MilitarySkillsCompetition

June 2006 – 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: unficyp-blue-beret@un.org

blueberetcyprus@hotmail.comWebsite:www.unficyp.org

Editorial TeamBrian KellyAnne BurseyCapt. Štefan ZemanovicMiriam TaylorNetha KreouzosSgt. Jozef Kocka (Photographer)

Unit Press OfficersSector 1 Capt. Mauricio Silvestre

Sector 2 2/Lt. Kirstie Main

Sector 4 MSgt. Silvia Lojanová

Capt. Tibor Berecz

MFR Lt. Belinda Stevens

UNPOL Sgt. Aidan Lynham

UN Flt Lt. Wenceslao Bona

FMPU Capt. Jozef Sventek

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 photoswith captions) are invited from allmembers of the Force.

Copyright of all material is vested in UNpublications, but may be reproducedwith the Editor’s permission.

Serv

ing

UN

FIC

YP

’s c

ivilia

n,

milit

ary

an

d p

olice

pers

on

nel

2 June 2006 – The Blue Beret

Front Cover: Military Skills Competition

Back Cover: Abusing the buffer zone

ContentsEditorial/Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2“Still Far From Home” / UNHCR T-Shirt Benefit . . . . .3Looking After Planet Cyprus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4/5UNFICYP’s Integrated Medal Parade . . . . . . . . . . . . .6The KLNKA Kids / Visits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Military Skills Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8/9Cypriots Cooperate Against Trafficking /

Cypriots’ Voyage of Understanding . . . . . . . . . . .10Singing for Cyprus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Bridge-building Engineers Make Their Mark! . . . . . .12The Carabinieri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Argentina – Young at 196 Years Old! . . . . . . . . . . .14National Days in Sector 1 / UNFICYP Triathlon . . . .15

For the thousands of people forced to flee theirhomes each year, escaping with their lives and afew belongings is often just the start of a long

struggle. Once they have found safety from persecu-tion or war, they still face enormous challenges justtrying to obtain things most of us take for granted –schooling, a job, decent housing or health care.

Hardship takes many forms,and hard choices must bemade. Aid agencies withlimited resources are oftenforced into painful prioritiza-tion exercises. Which is moreimportant for thousands of

children in a refugee camp, a school or a health clinic?In addition to their efforts to build new lives, manyrefugees bear psychological and physical scars frompast abuses that can endure for years, even in a com-pletely new environment. Families who face perse-cution in their own country may have to live under the

daily threat of being forcibly returned. Even in asylum,a refugee may be perceived as a threat, rather than avictim, and face intolerance or hostility.

Today, the global refugee population is at its lowestlevel since 1980. Over the past few years, the UnitedNations High Commissioner for Refugees has helpedmillions of people repatriate or start over in a country ofasylum. UN agencies are working together to ensurethat millions of people displaced within their owncountry, often in conditions similar to refugees, receivethe assistance they need. Here too, hundreds ofthousands of people, from the Russian Federation toLiberia, have been helped to go home voluntarily.

Yet as we mark World Refugee Day 2006, more thanhalf those that UNHCR cares for around the world havespent more than five years in exile. Let this Day serveas a reminder of our responsibility to help keep hopealive among those who need it most – the millions ofrefugees and displaced who are still far from home.

Kofi A. Annan

UNHCR in Cyprus marked WorldRefugee Day with the launch ofa fashion T-shirt in an effort to

raise awareness of the global refu-gee problem as well as raise fundsthat will be used to benefit asylumseekers and refugees in Cyprus.

The T-shirt was launched at areception opened by Mrs. PhotiniPapadopoulou at the Melina Mer-couri Hall in Nicosia on 22 June.Cypriot designer Kika Ioannidoutook up the challenge of designingthe T-shirt with all the proceedsgoing to UNHCR. There are currently

600 recognised refugees and afurther 12,000 asylum seekers livingin Cyprus.

UNHCR Representative in CyprusCristina Planas said the T-shirt aimsat being a “walking message” tospread awareness of the circum-stances of the refugees, their rightsand the overall right to a dignifiedlife. “It aims at having much more

impact than a banner that UNHCRcould hang in Eleftheria Square by

virtue of being transmitted by thepeople themselves, reminding eachother of being sensitive to othersthat are less fortunate and happythan us. Ms. Planas urged people toshow their support by buying the T-shirts at designated retail outlets onthe island (a list is available fromUNHCR, tel: 22-359043). The pro-ceeds from the sale of the T-shirtswill benefit asylum seekers andrefugees in Cyprus by enhancingUNHCR’s support, advocacy andsupervision capacities

Throughout their long and daunting journey fromoppression and persecution to asylum and pro-tection, and eventually to a place they can call

home, refugees show incredible strength, courage anddetermination. Their journey is a dangerous and ardu-ous one and every day spent in exile is a day too long.

But in every step of their journey refugees carry withthem an unshakable, unrelenting hope. By hanging onto their hopes for basic survival, sustenance and pro-tection, and for the chance to one day rebuild theirlives, refugees defy all odds. As the UN Refugee Agencywe continue to be impressed by the tenacious hopeful-ness of refugees which, in turn, motivates us to leaveno stone unturned in the fulfilment of our mandate, to

protect them and to find durable solutions to theirplight.

On World Refugee Day, we ask you to remember themillions of refugees under our care who are trying topick up the pieces of once-peaceful lives. As different asthey are from each other, onething connects them all: hope fora better future and a chance torestore lasting peace to theirlives.

