MEP calls for campaign of direct action

Date published: 08 February 2008

Rochdale MEP Chris Davies has told villagers on a popular holiday island that they should consider a campaign of direct action against their British administrators.

Mr Davies is in Cyprus this week to meet with villagers living under British control on their own island. The Euro-MP has called for an end to the arrangements that put 8,000 Cypriots under British military jurisdiction without elected representation.

Mr Davies claims if the same situation existed in Britain and citizens living close to the American air bases came under the control of the Pentagon, there would be an outcry.

He said:  "There would be mass protests if conditions like this existed in the UK.  Cypriot villagers should consider non-violent civil resistance in a bid to draw attention to the current arrangements."

The Liberal Democrat MEP's meetings on the Sovereign Base Areas follow the arrest of nine British servicemen last weekend.  They have been charged with a variety of offences including GBH after attacks upon local people.

Mr Davies hoped to meet with a British representative on the island but a UK Defence Minister says it would "not be appropriate" for a Member of the European Parliament to meet with the Administrator of the Sovereign Base Areas at the present time.

Derek Twigg has turned down a request from Euro-MP Chris Davies, highlighting the sensitivities of the presidential election.

But Mr Davies says that this is exactly the right time to raise the issue.

He said: "I would have liked also to discuss with the UK authorities the practical issues involved in governing Cypriot people living under British control on their own island.

"I am interested to know why politicians in Cyprus have raised the issue so rarely that hardly anyone in Britain has any idea at all about the situation."

Almost 180,000 British tourists visited Cyprus last year.