Turk-only access to Dherynia beach a ‘shameful’ policy

The bicommunal group #UniteCyprusNow on Monday slammed the opening of Dherynia beach close to the fenced-off town of Varosha in Famagusta only to Turkish Cypriots and Turkish nationals.

“The recent opening of a beach in Dherynia to just Turkish Cypriots and Turkish citizens is ethnic separation and a violation of human rights and freedoms,” the group said in an announcement.

Turkish Cypriot newspaper Yeni Duzen reported on Monday the beach had been opened to the public but would still be under the control of Turkish security forces who had signed a “protocol” with the ‘Famagusta municipality’.

The “’protocol’ envisages that between May 15 and October 29 the beach would be open to the public.
However, only ‘TRNC citizens’ and Turkish nationals will have access by showing ID. Greek Cypriots and foreign nationals will not be allowed to enter, the paper said.

“The practice where access to a beach is permitted by the presentation of identity papers is an anachronistic and shameful policy of apartheid and cannot under any circumstances be justified,” the Unite Cyprus group said.
“International law provides equal dignity and value to  human beings, and the right to equality and non-discrimination for all, regardless of nationality.”

The group called on the Turkish Cypriot authorities to abolish “this shameful discrimination policy”.
 

 

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.