Help us keep that flame of hope alive!United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

António Guterres20 June 2006

In extending our mandate for a further six months,the Security Council has expressed regret that “thegap between words and deeds remains too great forthe Secretary-General to resume fully his goodoffices mission”, and urged “progress towards theresumption of negotiations for a comprehensivesettlement”. The Council encouraged active participation in bi-communal discussions at the technical level, underthe SRSG’s leadership, and welcomed resumption ofCMP activities, as well as the agreement of bothleaders to meet for the installation of the 3rdMember of the CMP.The Council noted with concern “the increase in un-authorized construction of building for personal andcommercial use in the buffer zone,” and encouragedboth sides “to engage in consultations with UNFICYPon the demarcation of the buffer zone, and torespect UNFICYP’s mandate and operations in thebuffer zone”.It also expressed “concern at continued disagree-ment over construction activity relating to theproposed additional crossing point at Ledra Street”and urged “both sides to cooperate with UNFICYP toresolve this issue”.The Council welcomed progress in demining andexpressed strong support for UNFICYP’s efforts “toextend operations to Turkish forces minefields in therest of the buffer zone”.The Council also welcomed the SRSG’s emphasis on“greater cohesiveness in the efforts of the UnitedNations family in Cyprus”.Meantime, we look ahead to the CMP meeting earlynext month when the two leaders join SRSG Møllerin welcoming 3rd Member Christophe Girod. Imme-diately after comes the much anticipated visit by theSG’s envoy, USG Gambari, hopefully to learn that“the gap between words and deeds” referred to inthe SC Resolution has begun to narrow.

Editorial“Still Far From Home”

WorldRefugee Day -20 June

Keeping theFlame of

Hope Alive

Keeping theFlame of

Hope Alive

UNHCR T-Shirt Benefit – Nicosia

Swedish Ambassador H.E. Mr. IngemarLindahl making his purchases

UNHCR Representative in CyprusCristina Planas (second right) at theT-shirt launch

Mrs. Photini Papadopoulou addressingthe World Refugee Day reception

June 2006 – The Blue Beret 54 June 2006 – The Blue Beret

The biggest fire hazard within UNFICYP at this time ofthe year is dry grass and vegetation. By taking

precautions and paying attention, you can prevent firesand save lives. Following some simple rules can helpprevent a fire, which can rapidly get out of control andthreaten life and property.1. Don’t throw away lit cigarettes and/or matches.2. Don’t smoke in offices and accommodation

buildings – use designated areas.3. Don’t use dustbins as ashtrays in your smoking

areas – use the ashtrays provided.4. Don’t throw away glass materials such as empty

bottles or broken mirrors.5. Don’t park your car near dry grass or vegetation –

the heat can cause a disaster.6. Don’t leave your vehicle engine running – always

switch it off.7. Don’t have a barbecue anywhere other than in

designated places.8. Don’t leave your barbecue unattended – when

finished, use water or sand/soil to damp down thefire.

9. Don’t burn sensitive material – contact UNFICYPFire HQ, Ext 4453/4 UNPA.

10. Don’t use water if electricity poles are involved in

the fire, especially near UNFICYP OPs – use drypowder/CO2 fire extinguishers or fire beaters/green tree branches.

11. Don’t start your patrol without having at least fourfire beaters in your patrol vehicle (also check your500/700 grams dry powder fire extinguisher andmedical kit).

12. Don’t risk your life to fight a fire – your life comesfirst. If it is safe to do so, then try and help. Other-wise, wait for the fire crew.

13. Don’t fight buffer zone/grass/forest fires alone –always attack the fire in groups.

14. Don’t fight buffer zone/grass fire up or down wind– always from a cross wind direction, being mindfulof smoke and radiation heat.

15. Don’t forget when fighting fires that mines arepresent in the buffer zone.

16. Don’t spread buffer zone/grass/forest fire withyour boots – always wash them as you leave thearea.

17. Don’t forget the fire/emergency telephone no. 22-61-4777.

Civilian fire emergency telephone numbers:South-112 or 199

North-199 NPQ

Basic Precautions Against Buffer Zone/Grass/Forest Fires

There was a timely if alarmingreminder on 8 June that thedry, dusty days of summer

bring with them the recurringhazard of fires.

Deminers, with a fire servicebackup, were carrying out a care-fully planned, routine controlburn in minefield areas along theUNPA’s Concession Road fromearly that morning. The purposewas to burn off surface scrub andvegetation in the minefield tomake clearance work easier forsubsequent demining activities.

The work proceeded withoutincident until strong winds sprangup around lunchtime. Fanned bythe wind, the flames spreadrapidly out of control. Soon theyhad jumped the hard top roadand were threatening to cut offbuildings and traffic routing in

andthroughthe UNPA.Four vehicles

from the FireDepartment in thesouth and two vehicles from thenorth joined UNFICYP in fightingthe fire.Eventually,it was putout at about5.30 p.m.

The firecaused noinjuries, but there was somedamage to a number of unusedbuildings. Fire service vehiclesand personnel remained at thescene overnight as a precau-tion. UNFICYP salutes and thanksthe services involved and theircrew for their cooperation andsupport.

Desertification, which was thetheme of this year’s WorldEnvironment Day, is of parti-

cular concern in Cyprus, where thewater balance is increasingly nega-tive, as a result mainly of agricul-tural activity, and where erosion is amajor issue, as a result of miningand quarrying. Business plays a keyrole, both as a factor in environ-mental deterioration of the island,as well as holding the key topotential solutions.

For World Environment Day,UNDP’s Action for Cooperation andTrust organised the “Eco Forum –World Environment Day”, a three-day event from 5 to 7 June. The

event brought over 140 participantsfrom both communities, includinglocal and international experts, aca-demia, NGOs, the media, decision-makers, educators and interestedindividuals to the Holiday Inn inNicosia to discuss potential solutionsto the problems of desertification inCyprus. There was a strong empha-sis on success stories on CorporateEnvironmental Responsibility withinthe framework of the United NationsGlobal Compact.

In a pre-recorded opening speech,SRSG Møller explained that bothcommunities shared a common eco-system, and he emphasized theneed for bicommunal cooperation topreserve this shared environment.

“The reality is that the two com-munities exist in a single, island-wide ecosystem. One that knows noboundaries. One that recognizes nodivision. One that awaits no settle-ment,” Møller said.

