March 2007:BB template 5/10/2007 2:28 PM Page 1 · Nicosia Mayors Salute Women’s Day March 2007:BB template 5/10/2007 2:28 PM Page 1

NicosiaMayorsSaluteWomen’sDay

March 2007:BB template 5/10/2007 2:28 PM Page 1

March 2007 – The Blue Beret 3

THE BLUE BERETPublished monthly by the:

Public Information OfficeUnited Nations Peacekeeping Force inCyprusHQ UNFICYPPO Box 216421590 NicosiaCyprus

Tel: 2261-4550/4416/4408Fax: 2261-4461E-mail: [email protected]

[email protected]:www.unficyp.org

Editorial TeamBrian KellyMiriam TaylorNetha KreouzosSgt. Jozef Kocka (Photographer)Anne BurseyCapt. Štefan Zemanovič

Unit Press OfficersSector 1 Capt. Mauricio Silvestre

Sector 2 Capt. Ellie Haywood

Sector 4 Capt Miloš Segeň

MFR Lt. Tom Bell

UNPOL Sgt. Vanessa Stone

UN Flt 1/Lt. Nestor Marelli

FMPU Capt. Miroslav Svorník

The Blue Beret is UNFICYP’s in-housejournal. Views expressed are of theauthors concerned, and do not neces-sarily conform with official policy.

Articles of general interest (plus pho-tos with captions) are invited from allmembers of the Force.

Copyright of all material is vested inUN publications, but may be repro-duced with the Editor’s permission.

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2 March 2007 – The Blue Beret

Front Cover: Nicosia Mayors saluteWomen’s Day

Back Cover: International Cafeteria Staff

Preparations for Return of Remains of MissingEditorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Security Council Welcomes Fall of the Wall/

Preparations for Return of Remains of Missing . . . . . . . . .3Mine Awareness Day / SG’s New Appointments . . . . . . . . . .4Wasting Water cannot be tolerated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Talking in the International Cafeteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6/7International Women’s Day at LPH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8/9St. Patrick’s Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Bi-communal Conference on Dyslexia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Sector 2 News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Sector 1 News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13New Staff Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Visitors to UNFICYP/

On the Sporting Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Security Council WelcomesFall of the Wall

Turkish Cypriot CMP memberGülden Plümer Küçük has beenconducting a briefing session for

relatives of the missing in order toupdate them about progress to datein the ongoing efforts to return theidentified remains of missing personsto their families as soon as possible.She advised that it might take twomonths before the first remains willbe handed over. The meeting wasorganised by the Turkish CypriotHuman Rights Foundation at theNear East University in north Nicosia.

The CMP has announced thelaunch of the genetic identificationphase of its Project on the Exhuma-tion, Identification and Return ofRemains of missing individuals. Ateam of Greek Cypriot and TurkishCypriot geneticists are involved inthis work which is being carried outby the Laboratory of Forensic

Genetics of the Cyprus Institute ofNeurology and Genetics (CING) inNicosia. The DNA samples of rela-tives of missing Turkish Cypriotshave been sent to the CING, which isalready in possession of the DNAsamples of the relatives of missingGreek Cypriots. The first submissionof bone samples by the CMP Anthro-pological Laboratory has been madeto the CING in order to proceed withthe extraction of DNA, which, it ishoped, will lead to the identificationof the individuals concerned.

The scientific complexity of theprocess is such that it is very diffi-cult to predict exactly how muchtime will be required for the iden-tification of remains. The CMP none-theless hopes to be able to returnthe first identified remains of missingpersons to their relatives by latespring.

Members of the Security Council welcomedthe Cyprus Government’s decision toremove the wall and National Guard post

at Ledra Street as a step towards opening anew crossing point. They hoped both sideswould be able to agree quickly on the practi-calities for pedestrian access, and theywelcomed SRSG Møller’s and UNFICYP’s sup-port for the initiative. The SC members alsowelcomed the earlier dismantling by the TurkishCypriots of the wall and pedestrian bridge onthe north side of the buffer zone in the samearea.

In a press statement issued in New York,members of the Council said they shared theSecretary-General’s hope that confidence-building measures of this kind would be part ofa broader move to resume full-fledged negotia-tions aimed at a comprehensive settlement ofthe Cyprus problem. They expressed their readi-ness to offer full support as necessary.

SC members urged both communities towork with the UN to open Ledra Street crossingand to implement the 8 July 2006 agreement,in particular through the immediate creation ofbicommunal working groups and technicalcommittees in order to prepare the ground forfull-fledged negotiations leading to a compre-hensive and durable settlement.

The wall, known as “Tourist Bunker”, markedthe southern rim of the buffer zone areadividing Ledra Street in old Nicosia’s centralcommercial thoroughfare. It was taken downon the night of 8/9 March.

UNFICYP has since indicated it stands readyto conduct a sweep of the area for unexplodedordnance and to facilitate an EU-funded projectto shore up adjacent buffer zone buildings assoon as the two sides agree to move forwardwith a crossing.

The highlight of this eventful month wasundoubtedly the fall of the wall.

However commendable the Greek Cypriot decisionto remove the long-standing wall dividing LedraStreet, its significance as a confidence-buildingmeasure can only be gauged properly after acrossing point opens at the heart of old Nicosia’smain commercial thoroughfare.

Nicosia’s status of “last divided capital” is surely adistinction worth shedding for all sorts of practicalcommercial and touristic reasons. More impor-tantly, the opening of a crossing point in the oldtown would represent a concrete gesture of intenton the part of the two sides to move towardsreunification of the island’s capital.

It would also serve as a boost for on-going effortsto adopt the technical committees and bi-communal working groups called for in the 8 Julyprocess as a way of restarting full-fledged negotia-tions for a comprehensive settlement. The SecurityCouncil acknowledged as much when it joinedothers in the international community and applaudedthe removal of the wall, as well as the earlier dis-mantling by the Turkish Cypriots of the wall andpedestrian bridge on the north side of the bufferzone in the same area.

