, the spill originated at Baniyas Thermal Station, a power station in Syria that, like in Cyprus and much of the Middle East, uses oil to generate power. As details emerge, it is clear that the plant has been neglected after years of conflict/civil war in Syria.
Unfortunately, countries in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, including Cyprus, have been prioritising conflict and the pursuit of profit at the expense of health, safety, and the environment. The fact that no country in the aforementioned region has embraced the revolutionary potential of renewables, and instead all continue burning fuel, is a testament to the vice grip that fossil fuel led economic and political interests have on countries all across this region.
Second, the administrations in the north and the south of Cyprus are once again hamstrung by the political situation on our island. While we commend the efforts to “inform” one another about developments, the COVID pandemic has demonstrated a huge lack of a coherent plan for cooperation between the two sides in the face of various crises. This became obvious over the past years with the deadly wildfires which have left behind burned land and destroyed ecosystems. Whilst Cypriot authorities have been aware of the oil spill since 26 August, plans to take action only emerged on 31 August. Even though the Republic of Cyprus has an oil spill response vessel (Alexandria) as well as other technical equipment and expertise to handle the crisis, the Turkish Cypriot administration has chosen to ask for help from Turkey. Every person in Cyprus, directly or indirectly, is dependent on our island’s sensitive ecosystems. We deserve a response that prioritises our island first, and sets political agendas aside.
Third, the extraction of and reliance on fossil fuels in the Eastern Mediterranean means that disasters like this are just waiting to happen. Even as we see oil cover our eastern sea, political elites in this country are unified behind the senseless strategy, supporting offshore drilling in those same waters. There is no such thing as a “natural” disaster anymore. Every wildfire, every drought, every square kilometer of nature destroyed, is a result of political decisions or inaction and our politicians have all been complicit in this regard. Even the “green” or the more “socialist” political parties have done nothing to advance environmentalism or socialism, but rather embraced the hydrocarbon projects, contributing to the commodification of our common sea.
Fourth, the rampant conflict and instability in our region is a recipe for climate disaster. As we have seen just this year with the worst wildfires on record, and recently when we had the worst drought in 900 years, we are going to need a coordinated and region-wide response to the climate crisis. The fact that we cannot even coordinate a response to an oil spill, a disaster which struck the same region before, means that we need to make a drastic change. This means putting aside the politics of mutually assured destruction and embracing a policy for the future, one that prioritises health and safety over the pursuit of power and profits.
We demand that the administrations on both sides of the divide rise up to the occasion and immediately coordinate a response to the Baniyas Oil Spill.
At the same time, we demand for a public commitment for the protection of our common natural heritage, with specific emergency response plans for different types of disasters (wildfires, oil spills etc), as well as a joint declaration cancelling hydrocarbon exploration projects combined with a commitment for an island wide decarbonization strategy.
The post One Sea, One Struggle: Avli Statement on the Baniyas Oil Spill first appeared on AVLI.Introduction
A focused, just, and monitorable plan for net-zero
For the Long-Term Strategy to truly achieve net-zero, it needs to be focused. It must have specific timelines and boundaries. It must appropriately balance the reduction, removal, and offset of emissions. It must include contingency plans in case measures are delayed and technologies are not deployed as fast as assumed.
The LTS needs to be just. Cyprus has an above-average GDP per capita and above-average greenhouse gas emissions per capita. Our contribution to the solution ought to match our contribution to the problem. Small Island Developing States have committed to using 100% renewable energy by 2030. There is no excuse for us not to match the ambition of these countries. Moreover, our goals must not be undermined by our actions — for instance, by depending on the extraction of fossil fuels outside our borders.
The LTS needs to be monitorable. Of course, global changes in the economy, technology, and society will affect how the LTS is implemented. A plan for monitoring is necessary to detect any divergence from the original trajectory as early as possible in order to enable the necessary course correction. The LTS must be accompanied by a timeline of action, with specific milestones and deadlines. In addition, the LTS will need to be expanded beyond 2050 in due course, with an ultimate aim of moving towards net-negative emissions.
