Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 03-07-13

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cyprus-mail.com/>

Sunday, July 13, 2003

CONTENTS

[01] Antenna protest held in Akrotiri

[02] Greens vow to fight building at Curium

[03] Tourist lodges rape claim

[04] News in Brief

[01] Antenna protest held in Akrotiri

A GROUP of young Greek, Turkish Cypriot and Spanish greens yesterday took part in a demonstration outside the British bases in Akrotiri, Limassol, against the installation of the powerful new PLUTO antenna by the SBA.

Speaking to the Sunday Mail yesterday, Greens Deputy George Perdikis said he wanted to show the youths the problems their generation is inheriting and once again slammed the British for their “fascist attitude on the issue.

“We brought these children here today so they can become aware of the problems that we are handing down to their generation,” he said.

“We have failed in stopping the British, the antenna has been installed and all that is left now is the netting.”

Perdikis said the British had not responded to reactions from both the government and the House of Representatives.

“It is an indication of their fascist attitude towards the issue, it is colonial behaviour against the people of Cyprus,” Perdikis said.

“But, we are not disappointed for our failure to stop them installing the antenna, we will continue until the marsh is cleansed from all their antennas.”

Perdikis was also furious with the British claiming they had not kept their promise to relocate the marsh to an area not affected by the works.

“They are now digging over the area where they said the marsh was moved, so they haven’t done anything, it is a complete failure,” he said.

But SBA spokesman Rob Need rubbished Perdikis’ remarks saying everything had been carried out as promised.

“The translocation operation was completed last year, and it was monitored by an independent organisation, IEMA,” Need said.

“IEMA have not complained, they finished their inspection this week and they have not brought anything to our attention.

“When minor works are carried out in the area of translocation, the area is then re-instated, so Mr Perdikis can make any comment he wants.”

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Sunday, July 13, 2003

[02] Greens vow to fight building at Curium

GREENS yesterday vowed to continue the fight against construction at the Curium archaeological site and said reports that they had backed down on the issue were a misunderstanding.

“We haven’t changed our position one bit,” said Green party member Roxanne Coudounari. “We were only there to make known our disagreement,” she added referring to a visit to the site during the week with government officials.

“Even if we have to accept under protest what is happening, it is under protest, and we do intend to put forward a plan for reversing the procedure.”

In January, parliament unanimously voted to freeze this year's budget that would have seen the construction of a car park, a large canteen, and site museum, amid accusations from environmental and heritage groups that the works would destroy the archaeological site. But to the Greens’ dismay, reports emerged last month that parliament was to accept the proposal to continue work at the site.

“Following a freeze of the budget for Curium, what was expected according to good practice and true democratic procedures would have been to justify that the new proposal was satisfactory so not to induce another freeze. This would be the thinking,” Coudounari said. “This is not the procedure that was followed. Never was it presented in such a way as to satisfy this.”

Coudounari said the siting of a cafeteria on the acropolis of the was completely unjustified and that other construction works would restrict access to further excavations “sealing up a part of history making it impossible to access that knowledge”.

“All this contravenes conventions we have ratified,” she added. “The Curium of today is not the Curium that it was yesterday. The feeling of reverence you had as history has given it to us is now no longer present and the more new things we introduce the worse it will get.’

She said the Green Party wants the government to draw up a five-year plan for the reversal of the process and to find a sustainable way to sort out the parking and other problems that exist in the area. Environmentalists would be putting their own suggestions on paper and fighting the government all the way.

“We want all intrusive measures curtailed and a programme to avert and restore undesired interventions that are not historically or scientifically justified,” Coudounari said.

“At a given time we will decide whether we are going to carry on with legislative investigation or not.”

The government has said it has no other option but to continue the construction of a parking area next to the site, since the court would not allow them to expropriate nearby private land.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Sunday, July 13, 2003

[03] Tourist lodges rape claim

POLICE are investigating allegations by a 19-year-old tourist that she was raped in Ayia Napa early yesterday morning.

According to a police bulletin, the 19-year-old told police that while she was walking home she noticed that a young man was following her.

When she got to her apartment, she claimed that the man came into her apartment through a balcony door and raped her.

The tourist was examined by doctors yesterday but no results were made public.

Police said the man was described as approximately 20 years old, of normal height and build, with dark complexion and short black hair.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Sunday, July 13, 2003

[04] News in Brief

Peeping tom arrested

According to a police bulletin, Efthymoulla Poullou claimed she saw the man spying on her, but he took off when he realised he was discovered.

Poullou called the police and the man was later arrested. Police found a dummy pistol in his car.

11-year-old found dead in bed

Reports say the 11-year-old was taken to hospital on Friday after he fell off the stool but he was released after doctors said there was nothing wrong.

The boy was taken home, but he was found unconscious yesterday morning by his parents. He was rushed to hospital where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.

The exact cause of his death is expected to be determined after an autopsy by State Pathologist Eleni Antoniou and Forensic Pathologist Marios Matsakis acting on behalf of the boy’s family later today.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

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