ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners last night reacted angrily to an announcement by the British bases that work on their controversial antennas in Akrotiri was almost completed and the masts would be switched on by the end of the year.
British forces said in a news release yesterday that testing on the new high-powered communications masts would begin shortly and they would become operational towards the end of this year.
The masts lie just two kilometres from Akrotiri village. Public health and environmental concerns triggered violent protests in the area just over two years ago.
Reacting last night, Green Party deputy George Perdikis called on the government to deny power to the facility.
“The British Bases cannot operate the antennas without permission from the government,” he told the Cyprus Mail. “They have requested the electrical current for the antennas and we hope the government refuses to consent.
“If they do they will be responsible for the dangers of the antennas to the residents’ health in the area of Akrotiri.”
Anti-bases campaigner and DIKO deputy Marios Matsakis, who was arrested by the British during an earlier protest against the antennas, vowed yesterday he would not give up his campaign.
“I am against the new antennas. I have protested for the past two years and I will protest again. I have even been arrested for my protests against the antennas. We believe they affect the residents’ health and the environment,” said Matsakis.
“We will take the matter to the European Council and to different levels. There is an obvious colonial attitude by the British government in Cyprus with the military land it has.”
The House of Representatives called for work on the antenna to stop earlier this year. Britain says the masts are required in an upgrade of its global communications network.
Its monitoring of communications across the Middle East is believed to be shared with the United States, heavily committed in the region since it invaded Iraq with British military backing.
The British bases insisted yesterday that independent tests suggested no health risk and added they would be constantly monitoring emissions from the masts.
“We will be installing permanent emission monitoring equipment in the heart of Akrotiri village as part of a joint arrangement with the Republic’s Ministry of Communications and Works,” the bases statement said. “The results of this testing will be made available to the villagers.”
Opponents say the tests are not conclusive and have called for further research before the antennas are switched on.