Read the Full Report Here
Ελληνικά: Το Δικαίωμα στην Ελευθερία του Συνέρχεσθαι και του Συνεταιρίζεσθαι στην Εποχή της Πανδημίας Covid-19: η περίπτωση της Κύπρου
Türkçe: Covid-19 Pandemisi Sürecinde Toplanma ve Örgütlenme Özgürlüğü Hakkı: Kıbrıs Vakası
The events of Saturday the 13th of February 2021 have certainly fueled us with grave concern and anger about what has initially started as a peaceful demonstration to show the dissatisfaction with the government with how it has handled the corruption scandal and how it managed the coronavirus situation, in relation particularly to its approach towards the migrant communities and the arbitrary ban on the right to protest, to the use of “water cannon and tear gas” in clashes with protesters.
However, beyond the emotional outrage, the eagerness on behalf of the police to exert force and use violence certainly poses some important legal questions with regard to our democracy, constitutional values and human rights in Cyprus and beyond.
A Reminder from the UN Special Rapporteur
The Covid-19 pandemic has already posed so many unprecedented challenges to all aspects of human rights around the world. Clément Voule, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association highlighted, however, that “States’ responses to the Covid-19 threat should not halt freedoms of assembly and association.”
In the face of the current public health emergency, the Special Rapporteur reminds States of the necessity of responding in a manner compliant with their human rights obligations. In particular, the Special Rapporteur emphasises ten key principles:
An elaborate explanation of each can be found here.
What does this mean for Cyprus?
While all principles are relevant and key to the pandemic situation in Cyprus, the Special Rapporteur’s final point specifically refers to the situation as being unlikely to alleviate many demands; if anything, the economic downturn caused by the crisis, combined with financial measures that enhance inequality only serve to exacerbate underlying causes.
While we acknowledge the unprecedented situation the government of Cyprus, along with other governments around the world, has been faced with, its response to this crisis is what has been voiced by the protesters as unsuccessful. Arguably, the state’s responses to the crisis did not take citizens’ demands fully into account which is a testament to the failure to adopt more democratic governance structures.
Andreas, a lawyer and part of the protest organisers’ legal team who declined to provide his surname, told AFP that people from across the political spectrum were taking part in the demonstration. “The government has lost legitimacy after the passport scandal and they are using the pandemic as a reason to stop protests,” he said. “We think that the right to protest is the basis of our democracy, and the epidemiological situation allows people to protest” safely, the 26-year-old added. But, he said, “they want us to shut up.”
The Right to Freedom of Assembly and Association: Cyprus and ECHR jurisprudence
When we refer to the right to peaceful assembly and the restriction of human rights for the purpose of protecting public health, we must consider whether the restrictions are necessary and proportionate to the intended purpose in order to conclude whether they are legal or not.
The renowned Human Rights Lawyer, Mrs Nicoletta Charalambidou, explains that what we are talking about is a possible fine to the protesters imposed by the Courts. Therefore, the unjustified use of violence by the state is a separate matter to consider. In our case, the excessive violence exercised by the police in the name of public health protection is hard to be justified as necessary and proportionate. The violent repression of the protest violates, at first sight, both the constitutional right to peaceful assembly as provided in Article 21 of the Cyprus Constitution, as well as Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights (Freedom of Assembly and Association).
Conclusion
Saturday’s events should concern all factions of our society – the judiciary, executive, legislature, civil society and the press, particularly. The recent corruption scandals have, sadly, shown us the opposite. The corruption scandals involving politicians from major political parties are not uncommon and when these get uncovered, little to no effort is taken to pursue them.
In addition, laws limiting public gatherings as well as freedom of movement have been passed in so many States, including Cyprus. However, restrictions based on public health concerns are justified only where they are necessary and proportionate in light of the circumstances. Regrettably, the civil society has rarely been consulted in the process of designing or reviewing appropriate measures of response, and in several cases the processes through which such laws and regulations have been passed have been questionable. In many cases, it appears these measures are being enforced in a discriminatory manner, with opposition figures and groups, together with vulnerable communities, constituting prime targets.
Protest is not a departure from democracy; it is the absolute exercise of it.
