Cyprus-Forum.com

[Oracle]

For some inexplicable reason, the British sense of decorum has become displaced!

Encouraged by the trouble-making Turk-TCs, instead of seeking to help end our present occupation, they instead deem it more important to pay some "tribute" to the Colonialist Forces, upon ethnically cleansed, racially segregated land, in the still-occupied territories of Cyprus.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/pers ... -land.html

Come on Brits! Surely you are more sensitive than this?

What steps should we take to help them see sense?

[Oracle]

Oh ... I see this has been moved from General Chat.

I classed it as a moral dilemma for more liberal thinking people and not just specific to the Cyprus Problem and its causes.

Basically, is it right that an ex-Colonial power should abuse the weakened position, yet again, and of a fellow EU member country, and go above the wishes of the present government to make such an ill-conceived gesture?

[miltiades]

It is actions such as this highly ill conceived idea that the G/Cs would have no objection to a memorial of those that lost their lives as a direct result of the British occupation of their island. The British mentality at times infuriates me . Did they really think that the ROC would have granted them permission for this act.
Going against the wishes of the sole legal entity , that of the ROC , and opting for a memorial in the occupied part of Cyprus is a bloody disgrace and another example of the British "traffic warden" mentality that seems to be gaining in stature.
The British servicemen who lost their lives during the liberation struggle were only carrying out their duty , respect them of course but request that their memory is honoured in the land that their imperialist government of the time occupied BY FORCE takes the biscuit.
The DT is well known for its anti Cyprus views .

[Kifeas]

The problem is not having in Cyprus a memorial of British soldiers that lost their lives during the 1955-59 Greek Cypriot apprising and the Eoka struggle. After all, the majority of them were plain soldiers following orders from their country, and in no case it should be equated with commemorating British colonialism in Cyprus or elsewhere. What I find deplorable in the above article of DT, and which shows a sheer and provocative attitude of arrogance and hypocrisy on the part of Gordon Rayner, the writer, is his idea of describing Greek Cypriot anti-colonialism fighters as terrorists.

It is indeed incomprehensible to suggest that those who came from over 2,000 miles away, fought and died in the name of colonialism against the will of the indigenous people of a country, are heroes, and those who fought and died in their own country, in the name of the overwhelming majority of its people’s self-determination right, are terrorists. I ask the writer, would he also tell the American people that their freedom fighters in the patriotic war of independence against British colonialism, were also terrorists? Does it matter that the aim of the Eoka struggle, besides achieving the right of the Cypriot people’s self determination, was also to unite the island with Greece, in view of the fact that 80% country’s people belonged to the Greek Cypriot community? Why uniting the island with another country cannot be part of a people’s self-determination right, if this is what the vast majority wished at the time?

[denizaksulu]

Somehow I see the memorial 'issue' as a continuation of something that the 'Colonial Power, Britain' has always been good at, 'DIVIDE AND RULE'. Although Cyprus has gained its Independence from Britain, they will not stop favouring one community against the other. The fools in the North have fallen for it. What do they expect to get back in return? A pat on the back? I think not.

As Kifeas has said these young kids were sent thousands of miles to die for their political masters, I do not meant to hurt their memory at all.

I have seen many memorials all over the UK. On many Cyprus, and its fallen are often mentioned. Forgotten? I think not.

No wonder I HATE politics.

[Tim Drayton]

The problem is not having in Cyprus a memorial of British soldiers that lost their lives during the 1955-59 Greek Cypriot apprising and the Eoka struggle. After all, the majority of them were plain soldiers following orders from their country, and in no case it should be equated with commemorating British colonialism in Cyprus or elsewhere. What I find deplorable in the above article of DT, and which shows a sheer and provocative attitude of arrogance and hypocrisy on the part of Gordon Rayner, the writer, is his idea of describing Greek Cypriot anti-colonialism fighters as terrorists.

It is indeed incomprehensible to suggest that those who came from over 2,000 miles away, fought and died in the name of colonialism against the will of the indigenous people of a country, are heroes, and those who fought and died in their own country, in the name of the overwhelming majority of its people’s self-determination right, are terrorists. I ask the writer, would he also tell the American people that their freedom fighters in the patriotic war of independence against British colonialism, were also terrorists? Does it matter that the aim of the Eoka struggle, besides achieving the right of the Cypriot people’s self determination, was also to unite the island with Greece, in view of the fact that 80% country’s people belonged to the Greek Cypriot community? Why uniting the island with another country cannot be part of a people’s self-determination right, if this is what the vast majority wished at the time?

International law supports you in that assertion.
To quote from:

Declaration on Principles of International Law
Concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation Among States
in Accordance with the Charter of the United Nations,
UN General Assembly Resolution 2625 (XXV)
24 October 1970


"The establishment of a sovereign and independent State, the free association or integration with an independent State or the emergence into any other political status freely determined by a people constitute modes of implementing the right of self determination by that people."

[Kifeas]

The problem is not having in Cyprus a memorial of British soldiers that lost their lives during the 1955-59 Greek Cypriot apprising and the Eoka struggle. After all, the majority of them were plain soldiers following orders from their country, and in no case it should be equated with commemorating British colonialism in Cyprus or elsewhere. What I find deplorable in the above article of DT, and which shows a sheer and provocative attitude of arrogance and hypocrisy on the part of Gordon Rayner, the writer, is his idea of describing Greek Cypriot anti-colonialism fighters as terrorists.