In a similar vein, UNFICYP is at the ready to facili-tate, support and sustain the momentum of bothprocesses, knowing that each represents a vitalgateway to progress and a more hopeful future.

All Cypriots stand to benefit, should the LedraStreet crossing open, since this would restore theheart of the historic and much loved old town, inthe process generating a new and much neededenergy to the Cyprus dialogue.

Editorial

Contents


March 2007 – The Blue Beret 54 March 2007 – The Blue Beret

SG’s New Appointments

The theme of World Water Day, celebrated on 22March, was on “Coping with Water Scarcity”. Waterscarcity can be physical, economic or institutional,

and can fluctuate over time and space. The Secretary-General, in his message, pointed out that about 700million in 43 countries currently suffer from water scarcity,a figure that could increase to more than three billionpeople by 2025.

“The state of the world’s waters remains fragile, andthe need for an integrated and sustainable approach towater resource management is as pressing as ever.Available supplies are under great duress as a result ofhigh population growth, unsustainable consumptionpatterns, poor management practices, pollution, inade-quate investment in infrastructure, and low efficiency inwater-use,” he said.

Even more water will be needed in the future in orderto grow food, to provide clean drinking water and sanita-tion services, to operate industries and to supportexpanding cities. The water-supply-demand gap is likelyto grow wider still, threatening economic and socialdevelopment and environmental sustainability. TheSecretary-General stressed that, “integrated waterresources management will be of crucial importance inovercoming water scarcity. So will international coopera-tion, since many of the world’s rivers and aquifers areshared among countries. Such cooperation can alsopromote harmonious cross-border ties in general.”

The Millennium Development Goals have helped tohighlight the importance of access to safe drinking watersupplies and adequate sanitation, which undeniablyseparates people living healthy and productive lives fromthose living in poverty and most vulnerable to various life-threatening diseases. Making good on the global water andsanitation agenda is crucial to eradicating poverty andachieving the other development goals.

“The way forward is clear: strengthening institutionalcapacity and governance at all levels, promoting moretechnology transfer, mobilizing more financial resources,and scaling up good practices and lessons learned. On thisWorld Water Day, I call on the UN system and all stake-holders to forge stronger partnerships and take moreconcerted action, not only this year, but throughout theentire International Decade for Action: ‘Water for Life’,2005-2015.”

In Cyprus, the showers experienced in March were awelcome respite from a particularly dry winter, but did littleto offset the low levels in the island’s reservoirs. Rainfallthis winter was so low that the island’s dams reached only26.3% of their capacity, with 72.075 million cubic metresof water, little more than half the 135.5 million cubicmetres of water (49.5% of capacity) this time last year.Water inflow is currently 150,000 cubic metres, with thetotal inflow so far this year standing at 28.9 million cubicmetres.

The seriousness of the water situation has promotedthe Greek Cypriot authorities to announce that wastingwater will no longer be tolerated, and that people foundwasting supplies would be fined.

WastingWatercannotbetolerated

Mine Awareness Day – 4 April Significant amounts of water can be saved byfollowing a number of water saving measures,which require little time and money to imple-ment, not just during drought conditions butyear-round:

• Check the plumbing installation for leaks.

• Check taps for drips and make repairspromptly.

• Install plastic water bags in the toilet flushtanks.

• Take a shower instead of a bath and avoidhaving to run the water until it’s hot. Turnoff shower water while you apply soap tobody.

• Encourage and advise children not to messaround with water in the bath, garden oranywhere else.

• Turn off water while you shave and/or brushteeth.

• Wash only full loads in the washing and dishwashing machines.

• Water the garden with a watering can earlyin the morning or in the evening whenevaporation is limited.

• Wash the car with a sponge and a bucket,instead of a hosepipe, which is prohibited bylaw.

• Use a broom, not a hose, to clean verandasand pavements.

Jan Egeland, former Under-Secretary-General of the UnitedNations Office for the Coordina-tion of Humanitarian Affairs, hasbeen appointed Special Adviser toSecretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Kiyotaka Akasaka ofJapan has been ap-

pointed new chief ofthe UN’s Departmentof Public Information(DPI), succeeding Sha-shi Tharoor of India asthe Under-Secretary-General for Commu-nications and PublicInformation.

The new USG joinsthe UN from the Org-anisation for EconomicCooperation and De-velopment (OECD) in

Paris, where he served as Deputy Secretary-General sinceAugust 2003. Mr. Akasaka was Japan’s Ambassador to the UNbetween 2000 and 2001, and as Deputy Director-General inthe Japanese Foreign Ministry’s Multilateral CooperationDepartment from 1997 to 2000, was one of his country’s topnegotiators in the Kyoto Conference on Climate Change. He hasalso held posts at the GATT and WHO. Mr. Akasaka served inthe Japanese Foreign Ministry as Deputy Director of the PressDivision and spokesman on climate change. He has also beendeeply involved in OECD public information activities.

John Holmes, newly-appointedUnder-Secretary-General forHumanitarian Affairs, and UNEmergency Coordinator

According to the United Nations World Water Devel-opment Report 2, “our society has not yet attained alevel of sustainability whereby humanity honours andrespects life upon this planet and uses fairly andequitably the resources it provides. The UN system hastaken on a lead role in addressing this challenge throughthe setting of the Millennium Development Goals andwater has a crucial role to play in this.

. Water is the primary life-giving resource. Its avail-ability is an essential component in socio-economicdevelopment and poverty reduction. Factors im-pacting this resource and on managing water in anintegrated, sustainable and equitable manner inc-lude widespread poverty, malnutrition, the dramaticimpacts of demographic change, growing urbaniza-tion, the effects of globalization and the recentmanifestations of climage change.

. Exacerbating the challenge of economic develop-ment is the issue of climate change, which stronglyinfluences the hydrological cycle. Droughts andfloods, intensified by climage change, can lead tofamine, loss of resources and contamination of watersupplies. Population pressure on forest resourcescan accelerate and degradation and compromisewatershed functions, increasing the vulnerability ofthe poorest communities.

. Water is fundamental to our way of life, at what-ever point in the socio-economic spectrum acommunity may be situated. It is likewise crucial tothe preservation of the essential ecosystems uponwhich our lives depend.