Τα γεγονότα του Σαββάτου της 13ης Φεβρουαρίου 2021 σίγουρα μας πυροδότησαν έντονη ανησυχία και οργή για το τι ξεκίνησε αρχικά ως ειρηνική διαδήλωση για να δείξει τη δυσαρέσκεια των πολιτών με την κυβέρνηση για το πώς χειρίστηκε το σκάνδαλο διαφθοράς και πώς διαχειρίστηκε την κατάσταση του κορονοϊού, σε σχέση ιδίως με την προσέγγισή της απέναντι στις κοινότητες των μεταναστών και την αυθαίρετη απαγόρευση του δικαιώματος διαμαρτυρίας, στη χρήση «κανόνιου νερού και δακρυγόνων» σε συγκρούσεις με διαδηλωτές.
Ωστόσο, πέρα από τη συναισθηματική οργή, η επιθυμία εκ μέρους της αστυνομίας να χρησιμοποιήσει βία σίγουρα θέτει ορισμένα σημαντικά νομικά ζητήματα σχετικά με τη δημοκρατία, τις συνταγματικές αξίες και τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα στην Κύπρο και πέραν αυτής.
Υπενθύμιση από τον Ειδικό Εισηγητή του ΟΗΕ
Η πανδημία Covid-19 έχει ήδη θέσει τόσες πολλές πρωτοφανείς προκλήσεις σε όλες τις πτυχές των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων σε όλο τον κόσμο. Ο Clément Voule, Ειδικός Εισηγητής των Ηνωμένων Εθνών για τα δικαιώματα στην Ελευθερία της Ειρηνικής Συνέλευσης και του Συνδέσμου τόνισε, ωστόσο, ότι «οι απαντήσεις των κρατών στην απειλή Covid-19 δεν πρέπει να σταματήσουν τις ελευθερίες του συνέρχεσθαι και του συνεταιρίζεσθαι».
Μια λεπτομερής εξήγηση για το καθένα μπορεί να βρεθεί εδώ.
Τι σημαίνει αυτό για την Κύπρο;
Ενώ όλες οι αρχές είναι σχετικές και βασικές για την πανδημία στην Κύπρο, το τελευταίο σημείο του Ειδικού Εισηγητή αναφέρεται συγκεκριμένα στην κατάσταση ως απίθανο να ανακουφίσει πολλές απαιτήσεις. Αν μη τι άλλο, η οικονομική ύφεση που προκλήθηκε από την κρίση, σε συνδυασμό με χρηματοοικονομικά μέτρα που ενισχύουν την ανισότητα χρησιμεύουν μόνο στην επιδείνωση των υποκείμενων αιτιών.
Παρόλο που αναγνωρίζουμε την άνευ προηγουμένου κατάσταση που αντιμετώπισε η κυβέρνηση της Κύπρου, μαζί με άλλες κυβερνήσεις σε όλο τον κόσμο, η απάντησή της σε αυτήν την κρίση είναι αυτή που εξέφρασαν οι διαδηλωτές ως ανεπιτυχής. Αναμφισβήτητα, οι απαντήσεις του κράτους στην κρίση δεν έλαβαν πλήρως υπόψη τις απαιτήσεις των πολιτών, γεγονός που αποτελεί απόδειξη της αποτυχίας υιοθέτησης δημοκρατικών δομών διακυβέρνησης.
Ο Ανδρέας, δικηγόρος και μέλος της νομικής ομάδας των διοργανωτών διαμαρτυρίας, δήλωσε στο AFP άτομα από όλο το πολιτικό φάσμα συμμετείχαν στη διαδήλωση. «Η κυβέρνηση έχει χάσει τη νομιμότητα μετά το σκάνδαλο διαβατηρίων και χρησιμοποιεί την πανδημία ως λόγο για να σταματήσουν οι διαμαρτυρίες», είπε. «Πιστεύουμε ότι το δικαίωμα διαμαρτυρίας είναι η βάση της δημοκρατίας μας και η επιδημιολογική κατάσταση επιτρέπει στους ανθρώπους να διαμαρτυρηθούν» με ασφάλεια, πρόσθεσε ο 26χρονος. Όμως, είπε, «θέλουν να μας σταματήσουν από το να εκφραζόμαστε».
