Bananiot wrote:A GROUP of more than 50 Greek and Turkish Cypriot organisations will come together this Thursday to remember the innocent victims of almost 50 years of violence and war on the island. The bicommunal peace movement will gather at the Peace Park in the village of Kontea in the north, along with relatives of the victims of massacres, unionists, teachers, students, artists, peace activists and common people from all walks of life “to remember our violent past and to pledge to build a common peaceful future”.
In a released announcement, the movement acknowledged the contribution of everyday people to the humanitarian issue of the missing, which “has suffered for many years in the hands of politicians”.
Noting the strides forward made on the issue of missing persons since 2005, it said: “This remarkable progress however could never have been made had it not been for the courage and humanity of common people that come forward and give information about possible burial sites, as well as those who help the investigations about the fate of the missing.”
This year’s memorial event at Kontea Peace Park on July 22, 7.30pm, will honour a small number of these “remarkable people and in their name all our compatriots that quietly work to uncover the untold stories buried in the mass graves”.
The location of the peace festival itself is also a story of courage and quiet persistence as it is the result of unique cooperation between Kontea’s original Greek Cypriot inhabitants and the current Turkish Cypriot residents to restore and maintain the village’s monuments and cultural heritage. Both groups of villagers not only share ties to the village but both have also suffered the fate of being displaced from their homes.
The peace festival offers music, documentaries, poetry and other activities to honour the acts of “courage and humanity of Turkish and Greek Cypriots who provide information for the location of places of burial and the fate of the missing”.
The organisers concluded: “Divided we have suffered, together we can build a common peaceful future!”
For people wishing to take a bus, there will be buses at the northern side of the Ledra Palace checkpoint at 6:30 pm. For reservations, e-mail [email protected].
There's more than two 'ethnic' 'communities' in Cyprus, so why a 'bi' communal peace movement? That's just racist, exclusive and neglects other minorities.
Such movements should be called 'multi' or 'inter' communal, or just plain 'Cypriot'. 'Bi' communal is patronising to Turkish Cypriots; as though they still need to be treated as a 'special case'. No wonder there's a Cyprus problem.
I'd be offended if I belonged to a minority community in Cyprus.