This set the tone for the entireevent. Nicolas Jarraud, Environmen-tal Officer for UNDP-ACT, continuedalong the same lines. He stressedthe need to work together to findisland-wide solutions to environ-mental issues of common concern.Using the ex-ample of theavian influenzacrisis earlier inthe year, Dr.Jarraud said:“Everybody re-cognized thatthe buffer zone would not stopcontaminated birds from flyingacross, that the island is a singleepidemiological area, and that onlyconcerted action could keep theisland safe.” Dr. Jarraud also stressedthe need to emphasize these solu-tions, rather than focusing only onthe problems facing the ecology ofCyprus.

World Environment Day was also marked by aseries of clean-up operations in the buffer zonewith UNFICYP linking up with local municipal

officials to remove waste from a number of illegaldumping sites.

As can be seen from the photos, UNFICYP’s Sector 2peacekeepers joined forces with municipal officialsfrom Engomi to remove waste from illegal dumpingsites in the buffer zone near the new Lakatamia

housing estate on the outskirts ofNicosia.

In Dherynia, municipalityworkers under UNFICYP Sector 4escort started working to clearrubbish dumped behind DheryniaHospital and the abandonedKouroupis factory.

Anything from furniture to the carcasses of deadanimals are deposited in these unsightly dumpingsites. They are both an environmental eyesore as wellas a serious health hazard. UNFICYP and the localauthorities appeal to the public to desist from thisillegal practice, and to show greater respect for the UN-controlled buffer zone.

Fire fighters from north and south helped extinguish the flames UN vehicles refilling local fire engines

Unslightly rubbish tip in the bz on the outskirts of Lakatamia

Municipal officials from Engomi with Sector 2 soldiers andUNPOL

Dherynia municipal workers tackled dump sites near OPs 141and 142Carcasses of two dead calves in the buffer zone

UNDPEcoforum

Fire fightingFire fightingin thein the

buffer zonebuffer zone

Fire fightingFire fightingin thein the

buffer zonebuffer zone

Buffer zoneclean up

7June 2006 – The Blue Beret6 June 2006 – The Blue Beret

Slovak Folklorelives throughChildren’sDances

UNFICYP is working hard to en-courage the opposing forcesalong the buffer zone to pull

back and to unman positions in oldNicosia, SRSG Michael Møller saidwhen addressing the integratedmedal parade on 13 June. Anagreement to do so would send apowerful message of hope to thepopulation of both communitiesthat things are moving in the rightdirection, the Chief of Missiondeclared.

UNFICYP’s third integrated medalparade ceremony was held at thesite of the old international airportin the United Nations ProtectedArea (UNPA), close to UNFICYP’sheadquarters in Nicosia.

Some 215 peacekeepers werepresented with United Nations peace-keeping medals in the name ofSecretary-General Kofi Annan at asunset ceremony presided over bySRSG Møller and UNFICYP ForceCommander Maj. Gen. Rafael Barni.

The attendance included mem-bers of the diplomatic communityas well as civilian and military per-sonnel from UNFICYP and the UNagencies plus family members. Themedals awarded were in recogni-tion of the recipients’ contributionas peacekeepers and peacemakersduring their service with UNFICYP.

SRSG Møller introduced UNFICYP’snew Force Commander, Maj. Gen.Rafael Barni of Argentina, to theassembled guests, giving a warmwelcome to the FC and his wife,Maria Rosa, to the mission. TheChief of Mission noted that Maj.Gen. Barni is UNFICYP’s 15th ForceCommander.

SRSG Møller told the gatheringthat the medal ceremony was beingheld at the site of the old inter-national airport right in the heart ofwhat, since the traumatic events of

1974, had been known as theUnited Nations Protected Area.“Since then, the UNPA has beenboth symbol and core of the bufferzone, our area of operations, eventhough the opposing forces con-tinue to disagree on the exactdelineation of its ceasefire lines.

“As the SG notes in his latestreport to the Security Council, the

military and security situationalong the ceasefire lines remainsgenerally stable with the opposingforces showing cooperation andexercising restraint. However, thenumber of incidents reported in thesix months covered by the latestreport, though mostly minor innature, did increase to 468 fromthe 397 recorded during the pre-vious six-months.

“This does not reflect a deteriora-tion of the situation here on island,but rather the higher incidentdetection rate resulting from UNFI-CYP’s mobile concept of operationsin effect since the Force down-sizedto 860 in 2004. Most of these dailyincidents occur in areas where theopposing forces come closest toone another, notably in the Nicosiaarea.

Mr. Møller said the medal recipi-ents exemplified the highest stan-dards of the UN Charter, and com-mended them for their dedicatedprofessionalism while serving withUNFICYP. He wished those com-pleting their tour of duty a safe triphome, a joyful reunion with fami-lies and friends and the best of luckand success in their future assign-ments.

Slovaks have always expressedtheir joys and sorrows, long-ings and desires through

singing and dancing, folk costumesand traditions. Although the modernlifestyle is bringing in new values,Slovak folk art has remained a per-manent source of inspiration towhich new generations return.Children, especially, have been dis-covering its magic by participatingin folklore ensembles like KLNKA,based at Dubravka in Bratislava andsupervised by Eugen Suchon Pri-mary School.

This group recently visitedCyprus to participate in a Children’sFestival where they performed tra-ditional Slovak dances. Under theguidance of dance teacher IngridSankova and Mikulas Sivy jr., thebeauty of Slovak folklore was alsobrought to Camp General Štefánik inSector 4 on 5 June.

The group has been travellingboth in Slovakia and worldwidesince being formed in 1978. Thefolklore dance group has performedin various festivals, charity andsocial events at home and abroad.On their “small voyage around theworld”, the group has entertainedviewers in the former Yugoslavia,Poland, the Czech Republic, Hun-gary, Austria, Germany, Turkey,France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Portu-gal, Ireland, South Africa, Canada,Tunisia, Korea, Egypt, Israel and theIsland of Madeira.

Their repertoire comprises dancesfrom various regions of Slovakia anddances of other nations includingIrish, Egyptian and Balkan. In addi-tion, the group has also been knownto sing, especially Christmas carols.

