Sabbatical Leave, Page 5
The Green Line--Cyprus

The "Green Line," "No-Man's Land," "The Dead Zone," "U.N. Buffer Zone," "The Attilla Line." All these names identify the 110 mile physical partion of the island of Cyprus into northern and southern zones--enforced by U.N. troops since 1974. Sometimes the Green Line is little more than a highway or a barbed wire fence or an imaginary line cut through the island. At other points it divides the old capitol of Nicosia into two diferent capitol cities (Lefkosia and Lefkosa) separated by a several block buffer zone of abandoned homes, businesses, and neighborhoods.

Just what does it look like to partition a country? What does it look like to divide a capitol city? In the case of Nicosia, it looks like a war zone, surrounded by permanent billboards and gigantic photos, all designed to influence those who may pass by or cross over at the official checkpoints. Standing in stark contrast to other images on my web site which show the natural beauty of the island, these photos show the effects of war and enforced separation on the physical environment. I cannot begin to show such devastating effects on the psyche, emotions or spiritual lives of Cypriots--of either Greek or Turkish heritage. For those of us who care deeply about Cyprus and its peoples, the ongoing conflict there is heartbreaking.Here, then, is a series of photos taken of the Green Line in 2003 from the Greek "side" with attendant persuasive efforts to convince tourists of the harms done to Greek Cypriots by their Turkish Cypriot bretheren. The last three photos illustrate a different view of the Green Line and the persuasive efforts of Turkish Cypriots to convice people of the harms done to them by their Greek Cypriot bretheren.

Click on the thumbnails below to see larger images.

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