Piratis wrote:There was never such thing as a "Cypriot Nation". The majority of the population of Cyprus are (and have been for 1000s of years) Greek, and then there is a Turkish minority created during Ottoman rule.
I asked many times what is the difference of Cyprus and any of the other Greek islands apart from the fact that to Cypriots it was denied the right to be part of the modern Greek State. I still didn't get an answer. So what is it that makes a "Cypriot Nation", but not a "Cretan Nation" or a "Rhodian Nation", or "Paros Nation" ... (fill in the name of the other 6000+ Greek islands)? What makes Cyprus similar to Australia and not similar to Crete or Rhodes??
Sure, every territory (island or otherwise) could be a separate nation. We could also take Turkey (or any other nation), split it up in 100 pieces and have 100 "nations". But shouldn't the choice of whether a territory is a separate nation or not belong to the local population???
Cyprus did not became a separate country because this is what the Cypriot people choose and what would serve the interests of Cypriots. (as it happened with all other examples you gave). Cypriots were blackmailed and forced to accepted some pseudo independence (with "guarantors", foreign troops, foreign bases etc) because this is what served the interests of UK and Turkey, and not the interests of the majority of the Cypriot people.
These are the historical facts. Now you might ask: "OK Piratis, all that belongs to the past. Cyprus is a separate country now and given the circumstances isn't the creation of a Cypriot Nation in the interests of all Cypriots now?"
The answer is "It could be". Give to the Cypriot people the freedom to finally democratically choose what they want for their own island and among the options that Cypriots can choose from also provide a true independence, with a true democracy among equal Cypriot people without racist discrimination, foreign troops, "guarantors" and foreign bases. THEN I am certain the majority of Cypriots will choose to be a separate Nation because such independent nation would indeed be for the interests of all Cypriots.
Unfortunately the option for a true independence is not available to the Cypriot people. Cyprus is too small to be able to have such independence. We do not have the power of huge countries like USA, Australia or Canada and our island is located in a very strategic location for the Imperialists to just let us out of their control.
So if we turn our backs to the rest of Greeks, our only real allies, the only thing we will manage is to isolate ourselves and make the job of those Imperialists who want to continue exploiting our island event easier.
Democratic will is important but Cypriot unity and nationhood comes from the efforts of those who are bias in wanting it and nothing else. It is the efforts of these people to articulate what Cypriot nationhood and unity that defines it.
I understand your fears but at the same time do we not have to challenge Greek/ Turkish nationalism in Cyprus which is playing its part in dividing us? You cite the greater powers and yet we all know that it was the intelligence services of these greater powers that whipped up nationalism in Cyprus to divide it?
If you have not already, read Martin Packard's "Getting it Wrong." A highly recommended book. He describes how the British openly told him not to even attempt to try to try to heal the problems that were created between Cypriots.
I understand you don't want to lose allies and be at the mercy of the same powers but then are we going to fight this devil?
