Peace groups plan bottle mountain outside Denktash's house

(Published in the 'Cyprus Mail')

GREEK Cypriot peace groups said yesterday they would help their Turkish Cypriot counterparts to build a 'message in a bottle' mountain outside the residence of Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to press home their demand for reunification of the island based on the UN plan.

The bicommunal women's group 'Hands Across the Divide' and other peace groups launched their campaign in Nicosia's main square in support of the Turkish Cypriots by collecting signatures for a petition and written messages for the bottles.

“This is in support of the initiative in the north where people are being asked to write a sentence for peace, put it in a plastic bottle, and give it to the organisers,” said Nicos Anastassiou, one of the organisers.

“They will then collect them and create a 'Mountain of Peace' after all the bottles are taken in lorries outside Mr Denktash's house and piled up. There will be an excellent recycling opportunity for environmentalists when this is all over.”

Denktash, 78, has come under increasing pressure from Turkish Cypriots to resign after his side failed to sign a preliminary agreement based on the reunification plan drawn up by UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan.

On December 26 around 30,000 Turkish Cypriots took to the streets calling on Denktash to resign and demanding that the Annan plan be signed. It was the largest demonstration ever held in the north of the island, whose population totals only 200,000.

A new demonstration, which the organisers hope will be even larger, is planned for next Tuesday. Greek Cypriots will decide today what action they will take in solidarity with the demonstrators, said Maria Hadjipavlou, a representative of Hands Across the Divide who was collecting signatures yesterday.

“We, as women, are saying that we want a solution now on the principles of equality and reconciliation and progress for all. We believe the Annan plan gives us the possibility to build a Cyprus where division and partition will be eliminated,” she told the Sunday Mail.

Hadjipavlou said the Greek Cypriot response to their campaign had been varied.

“The older generation are much more forthcoming,” she said. “The younger ones have been more reserved because they have fixed ideas on what the Annan plan is. Their attitude is 'there will be no solution and it's not a good plan', but on the whole the response has been good.”

A joint statement from the various groups, which was handed out to passers-by, said 40 years of separation had alienated the two communities, promoting mistrust and nurturing hatred instead of reconciliation and rapprochement.

“We and the generations to come deserve a country without borders, fear and violence where every citizen can have the opportunity to live, grow and develop in a society based on values of equality, democracy and freedom,” the statement said. “ The struggle of our Turkish Cypriot compatriots inspires us to continue the efforts towards a unified Cyprus and well-being for all through the accession of a reunited island to the European Union. We therefore urgently demand the signing of a peace agreement by February 28.”