Greek Cypriot farmers have reported a serious confrontation with Turkish occupation forces inside Cyprus’ United Nations buffer zone near the village of Mammari, raising concerns over safety and access to land along the Green Line.
The incident occurred Monday, December 29, while two farmers were working their privately owned field, according to accounts given to Cypriot media.
Attempted Detention While Working the Land
Farmer Gavriil Gerolemou, speaking to Alpha Cyprus, said that more than 20 Turkish soldiers and members of the occupation regime’s so-called “police” moved against him and his father while they were cultivating their privately owned land located about 300 meters from a Turkish military outpost.
“They were throwing stones at us, trying to grab us by the throat and arrest us,” Gerolemou said.
According to his testimony, the situation deteriorated after a Turkish soldier approached the farmers’ parked vehicle and attempted to remove the keys from the ignition. When the farmers intervened, additional armed soldiers and pseudo-police officers arrived and surrounded the area.
According to Philenews, Gerolemou said the confrontation intensified when a pseudo-police officer attempted to climb onto the tractor his father was driving in an effort to detain him. As the tractor accelerated to move away from the scene, the officer fell off. During the episode, Turkish personnel were heard shouting commands in both Turkish and English, including “stay” and “arrested,” he said.
UN Presence Observed From a Distance
According to reports published by the Cyprus Mail and cited by Turkish Minute, Turkish soldiers later tried to seize the tractor, smashing its windows during the clash. Three UN vehicles reportedly arrived during the confrontation and parked roughly 300 meters away. UN peacekeepers were said to have limited their role to observing and recording events, without intervening.
“It was extremely dangerous,” Gerolemou said. “They were armed, we were only two, and they were about twenty. What else could we do except leave?”
“The Worst Incident in Years”
Another Greek Cypriot farmer, Christodoulos Christodoulou from nearby Denia, described the episode to Philenews as the most serious he has witnessed in recent years, stressing that those involved from the Turkish side were armed.
“This was the worst incident we have encountered in the last five to six years,” he said. “We have families and babies. We cannot constantly have Turkish forces climbing onto our tractors and destroying them. It’s unacceptable, and we don’t know what to do anymore.”
Investigation and Official Condemnation
The United Nations told the Cyprus Mail it is reviewing testimony and footage from the incident as part of an investigation.
Nikos Christodoulides condemned the incident as “an act of piracy,” saying the Republic of Cyprus has raised the matter with the United Nations. Cyprus’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also been informed.