As one of the children fromKLNKA said: “We enjoy using ourfree time in this way, at the same

time learning to be responsible anddisciplined. We are also proud ofbeing recognised by dance profes-sionals, having been awarded manyprizes both at home and abroad.

“We believe we will be able toshare our enjoyment with you, ouraudiences and friends for manyyears to come. Thank you.”

MSgt. Silvia Lojanová

Visits in June

UNFICYP’s IntegratedMedal ParadeUNFICYP’s IntegratedMedal Parade

SRSG Michael Møller addresses theparade

Hungarian Ambassador H.E. Mr. JanosKisfalvi presenting a Slovak soldierwith the peacekeeping medal

FC Maj. Gen. Barni decorating anArgentinian peacekeeper

Visits this month included an office call byMembers of the European Parliament (High LevelContact Group) to the Chief of Mission on 2 June

(top left).On 19 June, Brig. Gen. C.E. Perona of the Argen-

tinian Air Force met with the Chief of Mission. TheForce Commander later briefed Gen. Perona on themission (above).

The Honorable James Short, Australian SpecialEnvoy for Cyprus, arrived at HQ UNFICYP on 22 June,accompanied by Australian High Commissioner GarthHunt, to make an office call on the SRSG (bottomleft).

The Force Commander takes to the floor

9June 2006 – The Blue Beret8 June 2006 – The Blue Beret

On a day when the United Nations and Secretary-General Kofi Annan marked International Peace-keepers’ Day, UNFICYP peacekeepers, led by Force

Commander Maj. Gen. Rafael Barni, celebrated theevent at the mission’s twice-yearly Military Skills com-petition. With 10 teams in total and competitors from allthree sectors, plus UNPOL, MFR and HQ UNFICYP, thestage was set for a demanding display of militaryprowess.

For those involved, the competition started wellbefore 31 May. In the case of Sector 2, those selected fortraining had been working out since their arrival on-island in the hope of becoming one of the elite 12selected to represent one of the sector’s two six-personteams. All trained hard in areas such as vehicle recog-nition, UNFICYP knowledge, stripping and assemblingnon-issue weapons, marksmanship, and of coursephysical fitness.

On the morning of the event, the teams left bleary-eyed at 3.30 a.m. in order to register at EXCON by 4.15a.m. First up was the kit check and weigh-in. All teamspassed with flying colours, before dressing down to thestart of the stretcher race. Undulating terrain stretchingalong 2.5 km of narrow tracks and serious hard worksaw the teams dashing for the finish line.

A quick gulp of water and the teams were seateddown to complete an individual questionnaire thatwouldn’t have looked out of place on the “Mastermind”programme. With that behind them, the teams went

their separate ways to complete the round robin of otherstands, which tested all of the competitors’ mental andphysical strengths. These stands included cross countrydriving, incident reaction, navigation, ops information,ranges and foreign weapon stripping and assembling.

Gathering around EXCON for the final event of theday, all the talk was about who would emerge thewinners. With the results a closely guarded secret, it wasrumoured to be extremely tight between Sector 2, MFRand Sector 1. All would rest on one last push around theassault course. With all the teams back in, and with anexcellent crowd, Sector 2 Team A started the ball rolling.The determination demonstrated by all competitors wasevident as they threw themselves from obstacle toobstacle before collapsing across the line to set the markfor everyone else to follow. Quick times followed fromteams from MFR and Sector 1, before the second Sector2 team brought the whole event to a close with anexcellent time, despite the heat and exhaustion of a longand tiring day.

With the final results still unclear, the teamsassembled in the prize-giving area. Following congra-tulations from the Force Commander, the top threewere announced, with MFR stealing the show, Sector 2team A tight on their heels and Sector 1 close behind.

Celebrations followed before the competitors retired,exhausted from an excellent day and a hard foughtcompetition.

2/Lt Kirstie Main

Motivated by what I had been told by my predeces-sors, 12 Battery from 12 Regiment RA, I knewwhen I arrived in Cyprus that I wanted to take

some part in the Military Skills Competition. Participationbecame “full on” when I found myself nominated as theMobile Force Reserve (MFR) Team 2i/c!

Two things started to worry me. First, training forsuch an arduous and demanding event at the start of thesummer months on a Mediterranean island. Second, find-ing some way to collect an enthusiastic group of volun-teers. Unsurprisingly, the latter was harder. However, Ifound the majority of the young soldiers in my platoonvolunteered with minimal fuss. With two Argentinians,two Hungarians, one Slovakian and a massive languagebarrier to overcome, I met up with my Team Captain.

Lt. Benjamin Baldwinson had the task of producing atraining programme for the next six weeks. Being on anoperational tour, timings slipped and classrooms weregetting double booked, so the programme and the teamhad to be flexible and roll with the punches. After extrac-ting as much information out of 12 Regiment as we could,Lt. Baldwinson and I had a good understanding of thechallenge that lay ahead.

So the training started. Due to the daytime tempera-tures, we started physical training at 6.30 a.m. Thisranged from light trainer runs and swimming sessions, togoing over the assault course. It continued until everymember of the team knew exactly where they were sup-posed to be at any given moment. This also had toinclude orchestrating all the reserve members. Weeklyorienteering and weighted runs were also completed,along with range days, first aid sessions and recognitiontraining.

All too soon, the day of the event came around. I hadstarted to wonder if we had done enough training for it.Only time would tell. On 31 May at 4.00 a.m., the daybegan with the weigh-in, and then we were off on thefirst of eight events, the stretcher race. This was won bya team from the Argentinian Contingent but we came arespectable third out of the 10 teams taking part.

Still holding our heads high, we progressed throughthe day, steadily climbing up the results table by scoringconsistently well across a variety of stands includingmarksmanship, navigation, cross country driving and tofinish, the assault course. The team completed (andwon) this final arduous test in just over seven minutes ofhard work in 35oC and bright sunshine.

When the final results were announced by the ForceCommander, the MFR (3/29 {Corunna} Bty) had won byan impressive 120 points over the second place team andwere proclaimed Military Skills Competition champions.

