The United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus is a demilitarised zone, patrolled by
the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, that was established in 1974
following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, and de facto partitions the
island into the area controlled by the Government of Cyprus in the South and
that under the administration of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in
the North. The zone runs for more than 180.5 kilometres along what is
colloquially known as the Green Line and varying between less than 20 metres and
more than 7 kilometres wide has an area of 346 square kilometres.
The zone stretches for 180 kilometres from the western part of near Kato
Pyrgos to the east just south of Famagusta. It cuts through the centre of
the old town of Nicosia, separating the city into southern and northern
sections. There is also a buffer zone around the Kokkina exclave in western
Cyprus. The width of the zone ranges from few metres or feet in central
Nicosia, to 6.1 kilometres at the village of Athienou. There is no buffer
zone along the common border between the eastern British Sovereign Base Area and
the area under Greek Cypriot or Turkish Cypriot control.
Some 10,000 people live in several villages and work on farms located
within the zone; the village of Pyla is famous for being the only village on
Cyprus where Greeks and Turks live side by side. Other villages are Deneia,
Athienou and Troulloi, while Lympia and Mammari lie partially within the zone.
Turkish forces built a barrier on the zone's northern side, consisting mainly
of barbed-wire fencing, concrete wall segments, watchtowers, anti-tank
ditches, and minefields. This line is also referred to as the Attila Line,
named after the Turkish code-name for the 1974 military intervention:
Operation Atilla. The closed off zone has become a haven for Cyprus' wildlife,
an example of an involuntary park. History
A buffer zone in Cyprus was first established in 1964, when Major-General
Peter Young was the commander of the British peace force set up in the wake
of the intercommunal violence of the early 1960s. After stationing his troops
in different areas of Nicosia, the general drew a cease-fire line on a map
with a green crayon, which was to become known as the "Green Line".
The Green Line became impassable following the July 1974 Turkish invasion
of Cyprus during which Turkey captured approximately 8% of Cypriot territory in
response to a short-lived Greek Cypriot coup. A "security zone" was established
after the Tripartite Conference of Geneva in July 1974. Pursuant to United
Nations Security Council Resolution 353, the foreign ministers of Greece, Turkey,
and the United Kingdom convened in Geneva, Switzerland, on 25 July 1974.
According to UNFICYP, the text of the joint declaration transmitted to the
Secretary-General of the United Nations was as follows:
A security zone of a size to be determined by representatives of Greece,
Turkey, and the United Kingdom, in consultation with UNFICYP, was to be
established at the limit of the areas occupied by the Turkish armed forces.
This zone was to be entered by no forces other than those of UNFICYP, which was
to supervise the prohibition of entry. Pending the determination of the size
and character of the security zone, the existing area between the two forces was
not to be breached by any forces. The UN Security Council then adopted the
above declaration with Resolution 355. When the coup dissolved, the Turkish
Armed Forces advanced to capture approximately 37% of the island and met
the "Green Line". The meandering Buffer Zone marks the southernmost points that
the Turkish troops occupied during the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus in August
1974, running between the cease fire lines of the Cypriot National Guard and
Turkish army that de facto divides Cyprus into two, cutting through the
capital of Nicosia. With the self-proclamation of the internationally
unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the Buffer Zone became
its de facto southern border. Traffic across the buffer zone was very
limited until 2003, when the number of crossings and the rules governing them
were relaxed. Sectors
= Sector One= Starts at Kokkina exclave and covers
approximately 90 kilometres to Mammari, west of Nicosia. Since 16 October 1993,
it has been the responsibility of the Argentinian Contingent with 212
soldiers. Sector One Headquarters and Command Company are located in San
Martin Camp, which is near Skouriotissa village. Support Company finds its home
at Roca Camp, near Xeros in the north. The two line companies are deployed
along four permanently manned patrol bases while also conducting mobile
patrols from the San Martin and Roca camps.
= Sector Two= Starts at Mammari, west of Nicosia and
covers 30 kilometres to Kaimakli, east of Nicosia. Since 1993, has been the
responsibility of the British contingent, which deploys using the name
Operation TOSCA . = Sector Four=
Starting at Kaimakli, east of Nicosia and covers 65 Kilometres to the village
of Dhernia, on the east coast of Cyprus and has been the responsibility of the
Slovakian and Hungarian contingent with 202 soldiers.
Crossings After a nearly 30-year ban on crossings,
the Turkish Cypriot administration significantly eased travel restrictions
across the dividing line in April 2003, allowing Greek Cypriots to cross at the
Ledra Palace Crossing just outside the walls of old Nicosia. This was made only
possible after the decision of the ECHR. These are the crossings now available:
Before Cypriot accession to the European Union, there were restrictions on Green
Line crossings by foreigners imposed by the Republic of Cyprus, but these were
abolished for EU citizens by EU regulation 866/2004. Generally, citizens
of any country are permitted to cross the line, including Greek and Turkish
Cypriots. Passports are required for entry into Northern Cyprus, but they are
not generally stamped. A 2005 EU report stated that "a systematic illegal route
through the northern part to the government-controlled areas exists"
allowing an influx of asylum seekers. Incidents
In August 1996, Greek Cypriot refugees demonstrated with a march against what
they regard as the Turkish occupation of Cyprus. The demonstrators' demand was
the complete withdrawal of Turkish troops and the return of the refugees to
their homes and properties. Among them was Tasos Isaak who was beaten to death.
Another man, Solomos Solomou, was shot to death by Turkish troops during the
same protests on 14 August 1996. Aged 26, Solomou was one of many mourners who
entered the Buffer Zone three days after Isaak's funeral, on 14 August to lay a
wreath on the spot where he had been beaten to death. Solomou was fired upon
by Turkish soldiers when he was climbing to a flagpole to remove the flag of
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. An investigation followed by authorities of
the Republic of Cyprus and the suspects were named as Kenan Akin and Erdan
Emanet. International legal proceedings were instigated and arrest warrants for
both were issued via Interpol. During the demonstrations on 14 August
1996, two British soldiers were also shot by the Turkish forces: Neil Emery
and Jeffrey Hudson, both from 39th Regiment Royal Artillery.
Bdr Emery was shot in his arm, whilst Gnr Hudson was shot in the leg by a high
velocity rifle round and was airlifted to hospital in Nicosia then on to R.A.F.
Akrotiri. Activism
The buffer zone between the checkpoints that divide Ledra Street was used as a
space for activism from 15 October 2011 up until June 2012 by the Occupy Buffer
Zone movement. See also
Green Line Inter-Entity Boundary Line
Cyprus dispute Cypriot refugees
Republic of Cyprus Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representation in Cyprus
No man's land Sovereign Base Areas Customs
Pyla Louroujina Salient
Kokkina exclave Merlijn Twaalfhoven, did a project in
Nicosia with musicians from both sides of the border.
References External links
The Buffer Zone UNFICYP website – The United Nations Buffer Zone Adrian
Scarbrough Photography