HUNDREDS of Turkish Cypriot workers marched on the Turkish Cypriot “parliament” yesterday to protest a new form introduced at the Ledra Palace checkpoint by the authorities.
At the beginning of the day, workers gathered as usual at the Turkish Cypriot side of the checkpoint to cross into the free areas and were handed forms by checkpoint guards to fill out. Allegations were made that the forms were geared to register the income of Turkish Cypriot workers in the south for taxation purposes in the occupied areas.
While some workers filled out the forms, many disgruntled workers refused to fill out the form as it would make them late for work and asked if they could complete them later and hand them in today.
Their request was refused and the Turkish Cypriot police forbade them from crossing into the government-controlled areas with havoc ensuing at the checkpoint.
Bearing loaves of bread and a black wreath, the workers then headed for the Turkish Cypriot “Presidential palace” in occupied Nicosia. They stood at the entrance and threw the bread into the garden. Whilst walking past a school, students stopped to shout their support to the workers and yelled, “peace cannot be prevented.”
The mass then moved on to the Turkish Cypriot “parliament” where Turkish Cypriot authorities waited for them as well as the mayor of occupied Nicosia Koutlai Erk. Erk addressed the angry workers and asked them to remain calm and to demonstrate for their cause based on their democratic rights.
Leaving the building the workers caught sight of Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash getting into his car. Denktash smiled and greeted the workers who began to shout demanding him to resign and abandon his position as leader of the illegal regime.
Later in the day the new procedure was lifted and workers crossed as they regularly do by registering their identification cards with Turkish Cypriot authorities.
There are 8,000 Turkish Cypriots who cross the border every day to work in the government controlled areas of Cyprus and yesterday most of them did not reach their place of employment.
A Turkish Cypriot police spokesman told the Cyprus Mail, “We recently purchased a barcode reader, where people who regularly cross to the south will be issued a special card in order save them time registering every time they cross.
“The whole system was designed to help speed up the process for anyone, and in particular workers, who cross on a daily basis. We have tried to make life easier for everyone, but some people misinterpreted the reason for the collection of this data,” he added.
The forms gather basic statistical data necessary to set up the database, including name, address, and identity numbers, according to the press secretary. Reports yesterday said workers were also required to fill out their income earned in the south.
The police press secretary denied such allegations saying: “There were absolutely no questions about income asked, or how much they earn. Those who crossed were able to cross, and many refused to cross to protest the form.”
Speaking with the Cyprus Mail Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Mehmet Ali Talat criticised the new procedure saying it was not clear.
“This is just another way (for the authorities) to show that they can do what they want,” said Talat. “The finance and the economy ‘ministries’ denied there were any questions about income, and denied it was a procedure to bring about taxation of income from the south earned by Turkish Cypriots.
“But whatever it is, the procedure was conducted wrongly, they could have given the forms to workers to be filled out on their own time, and returned later. What was usually a five to 10 minute wait became 30 minutes,” added Talat. “Many workers lost a day’s salary,” said the opposition leader.
Government Spokesperson Kypros Chrysostomides in a public statement said that there were 12 days before the Turkish Cypriot elections would take place and that the opposition’s actions could be closely related to this.
“This was an unfounded action taken by the Turkish Cypriot side. I do not pretend to know where it came from. However our government’s policy remains the same. Turkish Cypriots are welcome to work in the government-controlled areas. Today’s event has put up yet another barrier between the two societies,” said Chrysostomides.
