Doc marks UNFICYP’s 60th anniversary

“The problem, like every problem in Cyprus, is political,” said Colin Stewart, special representative and head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), referring to the recent halt to the UN’s landmine neutralization efforts in the island’s buffer zone.

Stewart’s sentiments resonated throughout the screening of “60 Years UNFICYP,” a documentary produced by the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (RIK).

In RIK’s inaugural outreach beyond Cyprus at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation in Athens on Tuesday, Gianna Iakovou, RIK’s head of public relations, explained the documentary’s aim of grounding the Cyprus issue in today’s context and raising awareness among Greek audiences.

Spanning 50 minutes, the documentary pays homage to the UN’s peacekeeping endeavors in Cyprus, initiated in 1964 with a tentative three-month mission. Through archival footage, it chronicles the contributions of over 150,000 UN personnel over what has turned out to be six decades. Some 187 have lost their lives during the mission.

This year marks the 20th anniversary since the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU, the 50th anniversary of the Cyprus invasion, and UNFICYP’s 60 years in the service of peace.

Inevitably, the prolonged UN service raises questions about the effectiveness of the UN’s peacekeeping efforts, many argue. During the discussion with Cypriot journalist Emily Michael, Stewart reiterated the UN’s role as a facilitator of dialogue rather than an enforcer of solutions, stressing the necessity of political resolution. “We cannot get the two sides to agree,” he lamented.

The obstructionism of the political class became evident Wednesday, with the Turkish-Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar telling the UN he sees no common ground with Greek Cypriots, continuing the seven-year halt of formal peace talks between the two sides.

Yet, as Stewart stressed, sacrifice on both sides is inevitable; it is up to the leaders to listen to the civilians and make bold decisions.

The documentary will soon be broadcast in Strasbourg, Brussels and London.

The peacekeeping force was originally deployed in March 1964 to quell armed violence between the majority Greek Cypriots and the Turkish-Cypriot minority. However, Cyprus’ ethnic division solidified a decade later when Turkey invaded in the immediate aftermath of a coup aiming at uniting the island with Greece, according to The Associated Press.