April 4th was International Mine Awareness Day.The Secretary-General noted that the Day servesto remind us all that millions of people in nearly

80 countries still live in fear of landmines and explosiveremnants of war. These devices take an unacceptabletoll on lives and limbs. They wreak havoc on people’slivelihoods. They block access to land, roads, and basicservices.

In the ten years since the Ottawa Treaty banninganti-personnel mines, 153 countries have ratified oradhered to it, including Cyprus and Turkey. About 40million stockpiled anti-personnel landmines have beendestroyed. Production, sale and transfer of anti-personnelmines have almost stopped.

Landmines still kill 15,000 to 20,000 yearly – halfthe casualty rate at the time the Ottawa Conventioncame into effect. Nonetheless, DPKO USG Jean-MarieGuehenno says there is still much to be done toeliminate existing mines, to prevent their future use,to end stockpiling and to upgrade and improve help tothe victims.

Successful de-mining programmes have helpedmillions of people in mine-affected countries to resumetheir normal lives by making land safe for farming and,by opening roads to transportation and commerce,enabling children to walk safely to school. Those fam-iliar with UNMAC’s demining activities here in Cyprus(see below) can attest to new farming opportunitiesand to crossings that have opened because ofsuccessful de-mining operations.

Yet, for all the progress, it is well to remember thatlandmines can and do kill, years, even decades, afterconflict ends. The vast majority of victims are civilians.In Afghanistan, most victims are below the age of 18.As UNHCR has pointed out, civilian populations areoften the first, and always the last, casualties of war.

The shadowy presence of mines and minefieldsposes an ever-present threat, impeding a community’sprospects for a better life. Today, this is compounded byall the explosive remnants of war and conflict, inclu-ding different types of ammunition, unexploded rocketsand mortars, and especially the lethal legacy of clusterbombs. The latter scatter hundreds of smaller bombs,or sub-munitions, which, though intended to detonateon impact, often fail to until triggered by an unwary andunsuspecting civilian.

In Lebanon, the UN has helped to clean up 100,000sub-munitions from cluster bombs, but a million stillremain, and there have been casualties among both UNpeacekeepers and the Lebanese.

The SG has called on the international communityto reduce, and ultimately eliminate, the impact ofcluster munitions on civilians. These indiscriminately killand maim civilians, just as easily and frequently aslandmines do. International outrage has driven a largegroup of countries to pursue a new international treatyto deal with these weapons, thus complementing andreinforcing other on-going efforts.

Currently, 14 UN agencies, programmes, depart-ments and funds are active in mine action services –including finding and destroying landmines and explo-sive remnants of war; assisting victims; teachingpeople methods to remain safe in mine-affected areas;and destroying mine stockpiles; and encouraginguniversal participation in international agreements suchas the Ottawa Convention – in dozens of countries.

Here in Cyprus, the EU-funded UN Mine ActionCentre (MAC) has been operational since November2004, working out of UNFICYP Headquarters in theUnited Nations Protected Area, Nicosia.

The programme is implemented by the UnitedNations Development Programme (UNDP), executed byUnited Nations Operation Services (UNOPS) with tech-nical assistance of United Nations Mine Action Service(UNMAS) and operations facilitated by the UnitedNations Forces in Cyprus (UNFICYP).

To date, it has removed 2,854 (1,496 Anti-personnel and 1,314 Anti-tank mines) mines from 25minefields within the buffer zone. In doing so, it hasreleased 2,245,317 square metres of buffer zone land,leaving a further 9 million square metres of land to besurveyed.

On 22 November 2006, Nicosia was declared mine-free, with the detonation of the last two remainingmines in the buffer zone area near the city.

Since de-mining was launched in November 2004,EU funding for this joint EU-UN effort has totalled 9million Euros, enabling the project to run until Dec-ember 2008. In 2004, the Governments of Canadaand Slovenia made pre-launch contributions ofUS$250,000 and US$25,000 respectively to help setup the Mine Action Centre.


Everyone in the UNPA knows the Inter-national Cafeteria. It is the gastronomiccentre at HQ UNFICYP where soldiers,

police and civilians can enjoy the highstandard of catering available for breakfast,lunch and dinner.

The Cafeteria was first outsourced in 1999to a company based in Britain. In July 2006,the contract for the cafeteria was awarded toTözün Catering Ltd., and since then, thecatering team has changed in a singularlyspecial way.

Michael Charalambous has been the Facilities Man-ager since November 2000, and is responsible for man-aging the catering team of 19 staff – 13 Greek Cypriotsand six Turkish Cypriots – on a daily basis. Michael saysthat “it is the first time we have worked under TurkishCypriot management. We all wondered how we would geton, and I can honestly say we get on very well ”.

The International Cafeteria caters for up to 200 on adaily basis – “not an easy task,” says Michael, “but we tryour best”. One break from the routine menu, whichincludes meat, fish and vegetarian dishes, was a “nationalfood day” on alternating Thursdays with Argentinian,British, Hungarian and Slovak traditional meals on offer.Michael also meets every second month at a MessMeeting with the Force Supply Officer and representativesof each HQ unit (MFR, FMPU, UN Flt and BRITCON) todiscuss suggestions, complaints, possible improvements,etc.

“It’s hard to please all the people, all the time, buteven more difficult if cultural differences get in the way ofthe catering staff. It has, in the past, been acutely com-plicated when staff members work alongside each otheryet don’t even speak each other’s language,” Michaeladded.

To solve this problem, Mr. Neçit Tözün has providedevery staff member with their own Greek/Turkish phrasebook. In addition, Michael has identified common kitchenterminology. He had them printed and displayed in keyareas in order to encourage personnel to communicateby using each other’s language.

Mr. Tözün has instigated regular staff meetings andtraining sessions to maximize teamwork and customercare. Staff development is seen as an important aspectwhich contributes to employee motivation. An example ofthis is the incentive trip to Dubai which Michael and hiswife took with Mr. and Mrs. Tözün in September 2006 andincluded a food hygiene course.

