Cyprus-Forum.com

[Kifeas]

The victory belongs to Cyprus, the flag to Greece!
Sener Levent, Politis: 29/08/2005

The melancholic reality is the following: The victory was from Cyprus, but the flag was from Greece! This is the fact that made furious even those TCs who felt so much Cypriots as to support Anorthosis. Even those who do not hesitate to say that Turkey is an occupying power in Cyprus were heartbroken in view of this sad sight. They couldn’t find anything to say. Those TCs most supporting of peace, those advocating that we must live together and not side by side, those advocating that Varoshia must be returned back to its owners without trade-offs, those asking for the flag to be removed from the Kyrenia mountains, those who are against the intervention rights of any guarantor and foreign powers, those asking for the settlers and the Turkish troops to be withdrawn from Cyprus, are those that threw the towel and acknowledged defeat. They felt an immensurable disappointment in view of the stadium’s sight. They remained helpless, as if they have lost all their ammunition against the chauvinists of their side. As if they have gone through a very heavy defeat. They couldn’t find anything to say even to those who claiming that “the Turks and the Greeks cannot live together.”

The most authentic ascertainment was the one made by Hasan Keskin, the “king” of the gray wolfs. Lets not be too calumnious to him! “This game had only two winners: Anorthosis and the Turkish Cypriot nationalists!” Unfortunately, those who granted this victory to the TC chauvinists are the Greek Cypriots. If you so wish, call them fanatics or nationalists or chauvinists or racists. Call them whatever you like! If you wish so, find some comfort by claiming that it was “just a small group of people.” Absolutely nothing can cover that sea of Greek flags in the stadium! The fact that there were a few Cypriot flags, scattered around like sails in that sea, cannot change the reality. Anorthosis might have “roared out” in the pitch. However, those that “roared out” more were the Turkish Cypriot nationalists. The calls proclaiming that “the Turks and the Greeks cannot live together," begun sounding louder than ever. Those professing that “ whatever happens, they can live together,” have been depleted of all zest and strength to answer back to all these.

You, dear Greek Cypriot brothers and sisters, might not know that all the flags are not tailored with a garment from the same factory. You are also hostages of the flag, like those of our side. And indeed, you are hostages of a flag that doesn’t belong to your country. After having seen that picture in the stadium, I was also convinced! You wouldn’t mind it at all if that flag on the mountain was a Greek instead of being a Turkish one. How easy it is for someone to detect the real enemies of peace in Cyprus!

Just imagine how more terrific it would have been if that stadium was decorated with more Cypriot and not only with Greek flags. It is obvious that we did not learn our lessons from our painful history. We haven’t become more logical, neither from the division nor from the death of so many innocent Cypriots. In that stadium, we have shown once more our sad picture. The Greek flags do not help in anything else other than to increase the number of those in our side who say that “if Turkey pulls out from here, they will butcher us all in the name of Hellenism.” I am not surprised at all that the “hand of piece” from Talat, whose main concern is to legitimize the occupation, remains hanging. I am very surprised though that the hand of peace extended by those Turkish Cypriots opposing the occupation, also remains hanging. I do not believe that we will ever have a solution and peace as long as Greek and Turkish flags are waving in the skies of the Cyprus Republic. Perhaps more army barracks will be build, but no bridges of peace.


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When Sener Levent speaks, no more comments are needed!
So sad ...and so true!

[fi]

Well we live in a democracy so we can't force people to hold one flag rather another one, and I don't have any problem seeing people carrying any countries flags.

However congratulation to the organization and to the poeple attending on how civilized the match was kept.

And of course no-one will butcher anyone in name of Hellenism!!!!!! Lets not forget what happened in 74!!!!!!

[Viewpoint]

It was a high risk game could have been explosive, if it werent for the prison camp police control, barbed wire, majority segregation of TCs and GCs people and cars, and exiting control, was needed to deter people from causing trouble. We have yet to mature enough to do without these heavy precautions, the verbal abuse, Enosis and Greek flags,lack of "RoC" flags and Anorthosis flags were clear indications that we are not ready to live together peacefully.

