Cyprus-Forum.com

[erolz3]

The following is a post I made on another forum a while back. It probably is not that suited to a forum like this but what the hey.

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The recent identification, return and burial of a Greek Cypriot family and others killed in 1974 has been in much of the Cypriot news in the last few days. Among the reports are horrific and distressing accounts of murder and brutality in this case from Turkish Cypriot and Turks against Greek Cypriot civilians.

As so often becomes the case these news articles lead to a spate of posts on forums such as this one with them presented as evidence of one sides brutality and barbarism against the other , only to be met with counter examples that spiral off indefinitely and get largely nowhere. I participate as much as any in such things.

However hidden amongst these horrific tales of murder and inter ethnic violence that litter the history of modern Cyprus are also examples of the goodness of the human spirit that are in reality our greatest hope for the future. I Would like to take the opportunity to highlight some of these.

The principle source for this search for the hidden hope amongst the sea of human evil and suffering is this article in the cyprus mail

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.ph ... 1&cat_id=9

I start with some quotes from Petros Souppouris who witnessed the execution of nearly his whole family in 1974 and has become a firm believer in reconciliation. This alone is an inspiring example of the power of goodness of the human spirit for me. In fact there seems to often be a strong correlations between those directly affected by brutality and evil to reject such forces as a result of the experiences. Ironically some of the loudest voices for revenge and retaliation come from those who did not experience evil and brutality themselves. This is a theme I will return to again.

Back to Petros Souppouris

"Petros Souppouris, who experienced the horror of that war more than any child of his age, has stated that he does not feel that it is up to him to see that the guilty are punished, or that he should seek revenge, and that is why he has never sought to find out the names of his family's killers. “Those who did this will be punished by life itself,” he said."

This is the hope for Cyprus and Cypriots in microcosm.

"After the checkpoints opened in 2003, Petros took his children to his village and showed him the spot where the grandparents, uncles and aunts they never met were murdered. “A good man now lives in my house, who told me that I own the house he lives in and that when I wish to return he will let me have it back,” he states."

Not a Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot meeting but two human beings displaying the human qualities of compassion, empathy and respect. It is in these things that the future hope for Cyprus really lays and not in revenge or even compensation and 'justice'.

“Those events took place under the circumstances prevailing then. The challenge now is to become conscious of that. Some people gained, some lost, some were affected by what happened and some were not. What matters now is that my children, your children, our children never have to experience what we did. We have to become conscious of what happened to avoid a repeat of the same in the future.”

Petros Souppouris has taught his children not to hate, and not to see anyone as their enemy. “Whether you have lost your house or not is not important. What matters is that we should learn to live together with the Turkish Cypriots and all our fellow human beings of all nationalities, to understand the concerns of all nationalities.”

This seemingly simple statement and its meaning is profoundly important in my view and all to often one of the first casualties of the endless rounds of blame gaming and recrimination.

They key in my view to understanding Mr Souppouris here is in understanding that he is not really saying that the loss of property is unimportant, but that what he is really saying is that the loss of property is unimportant compared to the scale of what is REALLY important - namely that we ensure that our children never have to experience these things. Such insight from an individual that has suffered so much at the hands of Turkish Cypriot and Turkish forces is to me awe inspiring and humbling.

All to often we forget the REAL important issue in our screaming and wailing and arguing about property of which I personally am as guilty as anyone. Mr Souppouris' insight has brought me a new insight into myself. I now realise that all too often my latent frustrations in discussions about property are as informed and motivated not so much by a commitment to accuracy and detail and balance but actually by the rarely expressed and often not even consciously noticed understanding that Mr Souporis is RIGHT. Compared to what REALLY matters property IS unimportant, not Greek Cypriot property or Turkish Cypriot property or expat property but ALL property. We loose our sense of perspective and in doing so we loose our way and with it our chance to do what MUST be done - ensuring our children NEVER have to suffer as Mr Souppouris and so many other Cypriots have.

Lest we think that Mr Souppouris is atypical let us not forget the other examples of the triumphing of humanity over baser instincts found throughout this article. Let us not forget the 'good man' now living in Mr Souppouris' house. Let us not forget Sevgul Uludag, not because she is Turkish Cypriot but because she puts being HUMAN before all other considerations. Let us not forget Hussein Akansoy who sufferd as Mr Soupporis did and who also has rejected hate and revenge as a valid response to his experience. Let us not forget the Turkish Army officer that 'gathered' the survivors of this tragedy and ordered they be given medical care - again not because he was Turkish but because he showed an ability to be simply Human. Let us not even forget the Turkish general that recorded in his memoirs the entirely human reaction "It was impossible not to feel pain when faced with such events" in reference to the sight of abandoned Greek Cypriot houses in 74. Outside of this article let us not forget that along with the countless tales of barbarity and brutality there are also the countless examples of the triumph of humanity over ethnic division and evil, less recounted , less shouted about but real none the less. The countless stories of Turkish Cypriot protected by Greek Cypriot and visa versa, of ordinary human beings that put themselves at risk to help other human beings without regard for these labels we attach to ourselves. Not just Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot but also Brits and other UN personnel. It is these truths, that are our true hope for a better future that all too often get lost in the adversarial battles of claim and counter claim.

Finally I would just like to return to this apparent paradox that so often those most directly affected by the worst atrocities of the 'other side' are the staunchest advocates or reconciliation over revenge of forgiveness over compensation and humanity over ethnic group. It is not just the two examples above but there are many others as well. What appears at first a paradox is in fact not one at all. It is I suspect exactly because of their direct personal experiences of evil that gives them the essential insights that we must not allow to be forgotten in the shouting and wailing of those who have not suffered in such direct ways. The understanding that forgiveness, compassion empathy and humanity are not only MORE important than revenge, recrimination, restitution and even justice but they are the ONLY real route to a better future, to a future where no one has to suffer what they did.

The Mr Soupporis' and the Mr Akansoys and the Sevgul Uludags at the countless others unnamed here but like them are the true heroes of Cyprus and the best hopes for a better future. Where are the streets named after them and the statues of these true heroes of Cyprus I wonder.