Cafeteria staff in turn receive on-the-job training.This includes anything from general cuisine updates tofirst aid care.

Salome, one of the catering assistants, said “Thebeauty of the present system is that we all feel like onebig family”. Betul, her co-worker, agrees. “I neverexpected to get on so well with Greek Cypriots, but nowI am so very glad I got this job.” Betul worked for yearsin a Turkish Cypriot supermarket and never spoke a wordof Greek in her life before joining the InternationalCafeteria. Now, even though it’s only a few phrases, she

gets her meaning across. Inone way or another, theymanage to “speak eachother’s language”.

Hasan Murat, one of theIC’s four chefs, comes fromLouroujina. He loves his joband travels 45 minutes toand from work on a dailybasis. Hasan speaks threelanguages – Turkish, Greekand English. He mentionshow similar some of theGreek and Turkish words arein the respective dialects onthe island – ancient wordswhich have been used byboth communities for hun-dreds of years. Nowhereother than in Cyprus wouldthese words be understood!

Cypriots are great coffeedrinkers, and as Hasan says,

“It’s not so difficult for Greek and Turkish Cypriotsto sit down and drink a coffee together. But manymay consider it unthinkable to work all day longtogether, side by side. We have proven it can bedone.” One of his Greek Cypriot counterparts, FanosAndreou, is currently taking a Turkish languagecourse at evening classes. “Very interesting”, hesays. “And at least I get the chance to practise whatI learn!”

When speaking to the staff, it is clear that theyhave bonded. Those arriving for the morning shiftfind breakfast waiting for them. Then at noon, whenthe afternoon shift arrives, all staff sit together for acoffee or a bite to eat. Mr. Tözün joins the group twoto three times a week. Problems – if any – arediscussed openly and immediately. Nobody feelsintimidated.

Recently, Betul slipped whilst mopping a floor.She was immediately transported to hospital whereX-rays were taken and she was cleared. The nextday, Tözün arrived with new, non-slip shoes forevery single member of staff – including thoselocated in Sectors 1 and 4. Tözün Catering also hasthe catering contract in these sectors, in addition tothe cleaning and laundry contracts.

On another occasion, Chryso Nicolaou, thecatering assistants’ supervisor, suddenly lost herhusband. A skeleton staff was organised and Mr.Tözün, together with the remaining catering staff, allattended the church ceremony and funeral pro-ceedings. Respect and sensitivity for each other’sculture and religion is so clearly apparent.

Mr. Tözün is very aware that staff motivation isparamount to the accord within the unit. Everyonereceives a 13th and 14th salary at Christmas andEaster. All social insurance contributions are paid. Allstaff members have joined the trade union, regard-less of ethnicity. In addition, Mr. Tözün presents each staffmember with a New Year’s present, and he never fails toarrive on each individual’s birthday – nobody has yet dis-covered how he found out the dates!

Mrs. Çimen Tözün’s influence is noticeable in the IC.The restaurant environment has been enhanced byseveral changes, including replacing the curtains withlight-coloured fabrics and introducing blue table cloths.These improvements, in addition to the salt and pepperpots and air fresheners placed in the centre of the tables,have contributed to a warmer atmosphere. Smart newuniforms were also given to employees to complete thenew look in the Cafeteria.

Today, the smooth runningof the Cafeteria can mainly beattributed to the excellent rela-tionship and open communica-tion between Michael and Mr.and Mrs. Tözün. From theoutset, the management teamsat down and discussed thedifficulties experienced by thebi-communal staff and theinherent potential problems,so much so that whenever aproblem arises, it is immedi-ately solved without delay.Since the arrival of theTözüns, nobody has resigned– and nobody has beenfired!

Currently, Michael and Mr. Tözün are planning a bi-communal lunch-time function at the International Cafe-teria with traditional Cypriot food. They are even consi-dering inviting a bi-communal singing/dancing group toentertain their guests! According to Michael, “this is atruly unique set-up, the perfect place for researchersfrom both sides to see how the two communities can anddo work together. Psychologists would have a field day!”

He hopes that there will be many more such employ-ment situations everywhere in Cyprus in order to promotepositive relations between the two communities.

Miriam Taylor

Talk in theInternationalCafeteria

76 March 2007 – The Blue Beret March 2007 – The Blue Beret

Smiles behind the counter!

From the left: Çimen Tözün, Michael Charalambous, Neçip Tözün,Betul Binici, Eleni Vai Markidou, Maroulla Michael, Savoulla Yianni,Salomi Andreou, Fanos Andreou, Iliada Adamou and (kneeling)Hasan Murat

Turkish/Greek, Greek/Turkish

From the left: Neçip Tözün, Çimen Tözün and Michael Charalambous


InternationalWomen’s Dayat LPH

InternationalWomen’s Dayat LPH


International Women’s Day was celebrated byUNFICYP at a bicommunal event at Ledra Palaceon 8 March 2007. This year’s theme was “EndingImpunity for Violence against Women and Girls.”

The phenomenon of violence against women and girlsthat affects both communities was highlighted througha short play performed by UNFICYP staff and then dis-cussed by a panel of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriotwomen’s rights activists.

The audience included Nicosia’s two mayors andrepresentatives of the diplomatic communities, as wellas UNFICYP staff, led by Force Commander Maj. Gen.Rafael Barni.

In his address, SRSG Møller told the bicommunalgathering that there were no circumstances that canexcuse violence that targets women and girls. “It isalways a violation of their human rights, it is always acrime and it is always unacceptable. Violence againstwomen is widespread, its prevalence reflecting thebullying self-regard of perpetrators who believe thatthey will not be held accountable for their actions.”

He noted that, as underscored in Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon’s message for the day, violence againstwomen and girls continues unabated in every contin-ent, country and culture, taking a devastating toll onwomen’s lives, on their families and on society as awhole.

SRSG Møller said acts of violence take many forms:physical, sexual, psychological and economic, and theconsequences are far-reaching and long lasting. “We allpay the price. None of us escape scot-free because thevery acts represent a pervasive violation of humanrights, and are a major impediment to achieving genderequality.”

