Cyprus-Forum.com

[Tim Drayton]

I vowed never to start a thread in this section again, but when I read the following brief article in yesterday’s Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Düzen (17 September) it made me happy, and I felt I would like to share this, with my own English translation for those of you who do not read Turkish. I think this little event shows that things are gradually changing on the ground in Cyprus, and I can’t help but hope that if sufficient integration takes place at the economic level, then politics will have to follow suit.

http://www.yeniduzengazetesi.com/index. ... e/Haberler

Yıllar sonra ilk kez bir Kıbrıslı Türk, güney Kıbrıs'ta hizmet sektöründe işyeri sahibi oldu.

Lokantacılığa 12 yaşında komi olarak başlayan, usta olduktan sonra 20 yıldır kuzey Kıbrıs'ın birçok yerinde kendi işyerini çalıştıran Mustafa İzzet Erkanlılar (Şişko) barlar, restoranlarla dolu güney Lefkoşa’nın Ermu Sokağı’nda dönerci dükkanı açtı.

Kıbrıslı Rum işyeri sahibinden kiraladığı 40 metrekarelik dükkanda ailesi, bir Kıbrıslı Türk bir de Kıbrıslı Rum çalışanıyla, Erkanlılar bu kez iddialı. Domuz kebabından bıkan Kıbrıslı Rumlar ve yabancılara başta tavuk döner olmak üzere Türk mutfağını sevdirmeye çalışan Mustafa’nın işleri şimdilik iyi. Olayı yadırgayan bazı fanatik Kıbrıslı Rumların bir yandan işyeri sahibine yaptıkları baskılar, diğer yandan kendi önüne konan bürokratik ve ayrımcı engellere rağmen Mustafa “ Şişko’nun Döneri (Yiron do Başi) ” adıyla tavuk ve dana –kuzu karışımı et dönerini satıyor.

For the first time in many years, a Turkish Cypriot has become the owner of a business in south Cyprus.

Mustafa İzzet Erkanlılar (Şişko), who started out in the restaurant business as an assistant waiter at the age of twelve and who, having learnt his trade, ran his own businesses in north Cyprus for twenty years, has opened a doner shop in south Nicosia’s Ermou Street, home to many restaurants and bars.

Erkanlılar, along with his family and staff of one Greek Cypriot and one Turkish Cypriot is aiming high from his 40 square metre shop which he is renting from the Greek Cypriot owner of the premises. Mustafa is currently succeeding in his attempts to win over Greek Cypriots and foreigners, who are sick of pork kebab, to the delights of Turkish cuisine, principally chicken doner. Despite facing, on the one hand, pressure exerted on the owner of the business by certain fanatic Greek Cypriots who have trouble coming to terms with the whole thing, and, on the other, certain bureaucratic and discriminatory obstacles which have been placed in his way, Mustafa is selling his doner, a mixture of chicken and veal-lamb meat, which goes under the name of “Şişko’s Doner” (Giron do Basi).

[humanist]

Hey Tim thanks am gonna go check it out and support him. It really is great to see. Yeaeee the people are doing it.

[Viewpoint]

Hey Tim thanks am gonna go check it out and support him. It really is great to see. Yeaeee the people are doing it.

Dont get to excited its only one person in 4 years give it another 600.000 years and you may have all the TCs on your side

Did you pick up the part about the great difficulties he faced setting up business in a GC state? he says

Despite facing, on the one hand, pressure exerted on the owner of the business by certain fanatic Greek Cypriots who have trouble coming to terms with the whole thing, and, on the other, certain bureaucratic and discriminatory obstacles which have been placed in his way,

[Get Real!]

Mustafa İzzet Erkanlılar (Şişko), who started out in the restaurant business as an assistant waiter at the age of twelve and who, having learnt his trade, ran his own businesses in north Cyprus for twenty years, has opened a doner shop in south Nicosia’s Ermou Street, home to many restaurants and bars.

Erkanlılar, along with his family and staff of one Greek Cypriot and one Turkish Cypriot is aiming high from his 40 square metre shop which he is renting from the Greek Cypriot owner of the premises. Mustafa is currently succeeding in his attempts to win over Greek Cypriots and foreigners, who are sick of pork kebab, to the delights of Turkish cuisine, principally chicken doner. Despite facing, on the one hand, pressure exerted on the owner of the business by certain fanatic Greek Cypriots who have trouble coming to terms with the whole thing, and, on the other, certain bureaucratic and discriminatory obstacles which have been placed in his way, Mustafa is selling his doner, a mixture of chicken and veal-lamb meat, which goes under the name of “Şişko’s Doner” (Giron do Basi).

I'm happy for him but isn't Ermou street "caught" in the green line?

[humanist]

VP I am happy to see Cypriots coming together, whether they are in thousands or simply one man and his family, they are brave enough to take on a huge task. I applaud them for that and I will support them, when and in a way that I can. The funny thing is I don't eat meat, but I will not die if I do either. In order to say to this guy I applaud and admire what you have done and for believing in a united Cyprus I am here to eat the meet and give you my money.


Yes I did read the bit about the hardships faced and I can imagine the ones he will stilll face. That is more of a reason to go a have a kebab and encourage him through my support too continue on with his fight. Because this man didn't open the shop for the money but rather his belief of a Cyprus society where al Cypriots live together in harmony.

[Nikitas]

The guy is going to do good business. Ermou is near the green line but part of it is still in the free area. Most "in" restaurants are there.

It is not the only business carried on by TCs in the south. There are several building contractors working with their own crews of TC workmen. Perhaps because their business does not rwuire premises etc they have not been featured in the news yet.

Now we wait and see the moves of reciprocation. But dont anyone hold your breath!

[humanist]

Nikitas I am not holding my breath on that one. Having said that it has been stated before on this forum that the trnc residents and administration do not want GC's living in the occupied areas.

[Piratis]

Thanks Tim for the article. This contribution from Tim is a valuable one, not only because he brought to our attention something very interesting, but also because he went into the trouble of making the translation.

[Kikapu]

Dont get to excited its only one person in 4 years give it another 600.000 years and you may have all the TCs on your side

With 17,000 TC's crossing into part of their country (RoC) to work, why not also provide Lamb & Chicken Kebab for them to eat by yet another TC. You watch and see what will happen. You will get flood of TC's coming into the RoC to try and capture some of that business generated by the 17,000 TC's, and the way things are going, that number will no doubt grow since they can't find work in the "TRNC".

[Viewpoint]

Dont get to excited its only one person in 4 years give it another 600.000 years and you may have all the TCs on your side

With 17,000 TC's crossing into part of their country (RoC) to work, why not also provide Lamb & Chicken Kebab for them to eat by yet another TC. You watch and see what will happen. You will get flood of TC's coming into the RoC to try and capture some of that business generated by the 17,000 TC's, and the way things are going, that number will no doubt grow since they can't find work in the "TRNC".

Lets hope so, then the revenue can drift into the TRNC and support the economy offsetting the losses we endure due to GC policies regarding isolating the TCs, to keep them wanting a solution.