By Jean Christou
TURKISH soldiers fired at least 10 shots at three Greek Cypriot fishing boats off the island’s east coast early yesterday, the UN said.
None of the fishermen from Paralimni was injured in the dawn attack by the Turkish naval vessel, according to Unficyp spokesman Waldemar Rokoszewski.
State radio reported that there had been four Greek Cypriots in the three boats, but Paralimni police said only three of the fishermen – the boat owners – had filed reports to them.
The Turkish side claims five Greek Cypriot boats were involved.
Rokoszewski said the UN had strongly protested about the shooting to the Turkish military over what he termed the “excessive use of force”.
“We again protested this behaviour because it might have led to a tragedy,” he said.
“There is no need for the abuse of force, and this kind of behaviour is unacceptable.”
The trawlers had gone to the fishing area in the early hours to retrieve their nets and had reportedly completed the job before the attack.
Rokoszewski said the shooting began when the boats crossed the Maritime Security Line (MSL), the seaward extension of the island’s Green Line.
He said the fishing vessels had gone around 900 metres north of the line into the Turkish-controlled area some two kilometres off the coast.
But in an interview with state radio one of the fishermen, Antonis Damenos, 50, whose boat came under the heaviest fire, denied they had crossed the MSL.
“We knew it would be a mistake to cross it,” said Damenos on whose vessel eight of the 10 bullets fired were found.
He said the Turkish boat with three soldiers on board had circled his vessel twice and at one point was only ten metres away.
“When they started shooting I took cover on the bottom of the boat and when they saw me lying there they went away,” he said.
Rokoszewski said such incidents happen quite often in the summer time and not only involve fishermen but also tourist boats.
“Travel agents are encouraging tourists not familiar with the situation to see Varosha (Famagusta) from the sea. Both fishermen and tour operators are well aware of the MSL,” he said.
“We have brought this to the attention of the local authorities as well as the government, but I’m afraid no action has been taken.”
He added it takes the UN a lot of time and energy to recover property confiscated by both sides during such incidents.
In the past few days, he said, a boat was recovered from the Turkish Cypriots and a car from the Greek Cypriot side. “It took us eight months to get the boat back and six months to get the car back, and there are still properties on the wrong sides,” he said.