He described Women’s Day as an opportunity foreverybody, “women and men, to unite in a cause thatembraces all humankind. International Women’s Dayspells out our responsibility to work for enduringchange in values and attitudes. It calls on us to work inpartnership – governments, international organisa-tions, civil society and the private sector. It urges us towork for a transformation in relations between womenand men, at all levels of society. It demands that we

support and sustain a political and social environmentin which violence against women and girls is not tolera-ted – an environment in which friends, family membersand neighbours, men and women together, will inter-vene to ensure that no perpetrators go unpunished.”

SRSG Møller went on to praise the long-standingand ground-breaking cooperation between Cypriotwomen’s groups on the island.

UNFICYP Gender Focal Point, Sally-Anne Corcoransaid: “States have an obligation to protect women andgirls from violence, to hold perpetrators accountableand to provide justice and remedies to victims. Thefailure to meet these obligations is unacceptable andserves to reinforce gender inequality. Real securityentails freedom from fear. It means women’s empower-ment, which is the only thing that can fundamentallychange gender equality. Violence against women is nota women’s issue, but one of basic justice that concernseach of us and one which we all have a responsibility toend.”

Last year, the findings of an in-depth study by the UNSecretary-General on violence against women werereleased.

. Demographically speaking, it is estimated that weare short between 112 to 200 million women. Theyhave been the victims of infanticide (boys arepreferred to girls) or have not received the sameamount of food and medical attention as theibrothers and fathers.

. Between one and four million women are forced osold into prostitution every year. Profits from sexslavery are estimated at $7 to $12 billion annually.

. At least one out of every three women has beenbeaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in helifetime. Usually, the abuser is a member of her ownfamily or someone known to her. Domestic violenceis the largest form of abuse of women worldwideirrespective of region, culture, ethnicity, educationclass and religion.

. It is estimated that more than two million girls aregenitally mutilated every year, a rate of one girevery 15 seconds.

. Systematic rape is used as a weapon of terror inmany of the world’s conflicts. It is estimated thabetween 250,000 and 500,000 women in Rwandawere raped during the 1994 genocide.

The White Ribbon CampaignIn what has become thelargest effort in the worldby men to end gender-based violence againstwomen and girls, thewhite ribbon symbolizes aman’s pledge to nevercommit, condone or re-main silent about violenceagainst women and girls.

Originally consisting of one week ofawareness-raising a year, the White RibbonCampaign, which originated in Canada in1991, has evolved into a year-round effort onevery continent, in over 55 countries. Itfocuses on identifying policy questions, edu-cating men and boys and raising publicawareness, and it challenges men directly ontheir actions, ideas and beliefs.

For more information, please visitwww.whiteribbon.com.

UNFICYP staff then performed a short play titled“Better the Devil You Know”, written specifically for theoccasion by Information Assistant Derya Bicer anddirected by UNPOL Garda James O’Keeffe, aboutdomestic violence.

The scenario of the play follows the path of adesperate woman Sarah (performed by Derya Bicer) inan attempt to change her fate and live a quiet, free andpeaceful life with her child far away from her abusivehusband.

Finding the courage that was always lacking, Sarahfinally decides to leave her husband in the hope of anew better life for her and her child, Terri (performedby Eleonora Kourea). However she finds that the police(policeman performed by Sgt. Jason McArthur) are notparticularly sympathetic to her situation and cannotoffer her safe refuge until she is able to support herself.She then turns to her mother (performed by NethaKreouzos) for help, who, also a victim of abuse, showsno compassion for her daughter’s situation, insistingthat she is somehow to blame for her husband’s wrathand as a wife and mother should obey her husband.Her mother urges her to go home and do as she is told,as her parents no longer have responsibility for her.

Sarah, after being let down by her own mother, thenturns to her friend (performed by Ersin Oztoycan) forhelp. Although willing to help, she proves unable to doso when her husband (performed by Jonathan Vati-kiotis) insists they should not become involved andcome between the couple, especially since the abusivehusband is his close friend. He insists she go home andsort it out with her husband.

Having nowhere to turn, Sarah takes sanctuary in apark where she meets a young girl (performed byMichelle Kourea) who shares her story with Sarah.Once married to an abusive husband, she left to seeka better life. However, being young and vulnerable, shefalls prey to another abusive man who sexually exploitsher and keeps her trapped in this abusive relationship.The young girl urges Sarah to return to her husbandbecause, as she says, “better the devil you know, thanthe devil you don’t”. It’s too late for her, but not forSarah. Having no other choice, Sarah returns to herhusband and a life of abuse.

A panel discussion ensued on the issue of domesticviolence in Cyprus. Women’s rights activists, academicsand legal experts, all expanded on the issue. Panelistsincluded Androulla Vassiliou, Shefika Durduran, JuliaKalimeri, Professor Mehmet Cakici, Professor FatmaGuven-Lisanlier and Professor Maria Hadjipavlou.

The evening ended with a reception. Many thanksgo particularly to Tözün Catering, who supported theevent with tea and coffee as well as two staff membersdressed in traditional Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriotcostumes, adding a local flavour to the event.

Netha Kreouzos

Nicosia mayors Eleni Mavrou and Cemal Bulutoğluları withSRSG Møller

Force Commander Maj. Gen. Rafael Barni arriving, received byAndroulla Michael (centre) and Betul Binici in national dress

The panelists, chaired by Sally-Anne Corcoran


On a wonderfully warm and sun-filled day in Cyprus, the multi-tudes flocked from all corners of

the globe to join the Irish Contingent incelebrating possibly the greatest day inthe Irish festive calendar, St. Patrick’sDay.

With preparations beginning as farback as January, things really heated upas the Irish prepared to party with over300 guests from all sections and contin-gents at the UNPA on 17 March.

An Feile Mor (the Big Event) kickedoff with mass being celebrated by thecharismatic Fr. Joe Kennedy (Chaplain toAn Garda Siochana – the Irish Police)who didn’t let the occasion pass withoutmention of his beloved “DUBS”. He wasaccompanied by Assistant CommissionerGerry Kelly, who had also travelled fromIreland especially for the occasion.

