Cyprus-Forum.com

[vaughanwilliams]

I wonder what the world would be like if everybody returned to their own country of origin? The UK is full also of every nationality you can think of and right now the rich Greeks are flocking in to buy up anything in order to keep their stashed cash!All those African,Asians,Carribeans,Cypriots etc, the Uk would be empty!Bliss we British would really love that but alas it will never happen.

That's very different Beverley. What you are describing with the African, Asian and Caribbean communities in Britain is economic migration. The difference is that Cypriots did not immigrate to the UK for economic reasons but had to flee their homeland because of a CIA backed coup and invasion. Many of them had properties and businesses and did not need to go to Britain. Partly responsible for all this tragedy is Britain (as well as the US) and this is well documented in many history books on Cyprus.

Many UK Cypriots are very actively involved in Cyprus because they do not see their stay as permanent; they simply want their country back. A Dutch, Belgian or Frenchman who lived through war-time Nazi occupation or was a refugee throughout the war can understand that feeling even if you as an insular Brit do not.

Omer, tens of thousands of Cypriots left Cyprus before 1974 for economic reasons. My own father and four of his brothers left for the UK and US in the 1930s to better themselves.

Jerry, I have to disagree with you here. The situation in Cyprus during the time your father emigrated is also down to the fact that the cypriot was prevented from prospering under the British rule.

The British had a tight hold on everything here and were milking the country. Thats the real reason many (and I won't say 'tens of thousands') emigrated to get away from that grip.

The ones that went to the UK (can't speak for other countries) found it very difficult and were heavily discriminated against, but managed to get by even with those issues. Many have done very well for themselves and I am proud of these people.

So, let us just get this into context and not make a mountain out of a mole hill.

What exactly do you mean by "milking"? Cyprus had no milk.
In those days Britains sole interest in Cyprus was for strategic reasons, as it is still today. You developed your only industries, construction and tourism, after independance.

What do you know about the CMC VW? Where do you think the product was exported to? What benefits did the Cyps reap apart from the Lung diseases from Amiandos.!!? Not sure whether Amiandos was run by the CMC, but still run by the Colonial power.

The Cyprus Mines Corporation was an early twentieth century American mining company based in Cyprus. In 1914, Charles G. Gunther began prospecting in the Skouriotissa area after reading in ancient books that the island was rich in copper and noticing promising ancient Roman slag heaps in the area. The company was established in 1916 by Colonel Seeley W. Mudd and his son, Harvey Seeley Mudd.

Initially the mine struggled, but eventually obstacles were overcome and the mine produced money. Turkish and Greek Cypriots were hired, and the town of Skouriotissa became a hub because so many miners moved there. The corporation took an old-style, paternalistic attitude towards workers, building a company town around the mine.
Long strikes took place in 1948, organized by the Pancyprian Federation of Labour and the Turkish Cypriot trade unions. After extending the initial five-day strike, the union asked for government intervention. The government declared that they could not start an inquiry since wages were not substandard.
Wiki.

Not British and an employer who paid fair wages.
Hardly "milking".
You haven't picked a very good example.

[Jerry]

There is a sad tale from http://www.britains-smallwars.com/cypru ... vitch.html
about mines

[Bananiot]

What about the thousands of people that left during the late 50's to avoid getting a bullet in the back from EOKA murderers?

I think we should be careful here not to become victims of the racist and xenophobic among us. Cyprus has a tradition of looking after its "xenos" and we should be proud of it. I believe that Omer Seyhan, probably has no such agenda.

[denizaksulu]

I wonder what the world would be like if everybody returned to their own country of origin? The UK is full also of every nationality you can think of and right now the rich Greeks are flocking in to buy up anything in order to keep their stashed cash!All those African,Asians,Carribeans,Cypriots etc, the Uk would be empty!Bliss we British would really love that but alas it will never happen.

That's very different Beverley. What you are describing with the African, Asian and Caribbean communities in Britain is economic migration. The difference is that Cypriots did not immigrate to the UK for economic reasons but had to flee their homeland because of a CIA backed coup and invasion. Many of them had properties and businesses and did not need to go to Britain. Partly responsible for all this tragedy is Britain (as well as the US) and this is well documented in many history books on Cyprus.

Many UK Cypriots are very actively involved in Cyprus because they do not see their stay as permanent; they simply want their country back. A Dutch, Belgian or Frenchman who lived through war-time Nazi occupation or was a refugee throughout the war can understand that feeling even if you as an insular Brit do not.

Omer, tens of thousands of Cypriots left Cyprus before 1974 for economic reasons. My own father and four of his brothers left for the UK and US in the 1930s to better themselves.

Jerry, I have to disagree with you here. The situation in Cyprus during the time your father emigrated is also down to the fact that the cypriot was prevented from prospering under the British rule.

The British had a tight hold on everything here and were milking the country. Thats the real reason many (and I won't say 'tens of thousands') emigrated to get away from that grip.

The ones that went to the UK (can't speak for other countries) found it very difficult and were heavily discriminated against, but managed to get by even with those issues. Many have done very well for themselves and I am proud of these people.

So, let us just get this into context and not make a mountain out of a mole hill.

What exactly do you mean by "milking"? Cyprus had no milk.
In those days Britains sole interest in Cyprus was for strategic reasons, as it is still today. You developed your only industries, construction and tourism, after independance.

