Roadblocks to Peacebuilding Activities in Cyprus:: International Peacebuilding Actors’ Handling of the Recognition Issue

In this paper we argue that international peacebuilding actors’ strategy for dealing with the recognition issue has created significant problems for implementing effective bottom-up peacebuilding activites in Cyprus. Rather than encouraging cooperation between the two communities, a ‘do no harm’ approach applied by international peacebuilding actors has strengthened the position of the ethno-nationalists that tries to prevent cooperation beyond the green line. We argue that such an approach shows how international actors can be limited in comprehending and acting on the ‘local’ problems on the ground, particularly when the official position of those actors are aligned with the official position of  one side to the conflict. International peacebuilding actors can be much more effective by thorougly understanding the root causes of conflicts and by ensuring that they are taking a neutral stand before engaging in peacebuilding work in post-conflict regions.