Call for action against Police intervention in the northern part of Cyprus

Call for action against Police intervention in the northern part of Cyprus



Murat Kanatli New Cyprus Party’s (YKP) General Secretary of the Executive Board, 2 other YKP members and 16 trade unionists received a call on Friday 30th October from the Nicosia District Police Station Headquarters to be informed that they were being sued with the accusation that they beat up the police and they did not allow the police to do their duty.

He was participating at the demonstration of Wednesday 28th October 2009 in the northern part of Nicosia, not only as General Secretary of YKP but also as a journalist for the weekly newspaper Yenicag.

The demonstration took place on Wednesday 28th October and was part of the general strike to oppose the new economical package brought by the new right wing government. During the last few months the trade unions were on strike on various occasions, and on the occasion of this new economic package going to the parliamentary committee last Wednesday, 27 trade unions decided on a general strike. They tried to do a demonstration in front of the “parliament” and the Turkish Embassy in Nicosia. The police blocked the road and the demonstrators went through the police barrier and passed to the front of Turkish Embassy and “parliament” with the main demand of withdrawal of the new economic package. This package is believed to be imposed directly from Turkey so the demonstrators were reacting not only against the “parliament” but also the Turkish Embassy. One of the banners said “Cyprus Province of the Turkish Republic” so the ambassador is like a district officer... The demonstrators and the police had some “interaction” and on Friday 30th October the police sued 19 demonstrators because of this action.

3 YKP members, one being the General Secretary, the other one a trade unionist and Executive Board Member Erdinc Selasiye and the third one, Salih Uyguroglu, again trade unionist and Party Council member were amongst those sued.

Murat Kanatli says that it is so obvious that this is a fascist and undemocratic action of the police which tries to create pressure on civil society organisations and in this way preventing further action like another general strike, from being taken. As it is known the northern part of Cyprus, is expressed by international bodies, like the ECHR, as the subordinate local administration of Turkey. The police in the northern part of Cyprus receive orders from the Chief Commander of the Turkish Cypriot army (GKK) who is appointed directly from Ankara.

Murat Kanatli says that Turkey is directly responsible for this action and thus calls upon all leftist parties and political organisations to react and show their reaction not only to the subordinate local administration’s right wing government (UBP) but also directly to Ankara; to the President of Turkey, the Prime Minister of Turkey and the Chief Commander of the Turkish Army.

Kanatli added that; “During this action may be no-one was arrested but there is a possibility in the near future for someone to be arrested. So we urge all political groups to react to this undemocratic and fascist action and show international solidarity to the Turkish Cypriots trade unionists and activists and political party representatives.”