Nicosia, Cyprus. President Nikos Christodoulides said some Turkish Cypriots sought to prevent the traditional Eid al-Fitr pilgrimage to the Hala Sultan Tekkesi in Larnaca from taking place. He said there is a specific procedure for organising the pilgrimage and that it had been communicated through the United Nations.
President’s remarks
Christodoulides said that “some in the Turkish Cypriot community” had attempted “in unorthodox ways” to stop the pilgrimage, adding that he was not referring to the Turkish Cypriot leader.
He said that a “very specific procedure” must be followed to allow the pilgrimage to be organised, and that the Republic of Cyprus had conveyed the procedure through the United Nations well before the date of the planned event.
Report on procedural steps and delays
His comments followed a report by newspaper Politis that the Turkish Cypriot side had not submitted a request to the religious track of the Cyprus peace process, which operates under the auspices of the Swedish embassy.
Politis reported that the Turkish Cypriot side instead contacted the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (Unficyp), and that using this alternative avenue led to delays. The report said that while March 21, the third day of Eid al-Fitr, had initially been planned, March 28 was later suggested as a possible date.
Restrictions and list verification
According to Politis, due to delays and in light of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the foreign ministry placed restrictions on the number of people who could undertake the pilgrimage.
The report said that normally between 300 and 600 people attend, but authorities requested the number be limited to a maximum of 105 on this occasion.
Politis reported that Turkish Cypriot authorities submitted a list of pilgrims, and that the Greek Cypriot side requested additional information to verify the existence of the people on the list because it included individuals who are not citizens of the Republic and would ordinarily be refused passage at the island’s crossing points.
The report said the Turkish Cypriot side did not provide additional information and did not try to send pilgrims across any of the island’s nine crossing points on March 21 or March 28.
What do you think should be the standard procedure for organising such pilgrimages?
