Cyprus conflict closes leaders’ eyes to water shortage
Posted on March 11, 2010
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Water has been rapidly disappearing in Cyprus since the 1970s, but conflict between Turkish and Greek communities means fixing the problem is not high on the political agenda. Alex Bell finds that Cypriots are now struggling for control of land that is slowly dying.
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We are in Nicosia, one of Europe’s last divided cities, and the focus of a bitter and bloody feud between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
It goes back to 1974, when the island was divided, as Turkish troops invaded - following a collapse of the Cypriot government.
It goes back further, to 1963, when the UN mission began here - never to leave as it tried to keep the sides apart.
It goes back further still, to 1960, when the British left - knowing, surely, that claims of peace on this Mediterranean island, tucked in the armpit between Turkey and Israel, might never come to bloom. It keeps on going back and back…
Water war
I am here to cover a war - but not the one that has seen shabby oil drums erected in higgledy-piggledy piles as barriers dividing the city.
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The war I’m interested in is the water war - not an armed conflict, but a struggle nonetheless, between people and a rapidly disappearing resource.
More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8560424.stm
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