A man believed to be a settler has entered the “frozen zone” of the UN buffer zone in occupied Avlona twice within days, mowing a large area of land — including ground directly beneath a United Nations observation post — while Greek Cypriot farmers who own the plots are barred from entering.
The man first appeared last Thursday and returned on Sunday, accompanied by a second individual who used a specialised machine to bale the cut hay. Video footage shows both the baling machine and the area into which the two men illegally entered. The man mowed up to the edge of a dirt road used by the UN for patrols.
Avlona community leader Menelaos Savvas told philenews that the community council is calling for the road used by the United Nations to be moved north of the existing buffer zone, up to the limits of the elevated Turkish lookout, so that Greek Cypriot farmers can cultivate their land.
The farmers who own the plots being encroached upon cannot enter the frozen zone. Turkish military posts are within firing range of the area, while no National Guard posts are present to provide any sense of security.
Greek Cypriot farmers believe the entries are not random, given that the Turkish military controls everything in the area and no one would enter without the approval or tolerance of Turkish officers.
The UN, despite its efforts, cannot compel the men to leave and is limited to trying to persuade them that their presence is prohibited — an approach that, according to the source, rarely works. Those who enter typically commit to UN officials that they will not return, but a different individual subsequently appears in the area. When that person is also identified by UNFICYP, a process that can take months, they too make a commitment — only for another to take their place.
When reporters visited the area last Wednesday, a UN helicopter and four double-cab UN vehicles were conducting patrols.
Sunday’s incursion was the third in recent days. A previous illegal entry into the frozen zone took place on January 5.
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