On Tuesday January 14 2003, 70,000 people, estimated to be close to one-third of the entire population of northern Cyprus, massed in the centre of Nicosia, demanding that their leader, Rauf Denktash, sign an agreement for an end to the Partition of Cyprus and entry to the European Union along with the rest of the island in 2004. The EU has set a deadline of February 28 for the two leaders to sign up in order to meet the EU accession process. The race is on to put enough pressure on the foot-dragging politicians to achieve peace in this island after 29 years.

Hands Across the Divide

One particular Cypriot NGO is unique. Hands Across the Divide (HAD) is a women's organization linking women of northern Turkish-speaking Cyprus and southern Greek-speaking Cyprus in a single unitary structure - believed to be the only one in the country. It's official address had to be outside Cyprus because, so total is the Partition, it is legally impossible to register a bi-communal organization on the island.

Despite all the difficulties in the way of communication across the Green Line, the women of Hands Across the Divide are carrying out joint actions for peace. While the northern HAD women are sharing in the massive demonstrations in the north, the Greek Cypriot members of Hands Across the Divide have started their own action in the southern half of the split city. Every Saturday morning, a busy time in Eleftheria Square in central Nicosia, they will have a presence to show solidarity with the struggle of the Turkish Cypriots. There are three aspects of their action.

A mountain of words

In the north, thousands of people are being asked to write a sentence for peace and put the piece of paper in a plastic bottle. The organisers are collecting the bottles to create a huge "Mountain of Peace". Eventually all the bottles will be transported on lorries to the house of Mr. Denktash, the northern Cypriot leader, where they will be dumped in a pile they hope is going to dwarf his house. The Turkish Cypriots organizing this bottle mountain are currently on a hunger strike for peace.

The Greek Cypriot members of Hands Across the Divide will be similarly collecting 'sentences for peace' from local people, which will then be sent to the organisers of the campaign in the north and added to the mountainous message to Mr. Denktash.

Demanding an agreement

HAD has issued the statement below and will be distributing this to the public as a leaflet in Eleftheria Square, in Turkish, Greek and English:

"Forty years of separation have alienated the two communities in Cyprus, promoting mistrust and nurturing hatred instead of reconciliation and rapprochement. We and the generations to come deserve a country without borders, fear and violence, in which every citizen can have the opportunity to live, grow and develop in a society based on values of equality, democracy and freedom. The struggle of our Turkish Cypriot compatriots inspires us to continue efforts towards a unified Cyprus and the well being of all, through the accession of a reunited island to the European Union. We therefore urgently demand the signing of a peace agreement before 28th February 2003."

White ribbon campaign

Everyone who contributes a 'sentence for peace' will get a copy of the statement and a white ribbon to pin on their lapel as a symbol of peace and solidarity with Turkish Cypriots.

Hands Across the Divide welcome any publicity you can give their actions. The group of course is working very hard in preparation for a very big event for the 28th of February...which they are confident must be a moment of celebration, at last. Another moment of defeat is unthinkable.

If you want to support this action send an e-mail with your own 'sentence for peace' to the Secretary of HAD, Tina Kallis at tinakalli@logos.cy.net Don't worry, they'll supply the bottle!

There is no copyright on this article, please feel free to circulate and reproduce it. Source: Cynthia Cockburn. Further information