Discussing human rights violations in Cyprus

Mr President, amongst the items on the agenda at the forthcoming UN Human Rights

Council will be Cyprus. I would like to concentrate on human rights issues in Northern Cyprus and their place in negotiations for Turkey’s accession to the European Union. In Northern Cyprus itself, there have been reports of violations of the human rights and freedom from discrimination of minorities, torture, and violations of freedom of movement, religion and speech.

In 1974, during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the city of Famagusta was overrun by armour, and the civilian population – fearing massacre – was forced to evacuate, leaving behind everything they could not carry. Only Turks were allowed to remain, and the Varosha section of the city remains isolated and unpopulated to this day. This is in contradiction with UN Security Council Resolutions 550 and 789.

 
Technically, this border dispute does call into question the legitimacy of the Cypriot accession to the European Union. A 112-mile long ‘green line’ still divides the island. 1 588 Greek Cypriots are still on the missing persons list following the Turkish invasion, but still the EU – with the exception of one or two Member States – pushes for Turkey’s accession. By discussing Turkey’s accession whilst unresolved border issues and questions of human rights in Northern Cyprus remain, the EU is undermining the integrity of the United Nations. You are overlooking appalling human rights abuses, and you are making a mockery of the integrity of your own position on human rights.

Regarding Turkey’s statement that they would freeze EU ties when Cyprus takes over the EU Presidency, I would ask the High Representative: why is the EU negotiating membership with a country that is acting in such a bullying manner? Although, on second thoughts, the High Representative might agree that such a country would fit perfectly into the European Union.

New Gypsy sites infringe human rights

LOCAL EURO MEP Nikki Sinclaire has slammed Solihull Councils plans for more Gypsy sites as a waste of taxpayers money and an infringement of the human rights of the settled community.  She said that she supported Gypsy and Traveller housing needs but that the process used by Solihull Council was causing misery and housing blight and is a 'sledgehammer to crack a nut'

 

Nikki focused on suggested Solihull locations at Hockley Heath, Balsall Common and Eaves Green Lane) as being hugely inappropriate attempts to force development in the Green Belt using 'Europe inspired political correctness' over traveller provision and said 'If Europe wants to dictate to us about the rights of Travellers they should also remember the rights of the settled community under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights where 

 

1. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.

2. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

 

She added 'Solihull Council is a willing accomplis on the contravention of these rights and is using a 'sledge hammer to crack a nut'.  They should use a strategy of evolutionary growth at tolerated sites in the Borough and (b) put in place checks and safeguards to ensure that Gypsy and traveller NEED is distinguished from the activities of Gypsy and travellers developers who are simply using the cloak of human rights and ethnic minority status to try to force residential and commercial development in the greenbelt for profit - as has been seen at the Eaves Green Lane site in Meriden - which has so incensed local residents'

Are Human Rights For Sale?

Eu Parliament attended the EU Sub committee on Human Rights today to talk about Human Rights. He also commented how important the equality of women is to him.So I challenged him to endorse a women as his successor. I also pressed him on the EU seemingly selling out on human rights to China in their attempts to get funds to bailout the struggling eurozone.

Polish EU vanity for democracy

I made the following intervention in the Human Rights Committee on the Polish Presidency's proposals for a 'European endowment for democracy'

The presentation was given by Krzysztof Stanowski Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

As I said in the intervention this is nothing but a vanity project that uses the historic legacy of Poland to democracy to give some purpose to the Polish EU Presidency that starts 1st July for six months.

The EU already has instruments in place including a neighbourhood policy that is supposed to promote democracy. Even with this it took the EU a while to respond to the uprising in Tunisia.

You can see the video here