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Report of disgrace
Trafficking in Persons Report for 2019 reveals the shameful situation in the north of Cyprus. The report said that Turkish Cypriot officials were exerting no effort to prevent sex trade or trafficking of persons. According to the report, the north of Cyprus shares the same category as North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Burundi, Congo, Gambia, Iran and South Sudan in terms of human trafficking.
- 6 meetings, no results: Continue to work – The UN Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute held back to back meetings with the two leaders for the past six days without any success. Lute said the process was continuing. The two leaders reaffirmed their determination.
Negotiations subject to a timeframe did not suit the neighbour
Shuttle diplomacy carried out by the UN Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute for six days did not yield any results due to Greek Cypriot side’s rejection of a timeframe and deadline for the talks despite insistence from the Turkish Cypriot side and the United Nations.
Dobrabet’s ‘Alas’ arrested
The police’s crackdown on illegal online betting continues. Hüseyin Yiğit Gökdere, who went by the nickname ‘Alas’ on Dobrabet’s website, was also arrested by police as part of the ongoing investigation into the illegal online betting business. Businessman Bulut Akacan is already in police custody facing trial. Police will call on 70 people to testify before the court.
- Aiming to complete “Term of Reference” document – UN Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute held an informal reception following her separate meetings with President Mustafa Akıncı and Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades.
August fire in September
Both leaders are committed to completing the “Terms of Reference” document. UN Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute achieved some progress in the document she is tasked with preparing following her efforts through shuttle diplomacy. Lute brought the two leaders together at an informal social gathering.
The Iron Lady will succeed
Lute who carried out shuttle diplomacy for days between Akıncı and Anastasiades and who brought the two leaders together last night wants to carry the Cyprus Problem to a solution.
Who is this man?
Suitcases full of money were smuggled abroad through the VIP section at Ercan (Tymbou) airport. Kıbrıs newspaper columnist Can Sarvan claimed that a ‘leftist’ minister smuggled to Turkey suitcases full of money through VIP during the former four-party coalition government’s term in office. Sarvan said that the minister in question did this on more than one occasion.
- Reception at the end of shuttle diplomacy – Lute brought two leaders together at a reception following her week-long meetings with both of them. “We are not at a point where we can say that we have finalized the terms of reference which these meetings aimed to do,” said Akıncı.
- Çavuşoğlu coming again – Turkish foreign minister will be attending roundtable meeting at the palace.
Main News
Akıncı to consult political parties following Lute’s contacts
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
After six rounds of separate consultations with UN special envoy Jane Holl Lute and an informal joint reception on Friday evening, the two leaders were unable to agree on the terms of reference that would form the basis of new talk, all six dailies reported on Saturday.
“We are not at a point where we can say we have finalized the work on the terms of reference which these meetings aimed to achieve,” President Mustafa Akıncı told reporters at an event following the reception hosted by Lute in the UN Protected Area at the old Nicosia airport.
He said, however, that work on the terms of reference would continue and that both sides were committed to completing the work.
Akıncı reminded that he will be meeting with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the end of the month in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
“The secretary-general wants a tripartite meeting but such a meeting would not take place during the UN General Assembly. Such a meeting could take place at a date announced after the assembly,” he said.
In a short address at the reception on Friday night, the UN special envoy Jane Holl Lute said that her efforts would continue and that both leaders were committed to continuing the process.
All six dailies also reported that Akıncı is set to meet with leaders of the political parties in parliament on Saturday to discuss his latest meetings with the UN special envoy.
In another development on Friday, Akıncı appointed his former diplomacy advisor and long-time member of the Turkish Cypriot negotiating team Erhan Erçin as his new Special Representative.
Erçin’s appointment was announced by Akıncı’s office with a press statement.
In the meantime, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu is also set to arrive in the north on Saturday, the papers reported.
He is scheduled to meet with Akıncı on Monday before attending a roundtable meeting with leaders of the political parties with seats in the Turkish Cypriot parliament.
Çavuşoğlu will also be meeting with Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersin Tatar on Monday before departing the same day.
KEY ACTORS
Akıncı
>> We are not a stage where we can say ToR is finalized.
>> Work on ToR will continue, both sides are determined to complete the work.
Lute (UN)
>> Both leaders committed to finalizing ToR.
Report on disgraceful state of northern part of Cyprus
Yenidüzen
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
“The northern part of Cyprus is still a place whereby human trafficking is not punished,” reports Yenidüzen based on the Trafficking in Persons Report prepared by the US Department of State. The report stresses “the Turkish Cypriot officials do not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and are not making significant efforts to do so.”
The Trafficking in Persons Report, which covers 180 countries and is prepared annually, turns a spotlight on the “night club issue” in the northern part of the island as well as the lack of determination of the authorities to combat the problem.
Among the many highlighted issues, the report emphasizes even though prostitution is prohibited in the northern part of the island, women employed at the night clubs are subjected to routine and mandatory medical tests for STDs every week. “This is an acceptance of the prostitution sector in the country,” the report adds.
The report even notes that the night clubs are an important source of tax revenues for the Turkish Cypriot administration. The report adds: “The Turkish Cypriot officials are accomplices to the human trafficking crime and some of the members of the parliament are frequent patrons at these night clubs.” It also notes that the police keep the passports of women employed by the night clubs for the duration of their stay on the island.
Some of the night clubs also employ university students to bypass the number of women they can employ and avoid paying higher taxes. During the reporting period, the Turkish Cypriot officials had granted 1,605 work permits (hostess and bartender) for night clubs in 2018 compared to 1,084 the previous year. Forty women, employed by the night club, had been deported by authorities when they complained about working conditions and asked for assistance.
The northern part of Cyprus is included in the same category as Saudi Arabia, Burundi, Congo, Gambia, Iran and South Sudan.
The entire report can be accessed through the following link: https://by.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2019-Trafficking-in-Persons-Report.pdf