VP
dont u think that there is a slight difference between a football match and trying living together? strickt security measures exist in all kinds of football matches which can be classified as dangerous. sometimes even within two teams of the same country. does that mean that those people cannot live together in the same country? english greek and english hooligans should they be kept in different countries just because they fight in a football match?

in any case if u believe that we cannot live together why do we keep the endless discussions about the kind of system we should use ? what difference would the system make if u really believe that in any case we cannot live together in peace?

Surely the mentality of many GCs was disappointingly revealed yet again that night the slogans shouted on the terraces was "Cyprus is Greek" is this ok with you?? I understand that you cannot gag these people and they will say what they want but it reveals to TCs that the 1950/60 idealogies still remains in many GCs...

The reason I particiapte in this forum is to question my own beliefs compare them to others, exposing myself to GCs and the way they view matters and imo this has been very good for me as it has contributed and reinforced my belief that our views and ideals are to far apart and that we do not trust each other one inch which deters us from evlauating certain issues rationally and forming and living in a united Cyprus, Everyone is aware of my thoughts regarding a solution, the way forward for me at the current time and with the attitude of both sides is recognized partition for return of land, each community goes their own sweet merry way and we learn to be good neighbours rather than suspiscious untrusting unwilling countrymen....

[garbitsch]

Well we live in a democracy so we can't force people to hold one flag rather another one, and I don't have any problem seeing people carrying any countries flags.

However congratulation to the organization and to the poeple attending on how civilized the match was kept.

And of course no-one will butcher anyone in name of Hellenism!!!!!! Lets not forget what happened in 74!!!!!!

It's not the right of people holding flags that is questioned, it is the mentality of some that has always been leading us to deadlocks. These people are not only in your side, but we also have lots of them. Yet there are not much Turkish Cypriot left who would take the Turkish flag and go to watch a football game.

[Viewpoint]

Apology please MicAtCyp, it takes courage to say sorry I was wrong, this is your chance to accept you questioned Anglo's truthfullness as if he was lying.

Your avoiding this apology will discredit your future arguements even further as you always make sweeping statements as if you definately know everything and no one else knows anything and we use lies to support our points that we are trying to make and obviously in this case you were wrong and Anglo was correct.

If you ignore this message than I personally have no more to say and leave evaluation of this episode to other forum members about your character and creditability.

[metecyp]

When Sener Levent speaks, no more comments are needed!
So sad ...and so true!

Thanks Kifeas for posting this here. I read the Turkish version and I wanted to translate it for the forum but I didn't have time. I'm glad you found the English version of it.

So what do GC forum members think about Sener Levent's article? Especially MicAtCyp, you always love to quote Levent when he talks in favour of your side...now he's against your side..what do you have to say? Do you think we're still being greedy for asking some protections after the sea of Greek flags in the stadium?? I'm curious to know. Or am I being brain-washed again by saying these things? Let me know.

[Yiannis]

I also read the article in Greek and thats when i decided to change my signature to "Cyprus is not Greek" in order to answer back to those GCs that dont think before they talk or shout. In my opinion saying Cyprus is Greek is non valid and above all offending to our TC compatriots.Cyprus since 1960 want it or not its an independent nation.Saying that and getting into the EU you cannot just start shouting Cyprus is Greek because simply is not part of Greece Republic.
As for the Greek flags in the game i certainly feel sorry for my TC compatriots having to see their GC compatriots carrying that flag and most importantly even shouting "Cyprus is Greek". If it was just carrying greek flags then it would have been much more better.
My opinion which i stated many times in this forum is that Greek flags have no place outside goverment and public buildings.Now if you are a GC and u feel so strongly about having the Greek heritage then fine put ur flag outside ur home if you want but in no way does a Greek flag belong to public place in RoCyprus.

[metecyp]

Thanks for the sincere answer Yiannis. What percentage of GCs do you think shares what you said in your previous post?

[Yiannis]

I have no idea metecyp but i would say somewhere between 30-40%. Perhaps some other members know better than me.

[Piratis]

Interesting that the ones that complain are the ones that grabbed 1/3rd of Cyprus and named it "TurkishRNC", and that now they want a Turkish component state.

If a part of Cyprus can be Turkish, then with the same logic the whole Cyprus can be Greek.

Levent has the right to complain about this. But not the great majority of TCs that support the "TRNC".