Sgt. Scott Henshaw, MFR

UNFICYP’sMilitary Skills Competition

Aim - fire Mind your feetThe 4-metre wallAmmo carry - upside down

25 kg weight going for a run

The stretcher run

Over we go

The UNFICYP Mobile Force Reserve winning teamFrom left (Standing): Sgt. S. Henshaw, Bdr. C. Lambert, Sgt. I. Ruiz, Lt. B. Baldwinson

(Kneeling): LBdr. A. Fennell and MSgt. Z. Fider

10

The first meeting of the “Bi-Communal Anti-TraffickingGroup” took place at the Ledra

Palace Hotel on 22 June, underUNFICYP auspices, with Civil AffairsSally Anne Corcoran in the chair.

The Group was formed followingUNFICYP’s International Women’sDay event when a panel of GreekCypriot and Turkish Cypriot womenspoke about how to join forces andcombat the insidious practice of thetrafficking and sexual exploitationof women and girls in Cyprus.

Many of the panelists andparticipants from the originalInternational Women’s Day event –both from the private and publicsectors on both sides, as well asfrom the international community –participated as members in thenewly formed bi-communal group,whose main purpose is to combatthis big, human rights problem inthe small country of Cyprus. Allpresent were activists in their ownspheres, committed to women’srights.

The purpose of this inauguralmeeting was to establish the struc-ture and focus of the group and todiscuss recent developments andsuggestions for combatting traffick-ing in Cyprus. All agreed that thebi-communal nature of the Groupwas of extreme benefit and that thedifferent realities vis a vis traffickingon both sides of the island made theexchange of information crucial.UNFICYP will continue to support theGroup’s activities, whether throughthe facilitation of meetings at theLedra Palace and/or by bringing inUN or international expertise on thesubject of trafficking.

The group plans to gather againin the near future for a longer work-shop in which the specifics for theway forward and the group dyna-mics will be agreed upon.

In Cyprus, some things change, but others frustratinglyremain the same. It is almost 10 years since theBicommunal Choir for Peace in Cyprus was formed,

and today, the “for Peace” part of its name is as relevantas ever.

Many of us hoped that a solution to the Cyprusproblem by now would have led to the choir performingin a wholly different environment, its existence justanother aspect of normal cooperation between Cypriotsat all levels, from politics to businesses to culture.

For various reasons, this was not to be. The choir’spresence is all the more needed for that. It has beenthree years since one of the major changes in Cyprus –the opening of the crossing points. In those first monthsafter the openings, there was a flurry of real contactbetween ordinary people on both sides of the island.Gradually, this interaction faded until today, it hasbecome the exception more than the rule.

As the SG noted inhis recent report onthe renewal of ourmandate, “UNFICYPhas recorded a totalof about 10.6 millioncrossings since theopening of the cross-ing points in April2003 but three yearsafter the first open-ing, there is little tono evidence of inte-gration”.

The choir remainsone of the few excep-tions to the SG’s

observation. When the choir sings, be it in Greek, Turkish,or whatever other language, the audience cannot tell whois Greek Cypriot and who is Turkish Cypriot. Admittedly,we once had a French member, who stuck out like a sorethumb.

When we travelled abroad on several occasions in thepast to perform concerts, we made a conscious effort toshare rooms with friends from “the other side”.

No political arguments ever ensued from such arrange-ments, as far as I know. Although I did have a disagree-ment with my roommate – over which one of us snoredthe loudest!

Some things have changed for the better, some arethe same, some have changed for the worse.

In the “bad old days”, we could only rehearse togetherat Pyla. On those occasions, it was a round trip fromNicosia of over 100 km (or when we had gone abroad toperform, we found ourselves considerably more than 100km from home!). Now our rehearsals take place un-hindered every week at the Ledra Palace’s bicommunalroom.

Apart from our rehearsals, we can also meet up for ameal or a coffee at any time in Kyrenia, in Limassol, or ifthe mood takes us, even in Nicosia!

But some things are depressingly the same. TheCyprus problem remains unsolved.

Indeed, the April 2004 referendum put a strain on thechoir. While no one discussed it openly, it was clear thatthe split between how Greek Cypriots and TurkishCypriots would vote, that manifested itself in society as awhole also occurred within the choir. Some TurkishCypriot members, convinced that Greek Cypriots hadmade a choice in favour of living separately from TurkishCypriots, “voted with their feet” and quit. But not all.

Thankfully, the choir has recently witnessed a newinflux of both Turkish Cypriots who decided to return, andof several new Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot mem-bers, all of whom seem as determined as ever to provethat there are more things to unite Cypriots than dividethem.

One new member is Turkish Cypriot conductor KürsatTilki, who, in the six months since joining, has made hisinfluence felt by introducing some highly effective newarrangements of Turkish Cypriot songs previouslyperformed by the choir. He has also enriched ourrepertoire by introducing new songs. As he said in arecent interview with the trilingual weekly newspaper,Dialogue, “We practically resurrected the choir from thedead.”

Tilki says everyone in the choir favours finding alasting solution to the Cyprus problem, a message ofpeace they chose to express via music. “We have lit acandle. The light will grow brighter with bicommunalevents organised by the youth so that the torch of peacecan be carried with hope into the future.”

The choir’s Greek Cypriot conductor Lena Melanidou,a founder member, told the same paper: “We want toshow people that through singing in unison, people cancome alive and share this life. The referendum resultscaused a crisis for the choir which set us backenormously. The ‘no’ vote in the south profoundly dis-couraged our Turkish Cypriot members and they stayedaway for quite a while.”

She added: “We needed time to overcome ourproblems. We have to succeed for peace and friendship tosucceed.”

In June, the reinvigorated choir made its presence feltwith four concerts – on both sides of Nicosia, in Limassol,and in Kyrenia. It was an opportunity to present a newrepertoire along with an old message – that Cypriots cansing and work together.

Some things change, however. The turnout for most ofthe concerts was quite poor. Apart from the first per-formance at the Nicosia Municipal Theatre, all the othervenues were only half full. Three years ago, when thechoir gave a similar series of concerts just after the open-ing of the crossing points, it sang to packed audiences.