The wonderful service was onlyadded to by a traditional Irish band anda choir formed by members of the IrishContingent who sang some traditionalIrish hymns associated with St. Patrick’sDay under the careful tuition of organistDr. Irene Cotter.

During the mass, the traditional sprigof shamrock was presented to eachmember of the Irish Contingent by Supt.Martin Lee and Ms. Aideen Flannery.

Among the crowd of wellwishers at areception held at the International Caféin UNPA was the Irish Ambassador toCyprus, His Excellency Mr. Tom Brady,

accompanied by his wife, Kathy. Mr.Brady conveyed the good wishes ofthe Irish President to all those gath-ered to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Also present was the Force Com-mander, Maj. Gen. Rafael Barni, Chiefof Staff, Col. Peter Fraser-Hopewell.UNPOL Police Commander Carla vanMaris, and her Deputy Commander,Col Speedie, joined in the cele-brations.

Assistant Commissioner Kelly madea presentation to Commissioner vanMaris on behalf of the Irish Police.Senior Police Adviser van Maris com-plimented the Irish Contingent fortheir contribution to UNFICYP.

Entertainment was provided by themusicians of “The Flight of Earls” anda traditional Irish dancer, making itanother memorable occasion at theUNPA. As the music tempo increased,many guests could not resist the urgeto take to the boards and display theirown versions of “river dance”.

The day’s festivities were broughtto a hectic finale with an “Irish Night”at the CIVPOL club. Veteran atten-dees at this annual event said thatthis year’s function was the best in along time.

The Irish Contingent Commanderpraised the har d work of the entireContingent, all of whom had labouredtirelessly to ensure that everythingwas ready for the big day.

With many years of combined experi-ence working on individual learningdifficulties, four learning difficulty

advocacy organisations (the Cyprus DyslexiaAssociation, the North Cyprus DyslexiaAssociation, ADD-ADHD Support and KAYADCommunity Centre) came together in 2006under a project titled “Promoting SpecialEducation for Children with Learning Disabili-ties”, funded by the United Nations Develop-ment Programme (UNDP).

Within the framework of the project, a“Learning Difficulties Network of Cyprus” wasestablished, based on the principle that allchildren with learning difficulties deserve theright to an education that meets their needsand helps them develop to their full potential.Knowing that there is strength and influencein numbers, these organisations hope to beable to more effectively shape and encouragethe implementation of a special educationpolicy for learning difficulties.

With this in mind, the Network organised aseries of activities to provide training andawareness on the issues, including its first bi-communal conference and teacher-training

courses. The conference, entitled “Strate-gies for Coping with Learning Difficulties”,was held on 10 March 2007. It wasfollowed by a weeklong teacher-trainingcourse held at the bi-communal rooms atLedra Palace and the Fulbright Centre on12-16 March. Other courses included“Train the Advocate Trainers” and “Trainthe Teacher Trainers”.

During the conference, experts fromGreece, Turkey, the U.S.A. and Australia

addressed an audience of over 200Turkish Cypriots and 300 GreekCypriots. Buses were organised toferry people crossing over the bufferzone to attend the conference, held atNicosia’s International ConferenceCentre.

In her opening address, Chairper-son of the Network, Olga Mession,drew attention to the political sensiti-vities on the island and stressed that“all four partners of the Network arenon-governmental, non-political andnon-profit-making organisations. Ouronly purpose is to advocate for therights of the child,” she said.

Speaking on behalf of the NCDA,President Ersin Öztöycan, a memberof UNFICYP’s staff union and one ofUNFICYP’s Information Assistants,noted that the great turnout was proofof how a common cause can bringtogether the two communities on theisland.


Attendees at the start of the Conference, held inthe International Conference Centre in Nicosia

Parent-training and teacher-training courses which took place at the FulbrightCommission offices in the Ledra Palace

BicommunalConferenceon Dyslexia

St. Patrick’s Day

UNFICYP staff member Ersin Öztöycan (centre in yellow) attended theconference in her capacity as NCDA president

Assistant Commissioner Gerry Kelly with Supt. Martin LeeThe Flight of Earls playing traditional Irish music



Sector 2 News Sector 1 News74 Battery ParadeBattle Honour

Welsh Gunners celebrate St. David’s Day Fallen Peacekeepers Honoured

Sector 1Medal Parade

39th Regiment Royal Artillery formally celebratedtheir first St. David’s Day since becoming “The WelshGunners” with a parade held at the Ledra Palace Hotel.

The day started with the customary “waking of thesoldiers and officers”. Having been forewarned that itwas traditional to be woken by “gunfire”, I was dis-appointed to be presented with a cup of tea and a“Good Morning Sir, happy St. David’s Day” from theRSM, WO1 Chris Kerr. Only on tasting the tea did thepenny drop – “gunfire” has nothing to do with theceremonial 25-pounders situated outside the LedraPalace. Rather, it refers to tea heavily laced withbrandy.

The soldiers were presented with leeks (the nationalemblem of Wales) on parade by their Battery Com-manders, whilst the Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. TimWordsworth, read out the history of St. David. TheRegimental goat of six months was also present onparade, proudly sporting a Regimental coat embla-zoned with the 39 crest and Welsh dragon.

A potted sports competition and then lunch followedwith an abundance of leek-related delicacies on offer.After leek and potato soup and authentic Welsh cakes,the three youngest members of the Regiment were“invited” to participate in a traditional Welsh “eat-off”:a raw leek and a soup terrine of ale in rapid succession.

Unsurprisingly, two of the three participants, Gnr.Patterson and Gnr. Coleman, looked a little worse-for-wear afterwards, with only 2Lt. Tom Jamieson mana-ging to complete the task with absolute composure andto rapturous applause.