Το δικαίωμα στην ελευθερία του συνέρχεσθαι και του συνεταιρίζεσθαι: η νομολογία της Κύπρου και της ΕΣΔΑ
Όταν αναφερόμαστε στο δικαίωμα ειρηνικής συνάθροισης και στον περιορισμό των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων με σκοπό την προστασία της δημόσιας υγείας, οφείλουμε να εξετάσουμε εάν οι περιορισμοί είναι απαραίτητοι και ανάλογοι προς τον επιδιωκόμενο σκοπό, προκειμένου να συμπεράνουμε εάν είναι νόμιμοι ή όχι.
Η γνωστή Δικηγόρος για τα Ανθρώπινα Δικαιώματα, κα Νικολέτα Χαραλαμπίδου, εξηγεί ότι αυτό που αναφερόμαστε είναι πιθανά προστίματα για τους διαδηλωτές που επιβάλλονται από τα δικαστήρια. Επομένως, η αδικαιολόγητη χρήση βίας από το κράτος είναι ένα ξεχωριστό ζήτημα που πρέπει να ληφθεί υπόψη. Στην περίπτωσή μας, η υπερβολική βία που ασκείται από την αστυνομία στο όνομα της προστασίας της δημόσιας υγείας είναι δύσκολο να δικαιολογηθεί ως απαραίτητη και αναλογική. Η βίαιη καταστολή της διαμαρτυρίας παραβιάζει, εκ πρώτης όψεως, τόσο το συνταγματικό δικαίωμα στην ειρηνική συνέλευση, όπως ορίζεται στο Άρθρο 21 του Κυπριακού Συντάγματος, όσο και το Άρθρο 11 της Ευρωπαϊκής Σύμβασης για τα Ανθρώπινα Δικαιώματα (Ελευθερία του Συνέλευσης και του Συνδέσμου).
Συμπέρασμα
Οι εκδηλώσεις του Σαββάτου αφορούν όλες τις φατρίες της κοινωνίας μας. Ιδιαίτερα αφορά το δικαστικό σώμα, το εκτελεστικό σώμα, το νομοθετικό σώμα, την κοινωνία των πολιτών και τον τύπο. Δυστυχώς, τα πρόσφατα σκάνδαλα διαφθοράς μάς έδειξαν το αντίθετο. Τα σκάνδαλα διαφθοράς που εμπλέκουν πολιτικούς από μεγάλα πολιτικά κόμματα δεν είναι ασυνήθιστα και όταν αποκαλυφθούν, δεν καταβάλλεται καμία προσπάθεια για την επιδίωξή τους.
Επιπλέον, σε πολλά κράτη, συμπεριλαμβανομένης της Κύπρου, έχουν θεσπιστεί νόμοι που περιορίζουν τις δημόσιες συγκεντρώσεις καθώς και την ελεύθερη κυκλοφορία. Ωστόσο, περιορισμοί που βασίζονται σε ανησυχίες για τη δημόσια υγεία δικαιολογούνται μόνο όταν είναι απαραίτητοι και αναλογικοί υπό το φως των περιστάσεων. Δυστυχώς, σπάνια ζητήθηκε η γνώμη της κοινωνίας των πολιτών κατά τη διαδικασία σχεδιασμού ή επανεξέτασης κατάλληλων μέτρων αντιμετώπισης, και σε πολλές περιπτώσεις οι διαδικασίες μέσω των οποίων έχουν εγκριθεί τέτοιοι νόμοι και κανονισμοί ήταν αμφισβητήσιμες. Σε πολλές περιπτώσεις, φαίνεται ότι αυτά τα μέτρα εφαρμόζονται με διακρίσεις προς τις ομάδες αντιπολίτευσης και τις ευάλωτες κοινότητες, οι οποίες στοχοποιούνται.
Η διαμαρτυρία δεν αποτελεί απόκλιση από τη δημοκρατία. Είναι η απόλυτη άσκησή της.
13 Şubat 2021 Cumartesi olayları, hükümetin yolsuzluk skandalıyla nasıl başa çıktığı ve korona virüs durumunu, özellikle göçmen topluluklara yaklaşımıyla, nasıl yönettiği ve protesto hakkının keyfi olarak yasaklanması konularındaki memnuniyetsizliği göstermek için başlangıçta barışçıl bir gösteri olarak başlatılan etkinlik, protestocularla çatışmalarda “tazyikli su ve göz yaşartıcı gaz” kullanımıyla bizi ağır endişe ve öfke ile doldurdu.