Perhaps that fact that this time round, the perfor-mances coincided with televised World Cup matches alsoaffected attendance. Still, the conclusion has to be thatthe widespread enthusiasm that existed three years agoseems to have ebbed.

But other things stay the same. Those who did attendwere as enthusiastic as ever in their applause for Cypriotsso united in performance that one cannot tell who hasGreek or who has Turkish as a mother tongue.

Some things change. The choir always used to end itsperformances with the words of Turkish Cypriot poet NeseYasin, “My country has been divided into two/which of thetwo should I love?”, set to music by well-known GreekCypriot composer Marios Tokas.

This time, we ended our concerts with Ode to Joy, withlyrics in Greek, Turkish and English. The anthem of theunited Europe – the Europe of diverse peoples andcommunities joined together in political and economicunion – carries an appropriate message, pointing towhere the future of the island as a whole must surely lie.

Cypriots CooperateAgainst Trafficking

Singing for CyprusSinging for Cyprus

Cypriots’ Voyage of Understanding

Twelve young Cypriots willjoin 36 young people fromother countries for a 10-

day European Voyage of Under-standing in August. The 48-strong crew, aged between 16to 25 years, will board a 60-metre traditional square-riggedsailing ship at Gibraltar on 3August and sail 1,100 km tothe Mediterranean island ofMinorca.

The young people will keepregular watches 24 hours a day,taking turns at steering, sail-handling, cleaning and all theother tasks necessary to keepthe ship seaworthy. This uniqueexperience will offer them theopportunity to live and worktogether at close quarters andto practise tolerance and com-munication skills. English will bespoken on board ship.

Cypriots who have sailed onsimilar international voyages in2004 and 2005 have found thatthe experience of teamwork in aphysically demanding environ-ment is life-changing.

Simon Lavington, the projectorganiser and a volunteer WatchLeader aboard the ship, said:“The results in terms ofincreased international under-standing have been heart-warming. The Cypriot crewshave held reunions, given radiointerviews and presentations toschools. Some of these youngpeople and their parents are nowhelping to organise the Cypriotparticipation in this year’s voyage.”

Six Turkish Cypriots and sixGreek Cypriots will be selected byinterview for the August voyage.Further information about theproject will be found at:www.sweetlemons.org.uk.

The vessel is one of twoowned by the Tall Ships YouthTrust – see: www.tallships.org.The Trust, a UK-registered char-ity founded in 1956, is dedicatedto the personal development ofyoung people through thecrewing of Tall Ships. Voyagesare organised throughout theyear, in locations from the Balticto the Caribbean, as an effectiveway of developing self-confi-dence and the ability to get onwith people of differing back-grounds. “Sailing provides agreat environment for breakingdown barriers and encouragingfriendships among opposites,”said Tim Law, a Director of TallShips Youth Trust.

On board the ship, theyoung crew will be supervisedby six professional officers and12 volunteers. Maintaining asquare-rigged ship to interna-tional safety standards is notcheap and the cost of eachvoyage is beyond the pocket ofmost young people. For thisreason, a Cypriot team thatincludes representatives fromGenclik Merkezi, Symfiliosi andYouth Encountering Peace hasbeen working for severalmonths to raise money forCypriots to participate in theGibraltar-to-Minorca voyage inAugust.The main sponsors of the 2006

Voyage of Understanding are UNDP-Action for Cooperation and Trust,USAID and the British High Commis-sion, Nicosia.

UNFICYP informationassistant, NeofytosEvdokiou, a long-timemember of the Bi-communal Choir forPeace in Cyprus,reflects on its role in achanging and not-so-changing Cyprus

June 2006 – The Blue Beret

Professor Maria Hadjipavlou(University of Cyprus) and Sally AnneCorcoran, UNFICYP

The choir in concert at theNicosia Municipal Theatre on 7 June

June 2006 – The Blue Beret

13June 2006 – The Blue BeretJune 2006 – The Blue Beret12

The “Carabinieri” is the short-ened (and common) name forthe “Arma dei Carabinieri”, an

Italian military corps of the gendar-merie type with police functions,which also serves as the Italianmilitary police. Historically, a “Cara-biniere” was a cavalry soldier armedwith a carbine (rifle). Their motto is“Nei Secoli Fedeli” (Faithful forCenturies).History

The corps was created by KingVictor Emmanuel I of Savoy, with theaim of providing the SardinianKingdom with a police corps similarto the French Gendarmerie. AfterFrench soldiers had occupied Turin atthe end of the 18th century and laterabandoned it to the Savoy family,the corps of “Carabinieri Reali” wasinstituted under the “Regie Patenti”(Royal Patent) of 13 July 1814.

Both a military and a policecorps, the “Carabinieri” have fought

in every conflict in which Italy hasbeen involved, suffering heavylosses and being awarded manydecorations for gallantry.

The “Carabinieri” recently be-came an armed force (alongside theItalian Army, Navy and Air Force.

In recent years, Carabinieri unitshave been dispatched all over theworld in peacekeeping missions inclu-ding in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistanand Iraq.

In 2004, 12 Carabinieri werekilled in a suicide bomb attack ontheir base in Nasiriyah, near Basra,in southern Iraq.

At the Sea Islands Conference ofthe G8 in 2004, the Carabinieri weregiven the mandate to establish aCentre of Excellence for StabilityPolice Units (CoESPU) to spearheadthe development of training and doc-trinal standards for civilian policeunits attached to international peace-keeping missions.

A common phrase in the north ofItaly goes:“Se si tocca un carabiniere sullespalle come prima cosa allamattina, porta fortuna”,which, translated, means:“If you touch a carabinieri on theshoulder first thing in the morn-ing, this brings you luck”.Watch out, carabinieri!

The Carabinieri

Although only four in number, the Italian Contin-gent of UNPOL made a great impression on theirguests whom they invited to help celebrate the

192nd anniversary of the foundation of the “Arma deiCarabinieri”.