What do you know about the CMC VW? Where do you think the product was exported to? What benefits did the Cyps reap apart from the Lung diseases from Amiandos.!!? Not sure whether Amiandos was run by the CMC, but still run by the Colonial power.

The Cyprus Mines Corporation was an early twentieth century American mining company based in Cyprus. In 1914, Charles G. Gunther began prospecting in the Skouriotissa area after reading in ancient books that the island was rich in copper and noticing promising ancient Roman slag heaps in the area. The company was established in 1916 by Colonel Seeley W. Mudd and his son, Harvey Seeley Mudd.

Initially the mine struggled, but eventually obstacles were overcome and the mine produced money. Turkish and Greek Cypriots were hired, and the town of Skouriotissa became a hub because so many miners moved there. The corporation took an old-style, paternalistic attitude towards workers, building a company town around the mine.
Long strikes took place in 1948, organized by the Pancyprian Federation of Labour and the Turkish Cypriot trade unions. After extending the initial five-day strike, the union asked for government intervention. The government declared that they could not start an inquiry since wages were not substandard.
Wiki.

Not British and an employer who paid fair wages.
Hardly "milking".
You haven't picked a very good example.

Still, Cyprus was milked and at great cost to the Cypriots. (not only the CMC. At least you can google. To me they are all Anglo-saxons

[Gasman]

Cyprus Mail article here with some interesting comments.

The role of the Diaspora in the Cyprus problem

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/opinions/role-diaspora-cyprus-problem/20100314

[Hatter]

What about the thousands of people that left during the late 50's to avoid getting a bullet in the back from EOKA murderers?

I think we should be careful here not to become victims of the racist and xenophobic among us. Cyprus has a tradition of looking after its "xenos" and we should be proud of it. I believe that Omer Seyhan, probably has no such agenda.

I am sure Omer Seyhan does not need me to speak for him, but I have not noticed anything racist or xenophobic in his posts in this thread. It seems odd that you did not notice the xenophobic and racist strand in beverly10's post that started this thread. But then again, Omar Seyhan is apparently cypriot whereas beverly10 isn't, so nevermind a little distortion, if you can bash a few of your fellow-cypriots in the name of demonstrating how open-minded you are, eh Bananiot?

As for the thousands that left in the late fifities, most of them apparently left because of the fear felt by both GCs and TCs in mixed villages where they formed minorities, a fear that was a byproduct of the colonial power's efforts to play the TC card against the GCs.

[Hatter]

Hatter, the economic reasons for leaving Cyprus were a consequence of the upheaval you refer to, that’s what “times of political instability and socioeconomic insecurity when future prospects appeared bleak and unpromising” means to me, in that respect both arguments are valid.

I would say that 79,000 leaving the island equates to tens of thousands, wouldn’t you?.

BTW it’s usual to give a source when quoting statistics.

Coombe, Vivienne; Little, Alan. Race & Social Work: A Guide to Training. London: Routledge. pp 80–87. ISBN 0422793809.

Apologies for not mentioning it earlier.

[Bananiot]

I have no idea what you are talking about Hatter. Have you really read what I wrote? Did you see this?

I believe that Omer Seyhan, probably has no such agenda.

You know nothing about the reasons so many thousands of young Cypriots left Cyprus in the late 50's. Your hypothesis that people simply left their mixed villages in order to overcome certain burdens imposed by the colonial power is baseless and stupid to say the least. Most of the people that left were people targeted by EOKA and TMT and some of the poorest people that could not make ends meet in Cyprus. That is why, in the UK, where I lived and worked for the best years of my life, the vast majority of the Cypriot immigrants were from the left, Greek and Turkish Cypriots. They formed about 80% of the community and they sustained newspapers such "VIMA" and "Paroikiaki Haravgi" for decades.

[Nikitas]

Bananiot are you seriously alleging that the majority of Cypriots in the UK were fleeing from EOKA and TMT persecution?

Obviously some were persecuted, but to say that over 200 000 people were so treated sounds a bit overdone.

[denizaksulu]

I have no idea what you are talking about Hatter. Have you really read what I wrote? Did you see this?

I believe that Omer Seyhan, probably has no such agenda.

You know nothing about the reasons so many thousands of young Cypriots left Cyprus in the late 50's. Your hypothesis that people simply left their mixed villages in order to overcome certain burdens imposed by the colonial power is baseless and stupid to say the least. Most of the people that left were people targeted by EOKA and TMT and some of the poorest people that could not make ends meet in Cyprus. That is why, in the UK, where I lived and worked for the best years of my life, the vast majority of the Cypriot immigrants were from the left, Greek and Turkish Cypriots. They formed about 80% of the community and they sustained newspapers such "VIMA" and "Paroikiaki Haravgi" for decades.

As I posted a few months ago, many Cypriots had left in the 1940', their numbers must have reached many thousands. In our village one TC family - the richest in the village - had to send 8 of their sons to the UK for economic reasons. Needless to say many GCs had also left. These were before any 'troubles' and before EOKA and TMT activities. One GC who returned in the 1950's having made his fortune was summarily executed by EOKA. His name #Tofalli (Americano) is listed as one of those killed by them. The list exists somewhere on th forum. I agree with Bananiot that more left during the 'troubles'.