Bununla birlikte, duygusal öfkenin ötesinde, polislerin kuvvet ve şiddet kullanma hevesi, Kıbrıs’ta ve ötesinde olmak üzere demokrasimiz, anayasal değerlerimiz ve insan haklarımızla ilgili bazı önemli hukuki soruları da beraberinde getirmektedir.
BM Özel Sözcüsünden Bir Hatırlatma
Covid-19 salgını, şimdiden tüm dünyada insan haklarının her yönünden daha önce görülmemiş pek çok zorluk çıkarmıştır. Barışçıl Toplanma ve Örgütlenme Özgürlüğü hakları üzerine Birleşmiş Milletler Özel Sözcüsü Clément Voule, “Devletlerin Covid-19 tehdidine tepkilerinin, toplanma ve örgütlenme özgürlüklerini durdurmaması gerektiğini” vurguladı.
Mevcut halk sağlığı acil durumu karşısında Özel Sözcü, Devletlere insan hakları yükümlülüklerine uygun bir şekilde yanıt vermeleri gerektiğini hatırlatmaktadır. Özel Sözcü özellikle on temel ilkeyi vurgulamaktadır:
1. Yeni yasal tedbirlerin insan haklarına saygılı olmasını sağlamak.
2. Halk sağlığı acil durumunun hak ihlalleri için bir mazeret olarak kullanılmamasını sağlamak.
3. Demokrasi süresiz olarak ertelenemez.
4. Kapsayıcı katılımın sağlanması.
5. Çevrimiçi örgütlenme ve toplanma özgürlüğünü güvence altına almak.
6. İşyerinde örgütlenme ve toplanma özgürlüğü haklarının korunması (grev hakkını da kapsamaktadır).
7. Yedinci: ifade özgürlüğü sağlanmalıdır.
8. Sivil toplumun çok taraflı kurumlara katılımı güvence altına alınmalıdır.
9. Uluslararası dayanışmaya her zamankinden daha çok ihtiyaç vardır.
10. Covid-19’un gelecekteki etkileri ve reform için popüler çağrılara yanıt verilmesi.
Her birinin ayrıntılı bir açıklaması burada bulunabilir.
Bu Kıbrıs için ne anlama geliyor?
Tüm ilkeler Kıbrıs’taki pandemi durumuyla ilgili ve anahtar olmakla birlikte, Özel Sözcü’nün son noktası, özellikle pek çok talebi hafifletme ihtimalinin düşük olduğuna işaret etmektedir; her şeyden önce, krizin neden olduğu ekonomik gerileme, eşitsizliği artıran mali tedbirlerle birleştiğinde, yalnızca altta yatan nedenleri artırmaya hizmet etmektedir.
Kıbrıs hükümetinin, dünyadaki diğer hükümetlerle birlikte karşı karşıya kaldığı daha önce görülmemiş durumu kabul etsek de, protestocular tarafından başarısız olarak dile getirilen, hükümetin bu krize verdiği tepkidir. Tartışmaya açık bir şekilde, devletin krize verdiği tepkilerin vatandaşların taleplerini tam olarak hesaba katmaması, daha demokratik yönetim yapılarının benimsenmesindeki başarısızlığın bir kanıtıdır.
Soyadını vermeyi reddeden protesto organizatörlerinin hukuk ekibinin bir parçası olan avukat Andreas, AFP’ye, gösteriye siyasi yelpazenin her yerinden insanların katıldığını söyledi. “Hükümet, pasaport skandalı sonrasında meşruiyetini kaybetti ve salgını protestoları durdurmak için bir mazeret olarak kullanıyor” dedi. 26 yaşındaki, “Protesto hakkının demokrasimizin temeli olduğunu ve epidemiyolojik durumun insanların güvenli bir şekilde protesto etmesine izin verdiğini düşünüyoruz” diyerek ekledi. Fakat, “bizim susmamızı istiyorlar” dedi.
