Protest against barbed wire and gates along buffer zone in west Nicosia ends

A protest by affected villagers in the west of Nicosia against the barbed wire fences and gates along the buffer zone ended peacefully around noon on Sunday.

Police said the protesters were about 200 from the villages of Astromeritis, Peristerona, Akaki, Denia and Mammari.

The main road to Troodos by the Akaki packing plant was temporarily closed after the protesters blocked the road for just about 15 minutes.

The residents argue the barbed wire creates problems in their movement to and from their homes and prevents them from engaging in their agricultural and livestock works.

The initiative against barbed wire has carried out meetings with members of the government, political parties and individuals and organizations involved. But they say they were confronted with apathy.

They have also pointed out the impact on the Cyprus problem as a result of the placement of the barbed wire.

They sent the message that Turkish Cypriot famers are now moving in to their buffer-zone fields to cultivate them.