2Lt CW Bitlups

74 Battery (The Battle Axe Company) was raised atKilkenny on 1 April 1801 from men of the disbandedRoyal Irish Artillery. During the Napoleonic Wars, theCompany helped capture the Caribbean island of Mar-tinique on 24 February 1809. Having distinguisheditself, the then Force Commander wished to give acaptured French gun to the Company. The BatteryCommander petitioned that the gun be replaced bysomething more easily carried and two French trophiescaptured at Martinique were given in its place. Thesetrophies were a brass drum and a Battle Axe. TheCompany has been known as the Battle Axe Company,Royal Artillery since that day.

This year, Lt. Jim Luck RA was awarded the honourof carrying the Battle Axe and of wearing a moustacheon parade. This is the full set of whiskers to representthe status of the veterans of battle, as was the customat the time. He is the first officer to carry the Axe thiscentury. After the parade, Lt. Luck was interviewed byBFBS and remarked “I had a two-week beard audition forthe position. If I couldn’t grow one after two weeks, Iwould have been ‘canned’ – luckily I pulled through.”

On 24 February, the Battle Axe was trooped throughthe ranks of the 70-strong Company for the 198th time.The battle commemoration took place in the blazingsun at Ledra Palace Hotel, a tribute to the valour andsacrifices of the Company’s forebears.

Force Commander Lt. Gen. Rafael Jose Barni inspec-ted the parade. He said, “It is interesting to note theprofessionalism and discipline displayed on one parade.The formality shows what is behind the soldier which is

esprit de corps, discipline, courage and enduring loyalty– everything is perfect.”

The Force Commander presented the Battery Com-mander, Maj. Sean Grant RA, with a framed print of anArgentinian Officer during the 1817 Wars of Indepen-dence (see photo below). These wars were conductedwhen Argentinian and Chilean Armies fought anddefeated the Colonial forces at Chacubuco andSantiago; an extremely apt gift, considering the BattleAxe Company went from the Battle of Martinique to thefight the Wars of Independence in America. Such wasthe reason for choosing the more practical Battletrophy.

The Battle Axe celebrations were completed in truefashion with a traditional curry lunch enjoyed by all,followed in the evening by a traditional Cypriot dinnerand dance in the north of the island.

Sgt. Dave Liversedge

On 23 February, after morethan four months of servicewith UNFICYP, the current

Argentinian Contingent celebratedthe presentation of its United Na-tions Medal at San Martín Camp.

During the ceremony, 141 menand women received the decorationin recognition of their peacekeepingduties on the island. Besides Argen-tinian peacekeepers, Sector 1 mem-bers from Chile, Paraguay and Peruwere also awarded medals.

The medal recipients were overand above the 75 Sector 1 peace-

keepers who had been decoratedearlier at the Integrated MedalParade, held in the UN Flight hangaron 15 February last.

Chief of Mission Michael Møllerand Force Commander Maj. Gen.Rafael Barni headed the parade. Mr.Møller acknowledged that the workof the Argentinian Contingent hascontributed greatly to the stabilityof the buffer zone in an area whichis potentially prone to conflict.SRSG Møller also thanked Sector 1personnel for the professional man-ner in which they have carried outtheir tasks.

This is the 28th Argentine Con-tingent to serve under the UN flagin Cyprus since September 1993when our first Task Force arrived.Since then, more than 10,000 Arg-entinian military peacekeepers haveserved with UNFICYP.

Once the parade was over,refreshments were served to medalrecipients and guests who camefrom all over the island to honourthe Argentinians on this very signi-ficant day.

No Argentinian celebration iscomplete without a demonstrationof the tango and folkloric dancing,so Sector 1 chose its best per-formers who added spirit and cheerto the occasion.

Serving under the United Nations flag is a veryexciting professional challenge for any soldier,from any country, but it’s also true to say that this

challenge involves a deep commitment to worldwidepeace.

Duty far away from home is not a simple task, par-ticularly when soldiers are more than 12,000 km awayfrom their loved ones, coming face-to-face with adifferent culture and, of course, a different conflict.

Three Argentinian peacekeepers have lost their livesduring their tours with UNFICYP. During the dailymorning parade on 6 March, members of the Argentin-ian Contingent paid homage to SSgt. Luis Albertod’Agata who died of a heart attack on 12 December1999, and Sgt. Oscar Alfredo Chocobar and Pte. JuanManuel Escalante, both of whom died on 1 March 2003in a car accident near OPT 09.

To honour these fallen Argentinian peacekeepers, allSector 1 troops attended a parade in St. Martín Campand observed a minute’s silence, during which a bugleaccord was played. CO Sector 1, Lt. Col. Justo FranciscoTreviranus, then said some words to remember thework that these Army men did in Cyprus. Subsequently,Contingent priest Father Anival Sousa gave a blessingin honour of their memory and their souls.

Through this note, Sector 1 would like to honour notonly these three Argentinians, but also the 173soldiers, policemen and civilians who have lost theirlives whilst on duty in Cyprus in the service of peace.

Gnr. Ross Patterson takes the leek ready for the “eat-off”


Visitors to UNFICYP


On the Sporting Scene ...

New Staff Members

Lt. Col. Guillermo Sergio Garcesjoined UNFICYP on 22 January as COUN Flight.

Born in Rosario, Argentina, in 1962,he graduated from the Argentinian AirForce Academy in 1984.

During his service with VII Air Bri-gade, he participated in several taskssuch as medical evacuation, commun-ity support in aid of natural disasters,fire-fighting operations and eight Ant-arctic summer campaigns.

In 1995, he joined the Argentiniannavy for two years and in 2000, hegraduated as a Staff Officer in the AirWar School.

His experience in peacekeeping op-erations includes two tours in UNFICYP(1998 and 2002) and MINUSTAH, Haiti.

Lt. Col. Garces is married to Gra-ciela and they have four children,Santiago (13), Maria Guillermina (9),Maria Catalina (5) and Francisco (15months).

Panos Antoniou took up his positionon 13 February as an HVAC Mechanic,taking over from Abdullah Housseinwho retired last December.

Panos comes from Nicosia and is acertified electrician, specialising in refri-geration. Previously, he worked for alocal domestic appliances company inNicosia.

Married to Antonia, they have threechildren, Andri (16), Magda (13) andChristos (8).

