Life on the Edges of Nicosia's 'No Man's Land' Anita Bakshi
Conflict in Cities: Europe and the Middle East
The Buffer Zone that has divided Nicosia since 1974 is often referred to as the 'Dead Zone' or 'No Man's Land.' But upon taking a closer look at this seemingly forgotten territory it becomes apparent that its edges are still quite full of life and activity. These photographs, taken along the edges of the Buffer Zone in Nicosia's walled city from 2009 - 2010, show a few glimpses of the people that live and work adjacent to this area. Life on the edges of Nicosia’s ‘No Man's Land’ is surprisingly varied.
At the edge of the Buffer Zone in Nicosia’s historic city centre – a 16th century fortress 4.5 kilometres in circumference Greek Cypriot soldiers walk to one of their several military bases. Although only the United Nations soldiers are allowed to enter the Buffer Zone, both the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot military patrol the edges of their respective sides.
This Turkish Cypriot barber has been cutting hair in his barber shop near the Buffer Zone since 1948. There are a number of shops and shopkeepers that have been in the walled city since the 1940s or 1950s. Some of those shopkeepers at one time owned businesses in the area that is now in the Buffer Zone. It was once a major commercial centre in Nicosia.
An art exhibition in the old city – just metres from the edge of the Buffer Zone. The blue and white striped box at the end of the street is not part of the exhibition, but is one of several observation points on the edge of the Buffer Zone manned 24hours by Greek Cypriot soldiers.
Greek Cypriots gathering in the south for a ‘street party’ on the edge of the Buffer Zone in the old city. These parties make use of these streets, used by carpenters and workshops during the day, but quiet and abandoned at night.
Turkish workers taking a midafternoon coffee break. Many workers from mainland Turkey live in Nicosia’s walled city while most Turkish Cypriots live in the suburban areas outside of the walls.
Migrants picnicking in the Municipal Gardens, just outside of the walls, on a Sunday. Many migrant workers live in the walled city, and even those who live outside of the walls come to this part of the city on Sundays for picnics and events with friends in the park and the green areas now inside the moat. For many of these workers, Sunday is their only day off.
Trendy young Greek Cypriots and Filipino domestic workers on Ledra Street on a Sunday afternoon. The main commercial street in the old city, Ledra continues to grow busier since the opening of the checkpoint on this street between the two sides of the city in 2008.
Christmas carols on Onasagorou Street the congregation is one of many migrant churches in the old city.
Filipina workers on their day off, Sunday, with Greek Cypriot men at a restaurant that doubles as a karaoke club.
A child lights a candle at the Phaneromeni Church in the old city during Sunday mass. Many of the oldest churches are to be found in the walled city, and are especially popular locations for weddings.
A boom in the construction sector in North Cyprus at the end of the 1990s created a demand for labour that could not be filled by Cypriots. At this time construction companies began to bring in workers from south and south-eastern Turkey. Many of these workers stay in 'pansiyon', or hostels, such as this one in the in the northern part of the walled city.
A quiet and picturesque street in the walled city, cut off at the edge of the Buffer Zone. Many residential streets, both in the north and the south of the walled city, end in barriers similar to this one.
A tailor in the old city, relaxing during a lull in the day’s business. There are many such small shops in this part of town, and several of the shopkeepers have been here for many years where they have witnessed the many changes that have occurred in Nicosia.
A ‘street parade’ on Ledra Street in the south of the walled city during the 2009 Christmas season. This parade was organised informally by an independent group who paraded down the street with music and dancing participants all the way up to the Ledra Street / Lokmacı checkpoint. Upon arriving, they paused and danced in the space between the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot guard posts before turning around and continuing the parade back down Ledra Street.
A local resident in the walled city looks in on one of the many old buildings now under reconstruction. Many buildings inside of the walls, and many directly on the edges of the Buffer Zone, are being renovated by the Nicosia Master Plan (NMP). The NMP is a bicommunal planning initiative, involving planners, architects, and social scientists from both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities.
Conflict in Cities and the Contested State research project, supported by the ESRC (grant number RES-060-25-0015) www.urbanconflicts.arct.cam.ac.uk
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