Greek Cypriot villagers stage protest at British base

Greek Cypriot villagers staged a peaceful protest yesterday near a communications facility at the sovereign British army base of Akrotiri. The demonstration, organised by the influential Communist Party, attracted some 300 local people worried that radiation from the tall towers could be a health risk and a hazard to migrating birds.

On Tuesday night 200 Greek Cypriot activists, mainly from the port city of Limassol, had invaded the nearby Episcopi and Akrotiri bases and battled 180 locally-recruited policemen and British troops. Forty protesters and police were injured. A dozen vehicles were burned out and a police station was wrecked. Ninety kilometres away in the capital, protesters were prevented by Greek Cypriot police from reaching the British High Commission.

The President of Cyprus, Mr Glafkos Clerides, condemned the rioting. Britain's Foreign Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, said that the attack was "completely unacceptable". Ms Elizabeth Grey, a spokeswoman for the bases said: "This was the most violent" incident ever perpetrated against the bases.

Two sovereign base areas, comprising 150 sq km, were retained by Britain as the price of independence in 1960. The violence was sparked by the detention that morning by the base police of a centrist parliamentary deputy, Dr Marios Matsakis, for breaching the fence at a location where bulldozers had started to clear the ground for the erection of a massive mast. Discussions between the Cyprus government and the British base authorities are deadlocked.

Cyprus wants experts to research the health and environmental effects of the project before construction begins. Britain insists that the two should progress in tandem.

Dr Matsakis, a veteran campaigner against the bases, called on the Cyprus government to cut their water and electricity and ban British troops from entering the republic.

Although his demands will not be met, the fracas can only exacerbate tensions, regularly stirred by rampages by drunken British soldiery.

Resentment peaked in 1974 when Britain, bound to protect Cyprus by a "Treaty of Guarantee", did nothing to counter the Turkish invasion and occupation of the northern third of the island.