Panos’ hobbies include walking(he’s walked all over Cyprus!), musicand veteran cars.

Andreas Laoutaris joined UNFICYP asa Store Worker on 22 January, takingover from Andreas Dimitriou whoretired at the end of 2006.

Andreas comes from Limnia, avillage in the Famagusta area, and nowlives with his wife, Irene, in Nicosia.

Andreas’ position involves receivingand issuing food rations for the missionHQ and all sectors/units. Since arrivingat UNFICYP, Andreas says he is “veryhappy” working here, dealing with mili-tary, civilian and police personnel andmixing with all nationalities.

Andreas’ hobbies include footballand swimming. He also enjoys thetraditional Cypriot game of “tavli”(backgammon).

On 26 March, Dima Abdoul Samad,of Syrian/Cypriot descent, took overthe post of Liaison Assistant in the CivilAffairs Branch at HQ UNFICYP. Shereplaced Anita Thomas.

Dima has a B.A. degree in TurkishStudies from the University of Cyprusand an M.A. in International Relations.

Her work experience involves main-ly translation projects, since she isfluent in Arabic, Greek, Turkish andEnglish, and has a good comprehensionof Bulgarian.

Dima has a special interest in bi-communal affairs. She has interpretedin several bi-communal events on avoluntary basis, and she is also amember of the Bi-communal Choir.

Dima is committed to studyingmore foreign languages, and she lovesdancing. She is hoping to start LatinAmerican dancing lessons at HQUNFICYP. Currently, she is searchingfor a teacher!

Silva Devledian took over the post ofSupply Clerk in ISS Supply on 26March. She replaced Anastasia Neo-cleous who transferred to the FinanceSection.

Silva is involved with the admini-stration of contracts, budget, assetmanagement and requisitions.

Of Armenian origin, Silva comesoriginally from the Lebanon. She atten-ded the Melkonian boarding school inNicosia, and during that time she mether Cypriot husband, Assadour. Theymarried, moved to the States wherethey lived for 16 years. They have twochildren, Sevag (26) and Salpy (20).

A linguist, Silva worked mainly inthe insurance industry. She used herlanguage skills as a tour guide withvisitors coming mainly from Europe.

The family returned to Cyprus in1992 and now live in Nicosia. Silva’shobbies include reading, gardening andcooking.

In December 2006, Mark Hughesarrived in Cyprus to stay with somefriends for a short visit. He liked thelook of the island, saw an advertise-ment in the newspaper for radio tech-nician and applied. Mark took up theposition on 12 March, replacing Cha-ralambos Charalambous, who resignedfrom UNFICYP to take up a position inUNIFIL.

Mark, who hails from Bristol, gradu-ated with a City & Guilds diploma andhas been working in his home townwith the British Ministry of Defence intheir telecommunications department.

Mark is single and enjoys reading,swimming in the sea, boats, mountainbiking and, in particular, veteran sportscars.

On 6 March, Seton Hall University’s Whitehead School ofDiplomacy, making what is now an annual visit to the island,spent a morning at UNFICYP HQ. After briefings by SRSGMøller and the Chief of Staff, the students, led by Dean(former US Ambassador) John Menzies, toured the old NicosiaInternational Airport.

UNFICYP Strongman Competitiontook place on 9 March in the UNPA, organised by the MFR.Shown left is the winning team from Sector 4:From the left, Sgt. Jan Valenčík, Sgt. Vladimír Pliška, Sgt.Štefan Hudec and Sgt. Slavomír Gajdoš. The individual win-ner (kneeling) was MFR’s LCpl. Ludovít Vereš.

Nearly 40 runners from the Headquarters, the MFR and HQBRITCON took to the hills of Paphos on 11 March and,

roared on by families and friends, jogged their way around ademanding course on the hottest day of the year so far.

Times were not important, but ranged from around thefour-hour mark for the more serious marathon runners, toabout two hours for the half marathon. What was importantwas seeing UNFICYP out in force and playing, as well asworking, hard.

HQ BRITCON team: Standing, from the left: WO2 Tim Cook-Hannah, Maj. Fred Reid, Sgt. Rob Shubert, Maj. Matt Walker, WO1Peter Hall, Col. Peter Fraser-Hopewell, WO2 Simon Robinson.Kneeling: Sgt. Sarah Spencer and SSgt. Stan Houssain. SSgt. KevBurn - photographer

The UNPA Dolphin Swimming Pool opened with a biggersplash than usual this year. At 9.15 a.m. on 16 March,

a small group of loyal supporters watched as the COS, Col.Peter Fraser-Hopewell, in his role of COMBRITCON,officially declared the pool open for the season.

Rather than cutting a ceremonial ribbon, the COS divedin and swam a length, quickly followed by the MA to theForce Commander, Maj. Matt Walker. They both agreedthat the water was extremely fresh!

Among the onlookers, huddled in tracksuits, fleecesand even gloves, were some nervous BRITCON ladies.Angela Hall, Mandy Stanton, Clare Fraser-Hopewell, Lynn-etta Cook-Hannah and Cpl. Amanda Kent had all volun-teered to swim a length after the opening ceremony inorder to raise money for the charity SSAFA Forces Help.

So at 11 a.m., the brave volunteers arrived in swim-ming costumes. Encouraged by an impressive number ofsupporters and photographers, they lined up on the pool-side, held hands and jumped in at the deep end. The ladiescompleted not one but two lengths of the pool, emergingto cheers, applause and bacon sandwiches! They raised£300 through sponsorship from this event, and would liketo thank all who contributed.

The pool is now well and truly open – and can only getwarmer!

Admiral Juhani Kaskeala, Commander-in-Chief of the FinnishDefence Forces, visited UNFICYP on 3 March. He inspected anhonour guard at the Finnish Memorial Site in the UNPA, afterwhich he laid a wreath for fallen Finnish soldiers. The Admiralthen visited the Chief of Mission and Force Commander,following which he went on a brief buffer zone and city tour.

SpectacularSplash!

Paphos Half Marathon


A Winning Smile,A Winning Team!


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