| COs in Cyprus May 16 2008 The Initiative for Conscientious Objection - Cyprus has celebrated International Conscientious Objectors' Day on May 15th with a demonstration and a press-conference in front of the Army Recruitment Center in northern part of Nicosia Conscience is needed for peace... The Initiative for Conscientious Objection - Cyprus has celebrated International Conscientious Objectors' Day on May 15th with a demonstration and a press-conference in front of the Army Recruitment Center in northern part of Nicosia. The main theme was "Our duty for our homeland is peace and Conscientious Objection is our right". The particular location was chosen because that is where all the paperwork, health checks etc for the compulsory military service takes place. The demonstrators called for legislation for the right of conscientious objection in the Turkish occupied areas. Furthermore, they have pointed out that in both sides of the island, young people are trained to use deadly weapons and are asked to keep guard against each other. This is an unacceptable and unnecessary situation. The lack of the right of conscientious objection forces the youth, who either refuses or can not do the military service, to leave the island and never return back. The whole idea of the military service goes against the basic desire of the youth for reunification and peace in the island. [1]General Aims, Principles and an Open Call of The Initiative for Conscientious Objection - Cyprus [2]Military service ’in the northern part of Cyprus from The Right to Refuse to Kill - The European Bureau for Conscientious Objection Newsletter - Summer 2006 [3]pdf format of newsletter web page: |