Farmers’ organisations on Monday said their right to cultivate their lands within the buffer zone was non-negotiable and called on the foreign ministry and the UN to resolve the issues that have arisen in recent days.

The issues began on Friday morning when a group of farmers in Dherynia’s buffer zone forced their way through a UN blockade to cultivate land near the Frenaros–Vrysoulles area. Unficyp said no permits had been granted for such activities.

The UN filed a formal police report on Friday after two peacekeepers were injured and three UN vehicles were damaged during a confrontation with Greek Cypriot farmers.

Police have finished obtaining witness recounts from the peacekeepers and will now summon the farmers to testify, according to the Cyprus News Agency.

The farmers may be facing charges of assault, malicious damage and disturbance.

But on Monday the farmers’ organisations, Pek, Eka, Panagrotiki, Nea Agrotiki and Euroagrotikos said in a joint statement they supported “with all their might the inalienable right of our farmers to cultivate their lands in the buffer zone”.

The organisations said they were following developments with concern.

“We support our farmers, who, at the risk of their personal integrity from the occupying forces, continue to cultivate our land,” the statement said.

“The buffer zone is not occupied territory but was ceded to the United Nations so that they can monitor the ceasefire line only. The agreement between the parties provides that the land is cultivated by the legal owner,” it concluded.

In a written statement on Friday, Unficyp said “farming near the ceasefire lines inside the UN buffer zone is strictly prohibited and risks provoking tensions.”