Toplanma ve Örgütlenme Özgürlüğü: Kıbrıs ve AİHM içtihadı
Barışçıl toplanma hakkını ve halk sağlığının korunması amacı ile insan haklarının kısıtlanmasından bahsettiğimizde, yasal olup olmadıklarına karar vermek için kısıtlamaların gerekli ve amaçlanan amaca uygun olup olmadığını değerlendirmeliyiz.
Tanınmış İnsan Hakları Avukatı Bayan Nicoletta Charalambidou, bahsettiğimiz şeyin Mahkemeler tarafından protestoculara verilmiş olası bir para cezası olduğunu açıklıyor. Bu nedenle, hükümetin haksız şiddet kullanması dikkate alınacak ayrı bir konudur. Bizim durumumuzda, halk sağlığının korunması adına polisin uyguladığı aşırı şiddetin gerekli ve orantılı olarak gerekçelendirilmesi zordur. Protestoya yönelik şiddetli baskı, ilk bakışta, hem Kıbrıs Anayasasının 21. Maddesinde öngörülen barışçıl toplanma anayasal hakkını hem de Avrupa İnsan Hakları Sözleşmesi’nin (Toplanma ve Örgütlenme Özgürlüğü) 11. Maddesini ihlal etmektedir.
Sonuç
Cumartesi günü yaşanan olaylar toplumumuzun tüm kesimlerini – özellikle yargı, yürütme, yasama, sivil toplum ve basın – ilgilendirmelidir. Son yolsuzluk skandalları, ne yazık ki bize bunun tam tersini gösterdi. Büyük siyasi partilerin politikacılarını içeren yolsuzluk skandalları alışılmamış değildir ve ortaya çıktığında, onları takip etmek için çok az veya hiç çaba harcanmamaktadır.
Buna ek olarak, Kıbrıs da dahil olmak üzere pek çok Devlette halka açık toplanmaların ve dolaşım özgürlüğünü sınırlayan yasalar çıkarıldı. Bununla birlikte, halk sağlığı kaygılarına dayalı kısıtlamalar, yalnızca gerekli ve orantılı olduklarında koşullar ışığında haklı çıkarılabilir. Ne yazık ki, uygun müdahale önlemlerinin tasarlanması veya gözden geçirilmesi sürecinde sivil topluma nadiren danışılmıştır ve bazı durumlarda bu tür yasa ve düzenlemelerin geçirildiği süreçler sorgulanmıştır. Pek çok durumda, bu tedbirlerin, muhalif figürler ve gruplar ile, savunmasız toplulukların, birincil hedefleri oluşturacak ayrımcı bir şekilde uygulandığı görülmektedir.
Protesto etmek demokrasiden sapmak değil; aksine onun mutlak uygulanmasıdır.
Thank you! Eυχαριστούμε! Teşekkür ederiz!
Author/Συντάκτης/Yazar: EC from Avli
Çevirmenler/Μεταφραστές/Translators: EC, VS
Συντάκτες/Editors/Editörler: Avli Team
Photographer/Fotoğrafçı/Φωτογράφος: Cyprus Mail
The post The Right to Freedom of Assembly and Association in Times of the Covid-19 Pandemic: the case of Cyprus’ Anti-Corruption March (TR, EL, EN) first appeared on AVLI.Young Cypriots come together for a social gathering in solidarity and rejection of division.
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Cyprus, 1st of November 2020 – A group of Greek and Turkish speaking Cypriots came together for coffee and conversation in the spirit of peace, cooperation, and human connection. The group came together in response to the latest divisive measures taken by leaders to further divide Cypriots under the guise of public health measures.
The joint action brought together Cypriots from both sides of the divide to share music, art, games, and good company. The event was organised to bring attention to the efforts taken by the leaderships of the two communities to use the COVID-19 pandemic to divide Cypriots by taking unilateral decisions on the matter, and to show solidarity in these difficult times. For the past few months, the pandemic has been used to break trust between the two communities and instill fear, for a health emergency for which collaboration should have been the way of work from day one. This situation has been negatively affecting real human relationships between the communities, while the leaders show no clear end to this de facto division. Characteristically, a message on a banner of the event read: “Borders and checkpoints are made-up. Our friendships and human connections are real.”
