This morning, again! With great enthusiasm, expectation and inquisition, we set on the tour to the United Nation Protected Area with the UNFICYP. The briefing on the “battle for Nicosia Airport was excellent, giving us the needed insight to understand the tour the more and taking us back to history. The visit to the airport proper was touching. It brings the reality of the (war) conflict into the heart, seeing the airport damaged and abandoned as it were in 1974 when the problem started makes one feel the impact of the damage of the conflict the more.
The UN camps too were a great sight to behold. Nothing can be more exciting than meeting the soldier over launch and hearing their experience as peace keepers. I was pleased personally meet some of this soldier and for the first time, I feel like being one. (But can I?). We were privileged to also visit the shopping centre, pick up some souvenirs as evidence of our passage through the camp. Participants were delighted to get souvenirs for their loved ones back home.
Looking at the UN Peace Keepers (UNFICYP) facility and the time they have being here, the cost of maintaining the forces here, It was really sad to know that the UN spends so much money to keep peace in an areas whose conflict could have been resolved if people could be more tolerant and patient. This money could have help feed millions of hungry people in different part of the world. Cater for dying sick people etc. What an Irony…Life could be funny at times.
Its time to meet the leader of the ‘Turkish Cypriots’, Mehmet Ali Talat. And for this purpose we had to cross the “boarder” to the northern Nicosia to meet him. He was a good man, patience and relaxed. He spent so much time to brief us on His own side of the story and just like his Greek Counterpart expressed optimism that the latest peace talks might work.
In my observation, the ‘Cyprus Conflict” is a unique conflict and is basically a political war and not a problem of the people. It’s a problem of quest fro power and control.
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