Twenty years after the opening of the first crossing point, with the barbed wire still keeping Cyprus divided into two, crossing points have become important in people’s daily lives.
Thousands of people cross every day for work, education, health, joint projects and economic activities, but also for social gatherings and cooperations to plan actions within the framework of the reconciliation process. The crossings have enabled and facilitated contacts between communities – a crucial element in terms of political developments and the economic prosperity of the areas adjacent to the crossing points. Since then, and despite disappointing political developments, Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots have not been discouraged and continue to meet each other.
The current crossing points cannot meet the needs of the people that cross checkpoints. Formalities and unnecessary procedures create further obstacles to crossings, hence the urgent need for simplified and efficient procedures to reduce long queues and bureaucracy.
However, these measures are not sufficient. More crossing points for both pedestrians and vehicles are needed to facilitate the growing number of people who, for various reasons, need to move from north to south and vice versa. There is an ever-increasing pressure exerted from affected people across Cyprus for the opening of more crossing points. This need has been acknowledged by the authorities, but no immediate decisions seem to have been taken. The UN Security Council, in its most recent resolution, “… urged the sides to reduce existing obstacles to bi-communal communication”.
All the organisations and groups that are co-signatories to this joint statement are determined to work together to exert maximum pressure towards achieving the opening of crossing points throughout Cyprus. Relevant discussions are ongoing in Nicosia (for pedestrians and vehicles), in the Athienou/ Louroujina area, as well as in the Kokkinon area and possibly in other areas too.
At the same time as we are working together to improve the daily lives of all Cypriots and to promote cooperation in all areas, we remain focused on the ultimate goal, namely the solution of the Cyprus problem and the reunification of our island within the framework of a bizonal, bicommunal federation, with political equality, as the only way to ensure a viable perspective for a peaceful future in Cyprus.
Supporting organisations:
1 Actor’s branch-SIDIKEK PEO
2 AKEL – Progressive Party of the Working People
3 Anatropi
4 Anonim Gençlik
5 Association of Cypriot Refugees in Greece – Cyprus ‘74
6 Association of Historical Dialogue and Research
7 Association of Cypriot Artists and Authors
8 Athletic-Cultural Youth Association ” Peace and Friendship”
9 Australian Peace Initiative for Cyprus (Bi-Communal)
10 Bağımsızlık Yolu
11 BARAKA Cultural Group
12 Barış ve Demokrasi İnisiyatifi
13 Bi-communal Centre “Famagusta Avenue Garage”
14 Bi-communal Choir For Peace – Lena Melanidou Δικοινοτική χορωδία Ειρήνης _Λένα Μελανιδου
15 Bi-communal Initiative of Relatives of Missing Persons and Victims of 1963-74 events – Together We Can!
16 Bu Vatan Kıbrıslıların Platformu (This Country Belongs to Cypriots Platform)
17 Cooperative Workers Trade Union – KOOP-SEN
18 CTP – REPUBLICAN TURKISH PARTY
19 CTP Youth
20 Cultural Movement(Kinisi Politismou)
21 Customs Workers Trade Union – GÜÇ-SEN
22 Cypriot Science Education Health and Solidarity Association – KIBES
23 Cypriotism Movement
24 Cypriots’ Voice
25 Cyprus Academic Dialogue
26 Cyprus Association of Social Psychology
27 Cyprus Environmental Movement (Perivallontiki Kinisi)
28 Cyprus Peace Council
29 Cyprus Publisher’s Association – KYa B
30 Cyprus Reunification Movement
31 Cyprus Song Association – KIBHAD
32 Cyprus Sustainability Institute
33 Cyprus Turkish Physicians Trade Union – TIP-İŞ
34 Cyprus Turkish Secondary Teachers Trade Union – KTOEÖS
35 Cyprus Turkish Teachers Trade Union – KTÖS
36 Cyprus Writer’s Union
37 Cyprus Youth Platform
38 Decision for Peace (Απόφαση Ειρήνης)
39 Eastern mediterranean University Union of Academic Staff- DAU-SEN
40 EDON – United Democratic Youth Organization
41 EKA – Ένωση Αγροτών Κυπρου – Cyprus Peasant’s Union
42 EL-SEN
43 EMU Unity and Solidarity Trade Union – DAÜ-BİR-SEN
44 Enfield Cypriots Association (Bi-communal)
45 Enorasis sociocultural club
46 Epilogi Limassol cultural movement
47 Famagusta – For Cyprus party – Αμμοχωστος για την Κύπρο
48 Famagusta Initiative
49 Famagusta Municipality
50 Famagusta Our Town
51 Feminist ATÖLYE
52 GAT -Gender Advisory Team
53 German-Cypriot Forum
54 Girne Düşünce Derneği
55 Hade!
56 Hands across the Divide
57 HASDER
58 HAZINE-SEN
59 Home for Cooperation
60 IKME Sociopolitical Studies Institute
61 INVEST IN EDUCATION
62 İskele Citizens Initiative
63 KIBRIS TEK YURT HEP BiRLiKTE- ΚΥΠΡΟΣ ΜΙΑ ΠΑΤΡΙΔΑ ΟΛOΙ ΜΑΖΙ
64 KISA – Action for Equality, Support, Antiracism
65 KLIIR
66 Kontea Heritage Foundation
67 Larnaca for Solution – Reunification Movement
68 Left Wing – Αριστερή Πτέρυγα
69 Limassol Civil İnitiative ‘Solution-Reunification-Peace”
70 Movement for a Federal Cyprus
71 Municipal Workers Trade Union – BES
72 New Cyprus Association
73 New Cyprus Party YKP
74 New Internationalist Left
75 NGO Support Centre
76 OPEK – Association for Social Reform
77 PEO – Pancyprian Federation of Trade Unions
78 Peace & Solidarity Initiative with Cyprus (P.E.A.K)
79 Peace Association
80 People’s Peace Platform for Unıted Cyprus (London)
81 POGO Women’s Movement
82 Post Research Institute
83 Proodeftiki Primary School Teachers movement
84 Proodeftiki Secondary School Teachers movement
85 Proodeftiki Student Association
86 Proodeftiki Technical Schools
87 Publishers Trade Union – BASIN-SEN
88 Revolutionary Workers Union Federation Dev- İŞ
89 Socialist İnitiative (Protovoulia Socialiston)
90 Sol Hareket
91 State Workers Trade Union- ÇAĞ-SEN
92 Stop the War Coalition
93 SYKESO – Συμβουλευτικό Κέντρο Στήριξης της Οικογένειας- Advisory Centre for Family support
94 Symfiliosi / Uzlaşma / Reconciliation
95 The Management Centre of the Mediterranean
96 Third Community Forum
97 TDP – Social Democratic Party
98 Toplumsal İradeye Saygı Platformu (Respect to Societal Will Platform)
99 Turkish Cypriot Association for Democracy (London)(KTDD)
100 Turkish Cypriot Civil Servants Trade Union – KTAMS
101 TÜRK-SEN
102 Unite Cyprus Now!
103 United Cyprus Party BKP
104 United Cyprus Platform of Overseas Cypriots
105 United Democrats Youth organization
106 United Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot Teachers Platform
107 We want Federation Left Movement – Αριστερή Κίνηση Θέλουμε Ομοσπονδία
108 Workers Democracy – Εργατική Δημοκρατία
109 Yeşil Barış Hareketi – Green Action Group