Κύπριοι αψηφούν τη διχοτόμηση και συναντιούνται για καφέ.
Νέοι Κύπριοι ενώνονται για μια κοινωνική συνεύρεση με αλληλεγγύη και ενάντια στη διχοτόμηση.
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Κύπρος, 1η Νοεμβρίου 2020 – Μια ομάδα ελληνόφωνων και τουρκόφωνων Κυπρίων συναντήθηκαν για ένα καφέ και κουβέντα με πνεύμα ειρήνης, συνεργασίας και ανθρώπινων σχέσεων. Η ομάδα συναντήθηκε σε απάντηση των πιο πρόσφατων διχοτομικών μέτρων που λήφθηκαν από τους ηγέτες για να απομακρύνουν ακόμη περισσότερο τους Κύπριους μεταξύ τους, με το πρόσχημα των μέτρων για τη δημόσια υγεία.
Η κοινή δράση έφερε κοντά Κύπριους κι από τις δύο πλευρές των οδοφραγμάτων για να μοιραστούν μουσική, τέχνη, παιχνίδια και καλή παρέα. Η εκδήλωση διοργανώθηκε με σκοπό να στρέψει την προσοχή προς την προσπάθεια των ηγεσιών των δύο κοινοτήτων να χρησιμοποιήσουν την πανδημία για να χωρίσουν τους Κύπριους λαμβάνοντας μονομερής αποφάσεις για το θέμα, και για να δείξουμε αλληλεγγύη σ’ αυτές τις δύσκολες στιγμές. Τους τελευταίους μήνες, η πανδημία έχει χρησιμοποιηθεί για να διαλύσει την εμπιστοσύνη μεταξύ των δύο κοινοτήτων και να ενσταλλάξει τον φόβο, για ένα θέμα δημόσιας υγείας για το οποίο η συνεργασία θα έπρεπε να είναι ο τρόπος αντιμετώπισής της από την πρώτη μέρα. Αυτή η κατάσταση έχει επηρεάσει αρνητικά πραγματικές ανθρώπινες σχέσεις μεταξύ των δύο κοινοτήτων, ενώ παράλληλα οι ηγέτες δεν δείχνουν κάποιο ξεκάθαρο τέλος για αυτή την de facto διχοτόμηση. Χαρακτηριστικά, σε πανό της εκδήλωσης αναγραφόταν: “Τα σύνορα και τα οδοφράγματα είναι φτιαχτά. Οι φιλίες μας και οι ανθρώπινες σχέσεις είναι πραγματικές.”
Kıbrıslılar Bölünmeye Karşı Çıkıyor ve Kahve için Buluşuyor.
Kıbrıslı Gençler, dayanışmak ve bölünmeyi reddetmek için sosyal buluşmada bir araya geldi.
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Kıbrıs, 1 Kasım 2020 – Yunanca ve Türkçe konuşan Kıbrıslı bir grup, barış, işbirliği ve insani bağları güçlendirmek adına kahve içmek ve sohbet etmek için bir araya geldi.
Ortak eylem, her iki taraftaki Kıbrıslıları müzik, sanat, oyun paylaşımı yapmak ve birlikte iyi vakit geçirmek için bir araya getirdi. Etkinlik, iki toplum liderlerinin COVID-19 pandemisi konusunda tek taraflı kararlar alarak, Kıbrıslıları bölmek için kullanma çabalarına dikkat çekmek ve bu zor zamanlarda dayanışma göstermek amacıyla düzenlendi. İlk günden itibaren işbirliğinin temel alınması gereken acil sağlık durumunda, son birkaç aydır salgın, iki toplum arasındaki güveni kırmak ve korku aşılamak için kullanıldı. Bu durum, iki toplum arasındaki gerçek insan ilişkilerini olumsuz yönde etkilerken, liderler bu fiili bölünmenin net bir sonunu göstermiyor. Etkinlikte ki pankart mesajlarından biri ise şöyle: “ Sınır ve geçiş noktaları insan yapımıdır, bizim arkadaşlıklarımız ve bağlantılarımız gerçektir.”
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