By Jean Christou
GREENS are gearing up for a face off on Thursday with police and British bases authorities over military exercises in the Akamas.
Environmentalists on Sunday tore down signs and fencing, and damaged mobile toilet units, as part of a campaign to stop the two-day exercises from going ahead.
A press release from the Green Party said “forces” made up of environmentalists, ecologists and other activists had demolished constructions built by the British army in the Akamas.
The operation, codenamed “Akamas Fox”, was to be a series of actions planned against the British exercises.
“This action indicates the determination of Cypriots to stop the British army from using Akamas as their training ground,” a statement from the Green party said.
Greens in Cyprus believe the exercises have destroyed areas of environmentally sensitive land through fires started on the training grounds.
“Destructive explosives left over are a testimony to destruction that happened in the past, which still puts life in danger,” the announcement said.
This week’s exercise will not be using live ammunition, though past manoeuvres have done so.
The British bases are allowed, under the 1960 Treaty of Establishment, to use land outside the sovereign bases for military exercises for a certain period each year. Greens have for years been trying to stop the exercises altogether.
The House of Representatives has already passed a unanimous decision calling for the exercises to cease and an alternative site to be found by the government. Discussions have already taken place between the bases and the government, but a new site has yet to be agreed.
Bases spokesman Rob Need said yesterday the complaints of the environmentalists were groundless. He said the exercises taking place on Thursday and Friday did not involve live fire.
Around 200 soldiers will take part in the manoeuvres.
“No bullets will be coming out of the end of their guns,” Need said. “We are grateful to be allowed to use the Akamas and will continue until an alternative site is found.”
Need said that, earlier yesterday, bases officials with Cyprus police visited the are where the damage was done on Sunday. “Criminal damages are a matter for the Cyprus police,” he said.
He said charges of malicious damage were likely to be levelled against the culprits when they were found.
The exercises, he said would go ahead as planned. “If there is interference, then it is a matter for the Cyprus police,” Need said.
The bases have always maintained they take the utmost care not to harm the environment during their exercises, but greens believe there is no need for exercises at all, even on an alternative site.
Green Party leader George Perdikis said yesterday it was not a matter of an alternative.
“The military bases are an air force, they don’t need to hold military manoeuvres on the ground,” Perdikis said. “They are doing it to exercise their so-called sovereign rights in Cyprus.”
