Agios Ionas wrote:A new war is the last thing this island is in need of. The scars of yesteryear can and will heal eventually although it will take a long time. The 34 years of no solution is proof enough that time is needed badly. But a new war will open an ugly bleeding wound that won't heal in a foreseeable future. New generations will be poisoned by hate and violence, not in the form of tales of the past, but rather first hand experience. Enough people have suffered already, and many are still suffering. I mean, seriously, who the f*ck cares about a plot of land if you've lost your child to a bomb or bullet? It doesn't matter if that plot of land is worth £5 million. The lives of your children has no price tag!
As much as I want Turkish forces out of Cyprus and a reunited island where GC and TC can co-exist peacefully and equally I would never call for a war. The only war I'd possibly condone would be if GC and TC alike joined forces and tried to expel Turkish forces from the island in order to free Cyprus and give it back to its natural citizens. Still, the price would be very high. Personally, although I have no death wish, I'd be willing to risk my life for something bigger than me. But I would never allow a situation where my family is put to danger. I would engage an entire army on my own if necessary. But I would make sure my wife and children are in a safe place first. Quite frankly, I think the chances of a GC/TC joint effort to fight off Turkey and win are less than Turkey collapsing on her own one day. So I guess it's better to wait and watch her destroy herself than to challenge her and end up with Cyprus being 100% Turkish. The Cypriots (GC/TC) surviving would be in for a very hard time. Because Turkey would oppress and punish as if there was no tomorrow.
A new war would ruin the whole of Cyprus for a very long period, long enough for us, our children and grandchildren to be miserable for our entire lives. A new war would cause instability in the whole EU. Forget about a flourishing tourist business for a considerable amount of years. It will take much longer than it did last time to achieve some kind of trustworthy stability to allow for the "outer world" to want to do business with and visit Cyprus.
Some people keep harping about the Ottoman connection and seem stuck in 1571. +400 years is a long time, no one of us were existing back then. I would say that if your family have been in a country for that long, you belong in said country. No matter if you're a descendant of an invader. Anyone must admit that +400 years down the line the descendants are hardly responsible of what their ancestors did. We can hardly choose where to be born and by whom.
We can keep blaming people for what they did 34 years ago because it's still quite recent and people involved in the atrocities are still alive. But +400 years ago? Come on, somewhere a line must be drawn and some things must be considered history. I mean, where would the UK be if people were still fighting about who's Saxon and Norman?
What are you people asking for war thinking? It's enough suffering in the world already. Why are you so keen on bringing it on your own doorstep? Cyprus is in need of peace, not war.
Great post I would like to high light your feelings about living in a Cyprus run by Turkey, we feel exactly the same about living in a GC state run by GCs with us just as another minority. I hope you can appreciate why we need a BBF with political equality of the 2 states.