It is indeed incomprehensible to suggest that those who came from over 2,000 miles away, fought and died in the name of colonialism against the will of the indigenous people of a country, are heroes, and those who fought and died in their own country, in the name of the overwhelming majority of its people’s self-determination right, are terrorists. I ask the writer, would he also tell the American people that their freedom fighters in the patriotic war of independence against British colonialism, were also terrorists? Does it matter that the aim of the Eoka struggle, besides achieving the right of the Cypriot people’s self determination, was also to unite the island with Greece, in view of the fact that 80% country’s people belonged to the Greek Cypriot community? Why uniting the island with another country cannot be part of a people’s self-determination right, if this is what the vast majority wished at the time?

International law supports you in that assertion.
To quote from:

Declaration on Principles of International Law
Concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation Among States
in Accordance with the Charter of the United Nations,
UN General Assembly Resolution 2625 (XXV)
24 October 1970


"The establishment of a sovereign and independent State, the free association or integration with an independent State or the emergence into any other political status freely determined by a people constitute modes of implementing the right of self determination by that people."

Thanks Tim!

[Tim Drayton]

The problem is not having in Cyprus a memorial of British soldiers that lost their lives during the 1955-59 Greek Cypriot apprising and the Eoka struggle. After all, the majority of them were plain soldiers following orders from their country, and in no case it should be equated with commemorating British colonialism in Cyprus or elsewhere. What I find deplorable in the above article of DT, and which shows a sheer and provocative attitude of arrogance and hypocrisy on the part of Gordon Rayner, the writer, is his idea of describing Greek Cypriot anti-colonialism fighters as terrorists.

It is indeed incomprehensible to suggest that those who came from over 2,000 miles away, fought and died in the name of colonialism against the will of the indigenous people of a country, are heroes, and those who fought and died in their own country, in the name of the overwhelming majority of its people’s self-determination right, are terrorists. I ask the writer, would he also tell the American people that their freedom fighters in the patriotic war of independence against British colonialism, were also terrorists? Does it matter that the aim of the Eoka struggle, besides achieving the right of the Cypriot people’s self determination, was also to unite the island with Greece, in view of the fact that 80% country’s people belonged to the Greek Cypriot community? Why uniting the island with another country cannot be part of a people’s self-determination right, if this is what the vast majority wished at the time?

International law supports you in that assertion.
To quote from:

Declaration on Principles of International Law
Concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation Among States
in Accordance with the Charter of the United Nations,
UN General Assembly Resolution 2625 (XXV)
24 October 1970


"The establishment of a sovereign and independent State, the free association or integration with an independent State or the emergence into any other political status freely determined by a people constitute modes of implementing the right of self determination by that people."

Thanks Tim!

Do not forget that this is a double edged sword. One day a separate right of self-determination may be granted to the Turkish-speaking community on Cyprus and the above provision would open the way to annexation.

[DT.]

It is actions such as this highly ill conceived idea that the G/Cs would have no objection to a memorial of those that lost their lives as a direct result of the British occupation of their island. The British mentality at times infuriates me . Did they really think that the ROC would have granted them permission for this act.
Going against the wishes of the sole legal entity , that of the ROC , and opting for a memorial in the occupied part of Cyprus is a bloody disgrace and another example of the British "traffic warden" mentality that seems to be gaining in stature.
The British servicemen who lost their lives during the liberation struggle were only carrying out their duty , respect them of course but request that their memory is honoured in the land that their imperialist government of the time occupied BY FORCE takes the biscuit.
The DT is well known for its anti Cyprus views .

I am?

[Paphitis]

I would have to agree with Kifeas, but I will go even further and state that the Cyprus Government and Cypriots as a whole are to blame for this. I say this because the Cyprus Government has not taken up the initiative in building a memorial for all British Soldiers that had fallen during the EOKA campaign. If this had been done, then perhaps the British would not have had the need to open a memorial in the occupied areas, and this would also have improved our relations and ties with Britain as well.

With ANZAC day now approaching, about 100,000 Australians will make an annual pilgrimage in Gallipoli, Turkey. There are dozens of ANZAC memorials dotted across the peninsula, many built by Turkey herself to honour the fallen Aussie servicemen who had invaded their country, and occupied the peninsula.

If Turkey is able to demonstrate signs of nobility, then I am sure that Cypriots are also capable of doing the same in remembrance of the 371 British servicemen.

The EOKA struggle of 55-59 was just and we must always remember their sacrifice. But we must also pay our due respect to the 371 British service personnel as well. It is far too easy to embark on a Brit Bashing exercise, but every now and then we should really take a good look at ourselves.

The only thing we could condemn is Gordon Rayner's description of EOKA freedom fighters as "terrorists".

Other than the above, this sorry saga just highlights the Cypriot Village Mentality and is further evidence that we as a race and a country have a long way to go to enter the enlightened 21st century, and we should all be ashamed of ourselves for allowing Turkey, of all countries, beat us in this instance.

Cyprus should have paid her respect to the fallen 371 British service personnel a long time ago!