At 7.00 p.m. on 8 June, Ledra SCAT CommanderCh. Insp. Salvatore Masia, Commander of the firstItalian Contingent, welcomed everyone and invited allto stand for the national anthem. Addresses weremade by Italian Ambassador Dr. Luigi Napolitano andSenior Police Adviser Carla van Maris. Both praised thework of the Carabinieri in Italy and in all peacekeepingmissions.

The official Order of Day, signed by the Carabinieri

Commander General Luciano Gottardo, was read byCivil Affairs Police Liaison Officer Insp. Marco Tupini.He then recited the “Carabinieri’s Prayer” in honour ofthe Italian victims in Iraq and other military and civilianvictims of peacekeeping operations. A promotionalfilm, outlining the duties and activities of the Carabin-ieri, was shown as well.

The UNPOL club was full to the brim. Once the filmwas over, guests spilled outside to the cool of the patioand a delicious spread of Italian dishes including tradi-tional delicacies. The crowning touch was the Carabin-ieris’ celebration cake!

There may only be four Carabinieri on island, buttheir presence is indeed recognised!

The long-term plan of the Engineering Unit based atHQ UNFICYP in the UNPA is to ensure that trackconditions within each sector’s AOR are safe and

secure for the soldiers to patrol. These tracks often fallinto a bad state of repair, particularly during the rainyseason when landslides can cause heavy damage.These repairs are not simple, easy tasks, and areusually tackled during the dry summer months.

One major problem existed at the Lefka crossingpoint in Sector 1’s AOR last winter when a bridge,located in a valley, fell into a very bad state of repair.

1/Lt. István Orovecz of the Engineering Unit ins-pected the site, and briefed Force Engineer Maj. KarolKubica on the situation. It was decided to retain part ofthe old construction and rebuild the remainder as therainy season was close. The bridge was frequently sub-merged and there were fears for Sector 1’s patrols. InDecember, the reconstruction work started. Water wasalready flowing along the river and had to be divertedto allow the engineers a dry surface. Nevertheless,within three weeks, the bridge was totally renovated,and the river now flows uninterrupted by debris.

The engineering team then moved on to Sector 2’sAOR, just south of the Famagusta Gate on the mainpatrol track of Sector 2’s East Troop. The engineershad been called in because the original construction of

“Liri Bridge” had deteriorated and was in a hazardouscondition.

An inspection of the site showed there were manyproblems to correct. A plan was drawn up by the ForceEngineer and his assistant on 1 April. First of all, theriver bed was too narrow for the speed of water flow.Rubbish was being carried down to the bridge andblocking the culverts. Both the river and bridge had tobe widened. However, patrols could not be interrupted,so provision had to be made for use of the tracks duringthe repair works. The surface conditions were extremelybad in the area, so much so that when the bulldozerstarted excavating land on either side of the river towiden it, the machine sank into the soft clay and had tobe hauled up, a job that took eight hours!

This bridge is part of the patrol track in the bufferzone, but it is also widely used by civilians with fields inthe area. It is now easily accessible for local farmersand their machines. The bridge was opened on 10 May.

Then in June, a completely new bridge was built onthe Montgomery patrol track near Sector 2’s OP 86, thelargest undertaking by the Engineering Unit to date.Fifty-five cubic metres of concrete and 30 culverts wererequired to complete the job. “And a lot of sweat too,”says 1/Lt. Orovecz!

1/Lt. István Orovecz

Bridge-building Engineers Make Their Mark

Cutting the cake are (fromthe left) Ch. Insp. AntonelloDe Chiara, Insp. MassimoDiagora, Ch. Insp. SalvatoreMasia and Insp. Marco Tupini

Patrols near Sector 2’s OP 86... ... now use the newly constructed bridge

The old culverts just south of the Famagusta Gate in Sector 2...

Sector 1 Lefka crossing point site of ... ... the renovated bridge

... get a new look

Mo

ntg

om

ery

Bri

dg

eLir

i B

rid

ge

Lefk

a B

rid

ge

June 2006 – The Blue Beret 15June 2006 – The Blue Beret14

It’s well-known in UNFICYP that the ArgentinianContingent has been working alongside soldiers fromother South American countries for over four years.

The Paraguayan military joined Sector 1 in 2002.On 28 March last, 15 Paraguayan soldiers, including

one MOLO, arrived in Cyprus to join the ArgentinianContingent. They celebrated the 195th anniversary ofParaguayan independence on 15 Maylast.

An internal parade took place at RocaCamp where most of them are stationed.At 8.00 a.m., the event started with thesalute of Sector 1 CO, Lt. Col. Claudio Javier Piedra-Buena. Then the Paraguayan flag was honoured whilethe troops sang their national hymn. Sector 1 officers,including representatives of the Chilean and Peruviancomponents, joined their Paraguayan colleagues.

The Paraguayan MOLO and contingent leader, Capt.Carlos Beraud, addressed the troops on his country‘shistory. After a blessing by ARGCON chaplain FatherEnrique, all shared a traditional Paraguayan breakfast.

Despite ferocious claims of am-bivalence towards preparatorytraining, several weeks of

secret race practice had taken placeprior to the UNFICYP Triathlon, heldon 8 June.

Starting at 6.00 a.m., 54 blurry-eyed competitors arrived at the startline. Eight teams had entered, eachwith six competitors. Only the fast-est four times would count towardsthe teams’ overall time.

The Triathlon started with a 400mswim in the UNPA pool, followed by16km on bikes and ending with a4.5km run. The route turned out tobe an unpleasant surprise. The eventorganiser, Capt. Sheldon of Sector 2,had managed to find every hill in theUNPA and even arranged for head-on wind for the flat bits! Thankfully,

there were plenty of marshals alongthe route offering encouragementand much needed water.

