Turkish Cypriots working in the south of Cyprus took action yesterday in front of the Assembly building, demanding the opening of the border crossing points. The activists, who were unable to meet with government officials, said they would come back tomorrow.
“Not to mention a word of us in the final decisions taken by the Council of Ministers is a complete disgrace! Those who did not open the crossings under the pretext of the epidemic were able to deal with starting flights and sea voyages in the North and opening tourism. ”
The activists, gathered in front of the Republican Assembly at 11 o’clock, asked for the uncertainty over the transitions to be clarified. They also reminded them that they were unable to work for three months, saying that if they could not cross to the south, they would lose their jobs.
The great crowd marched in front of the Parliament with whistles, banners and the slogan “Peace cannot be prevented in Cyprus”.
The activists who opened a banner and shouted “We want to return to our work” called the government to resign.
As the traffic flow stopped for several hours, the action was terminated because the Government officials did not meet with them. Activists said that they are planning to return on Thursday, when the Assembly’s General Assembly convenes.
As will be recalled, border checkpoints crossing were temporarily closed in March to combat the spread of the coronavirus. In the north and south of the island, although businesses were opened for normalisation, Turkish Cypriot workers who could not go to work because they were unable to cross the border, rebelled.
Indicating that if they could not go south, they would be dismissed, the workers stated that it was ‘funny‘ that students and employees from abroad could move south as of June 8.
The Republic of Cyprus decided to close the crossing points of Derinya, Lokmacı, Bostancı and Lefke on 28 February due to the coronavirus measures.
Turkish Cypriots employed in the south had organised a vehicle action at the Metehan crossing point in the past weeks, drawing attention to their economic difficulties.
With the first incident of coronavirus on March 10 in the north, the UBP-HP government had also made a decision to restrict land, sea and air transportation, and the country was in the process of locking down.
The activists stressed that the border crossing points should be opened on June 8, leaving a black wreath at the parliament door. They said that if the coronavirus did not kill them, then starvation would.
The children of those working in the south also joined the action.
Yeni Duzen