TRNC News Today – 26^th May 2014

Deep Purple performed a concert in TRNC

Legendary British rock group Deep Purple performed a concert in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on 24^th May. Thousands of people watched the concert performed within the context of the 25^th Year Festival of Near East University. The fans of Deep Purple from TRNC, South Cyprus and other countries found the opportunity to listen to popular songs of the legendary group.

South Cyprus attempted to prevent the concert, however Deep Purple announced that they would perform the concert in the TRNC. In the statement made by Soloist of Deep Purple – Ian Gillan, it was stated that “When music is in question, we are neither on one side nor on the other side”

Deep Purple arrived in TRNC with a private jet plane that belonged to British Airways on 23 May and departed yesterday morning (25^th May) with the same jet plane.

Editors note:

For those that did not make the show, Deep Purple are shown below playing at  the Near East University Spring Fest . What an Embargoed breaker and thanks to Ömercan Yıldıztugay for sharing his video on Youtube.

President Eroğlu :  “These are the elections of South Cyprus”

President Eroğlu said that the European Parliament elections held in South Cyprus yesterday (25^th May) are the elections of South Cyprus.

Stressing that these elections are not related with the Turkish Cypriot side Eroğlu said: “These elections are the elections of South Cyprus. Our expectation is the election of parliamentarians which will represent the Turkish Cypriot people. This can only be possible after an agreement.

Siber: “Reaching a just and permanent solution in Cyprus is our common expectation”

Stressing that reaching a just and permanent solution in Cyprus is their common expectation with Turkey, the  Speaker of the Assembly – Sibel Siber said that their greatest wish is the continuation of the negotiations in a positive atmosphere. Speaker of the Assembly – Sibel Siber who is in Ankara in order to participate in the workshop entitled ‘Cyprus’ met with Head of the TGNA – Cemil Çiçek and Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Responsible for Cyprus Affairs – Beşir Atalay.  Siber said that she stressed at the workshop that the Turkish Cypriot people want to be a part of the international community with their own identity and that they deserved this and keep their motivation and belief alive in this issue.

Pointing out that negotiations are continuing and recently the expectation towards this process has risen in the international arena, Siber stressed the importance of the visit of USA Vice President Joe Biden.

Ertuğ: “Biden’s meeting with TRNC President has a particular importance for us” 

TRNC President’s Spokesperson – Osman Ertuğ pointed out that the Vice President of the UnitedStates Joe Biden’s visit to the Turkish Cypriot side, which is the equal owner of the island and meeting with the TRNC President Dr. Derviş Eroğlu, has a particular importance and stated that when the Greek Cypriot side could not achieve to prevent this visit, they tried to distort its results.

Ertuğ said “The comments incompatible with the reality which are made in the statement by the Spokesperson of Greek Cypriot government following the visit reflects the attempts of distortion”

Osman Ertuğ emphasized that they gave a particular importance to this visit, that they believe it brings appearance and acceleration to the negotiations, with regard to concretization of the interest of the international community to the negotiation process.

Call from the UN to South Cyprus to pay compensation for the Turkish Cypriot missing persons

UN Committee against Torture has advised the Greek Cypriot Administration to pay compensation to the families of the Turkish Cypriot missing persons who were missing between the years 1963-74.

The Committee has published its report on review of the Greek Cypriot Administration within the framework of the UN Charter against Torture. A separate title has been opened for the missing persons in the report which evaluates the Charter violations and gives recommendations.

The Committee welcomes the work of the bi-communal Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP), which has identified, as of 22 November 2013, a total of 359 Greek Cypriots, out of the 1493 officially reported missing, and 97 Turkish Cypriots, out of the 502 officially reported missing.

The Committee also notes that the mandate of the bi-communal CMP is limited to looking into cases of Cypriots reported missing, “without attempting to attribute responsibility for the deaths of any missing persons or make findings as to the cause of such deaths”. The bi-communal CMP is not empowered either to grant redress to the relatives of the missing persons.

In the report it has been stated that the State party should redouble its efforts to guarantee that the relatives of missing persons identified by the CMP receive appropriate redress, including the means for their psychological rehabilitation, compensation, satisfaction and the right to truth.

As stated in the Committee’s general comment No. 3 (2012), “a State’s failure to investigate, criminally prosecute, or to allow civil proceedings related to allegations of acts of torture in a prompt manner, may constitute a de facto denial of redress and thus constitute a violation of the State’s obligations under article 14”. Additionally, the Committee recalls that “judicial remedies must always be available to victims” as should “all evidence concerning acts of torture or ill-treatment upon the request of victims, their legal counsel, or a judge”.

502 Turkish Cypriots most of which were children were missing in the island between the years 1963-74. The Committee indicated that the Greek Cypriot Administration of South Cyprus has not struggled enough with the torture within its boundaries and reflected in its report the complaints of the Turkish Cypriots that the crimes committed towards them were not sufficiently investigated due to their ethnic origin.

Source: TRNC Public Information Office