The first team off the line (fromSector 1) clearly had their sightsfirmly fixed on “Gold”, with WOIIILuis Neira gliding through the poollike a fish and making his firsttriathlon look very easy. Theremainder of Sector 1’s competitorsfollowed before Anne Bursey of thePIO caused the other female mem-bers some consternation as she toocut through the water at consider-able pace. Next up was the Sector 2“A Team”, who all came out of thepool in extremely fast times withCapts. Jagger and Sheldon side-by-side during the first transition. TheSector 2 “B Team” followed on andwere clearly enjoying themselves on

the patrol bikes. The HQ BRITCONteam, with the Chief of Staff drivingthem on, preceded the MFR and ateam from Sector 4.

Following a well-earned breakfastat the end, Force Commander Maj.Gen. R. J. Barni announced theresults. Awards were given for thefastest two individual male, femaleand veteran competitors and to thefastest three teams. The winnersare:

Team: Sector 2/Team A Male : Capt. SheldonFemale: Maj. HalfordVeterans: Sgt. GumbrellAn extremely demanding race

overall, everyone claimed to haveenjoyed themselves – indeed, somehave even expressed interest indoing it again!

Sector 1 again held an internal parade when, on 7June, Argentinian troops stood to attention asPeruvian troops, led by Lt. Oscar Flores Silva,

marched onto the parade ground at San Martín Campand raised their flag. Simultaneously, all Peruviansrenewed their oath to their nation and their flag, one of

the most important events in their yearlycalendar.

The Peruvian personnel who attended theceremony were Lt. Oscar Flores Silva, WOIII

Ángel Milussich Mejía, WOIII Angel Saravia Yataco, Sgt.Carlos Mora Pacco, Sgt. Eusebio Picón Flores, WOIIIRolando Orué Umeres, WOIII Hugo Damián Ferroa, Sgt.Saturnino Hurtado Lara and Sgt. Pedro Rojas Quispe.

Clearly a moving ceremony. All turned out to showtheir devotion to their country.

Running, Swimming, Biking for Gold!

National Days in Sector 1

Paraguay

Peru

Argentina – Youngat 196 Years Old!

As the world’s nations go,Argentina is a young country –only 196 years old last 25 May.

On this day, the whole countrycelebrated the anniversary of theformation of its first nationalgovernment in 1810.

Naturally, Argentinian soldiersstationed in Cyprus were not goingto miss out on these celebrations.

Sector 1 de-cided thatwe were go-ing to join inand contri-bute to thethe festivi-

ties, even though we are more than13,000 km away from home.

At 7.00 a.m. on the 25th, allSector 1’s personnel attended aparade at San Martín Camp, headedby Force Commander Maj. Gen.Rafael Barni. Every Sector 1 SouthAmerican component (Brazil, Chile,Paraguay and Perú) was present atthe parade, reflecting the brotherlyspirit which links these soldiers intoone integrated and united unit.

During the parade, the Argentin-ian flag was raised and the messageof congratulations sent by theArgentinian Minister of Defence wasread out. Before the end of the cere-mony, Sector 1 Chaplain Father En-rique Saguier offered up a blessingfor the Argentinian nation. Subse-quently, all soldiers and gueststucked into a celebration breakfast,catered for all tastes.

Serving at sucha huge distancefrom home, in amultinational en-vironment likeUNFICYP, workingwith great SouthAmerican soldiersintegrated in ourArgentinian ranks,makes for aspecial 25 Maycelebration. This is

why all Argentinians stationed inCyprus feel so proud to serve on theisland.

Personnel from San Martín andRoca Camps were joined by Argen-tinian personnel assigned to UNFlight and UNFICYP’s HQ, andcelebrations continued well into theevening.

Argentinian Folklore

Later in the evening,contingent members,now relaxed and out ofuniform, joined ourguests to watch a folk-lore show. It was purelyan Argentinian produc-tion, much enjoyed by allUNFICYP’s South Ameri-can personnel. The Arg-entinian families, somewith children who addedeven more cheer to thenational pride, weredelighted with the show.

Soldiers from the Armyand Marine Corps put on a medleyof folklore songs and even venturedas far as pop music, to the audi-ence’s delight.

Meantime, a delicious spread ofempanadas, pastries and Argentin-ian wine was laid on.

Sector 1’s Argentinians particu-larly appreciated the fact thatsoldiers from Brazil, Chile, Paraguayand Peru joined in the singing anddancing.

Argentinian Origins

Argentina, like much of SouthAmerica, was a colony dependent onthe Spanish crown. This processstarted after the American continentwas discovered by Cristobal Colon in1492 and ended around 1810 withthe independence of some formercolonies. The “United Provinces ofRiver Plate” (as Argentina was firstknown) became the first Spanishpossession in America to break freeof the political domination from thecrown of Spain.

Since that time, Argentina grewas a nation by consolidating its terri-tory, organising political structures

and encouraging population growthwith pro-immigration policies. Allthis took more than 100 years.Spearheading these efforts werefigures such as San Martín, Bel-grano, Sarmiento and many otherswho contributed to creating theawesome country we enjoy today.

After the First World War, the1920s saw a major influx of immi-grants from European countries toArgentina. In the post-Second WorldWar late 1940s and early 1950s,millions of Spanish and Italianimmigrants, and, in less measure,German, Polish, Ukranian, Croatian,Welsh, Hungarian, Greek, Turkishand many other nationalities, madetheir way across the Atlantic. Thismelting pot derived from so manyimmigrant cultures is, perhaps, ourbiggest strength.

Celebrating this May 25th, allArgentinians serving at UNFICYPsalute and respect all the othernations that we work alongside. Weall work for the same goal – makingstronger links with each other day-by-day for the future.

Capt. Carlos Beraud addresses the parade

Compiled bySector 1’s Capt.Mauricio Silvestre

1/Cpl Celayez, wearing traditional Argentinian dress,offers empanadas to Chilean contingent members

Traditional army uniforms featured on 25May 25. On the left, a “Patricio” (the firstArgentinian regiment), and on the right,a “Granadero” (one of the strongestindependence regiments, created by Gen.San Martín), with Maj. Martinet fromthe Argentinian Air Force in the centreLt. Juan Ferrari at the guitar

Abusing thebuffer zone