Cyprus-Forum.com

[zan]

A little bit of peace


Greek and Turkish Cypriots in 'London's little Cyprus' suggest a more peaceful future
As intensive negotiations between Cypriot leaders struggle to find a way to reintegrate the Greek and Turkish communities of Cyprus , a group of emigrants from the divided island seems to have established a functional peace in their London neighbourhood.
The residents of Green Lanes have carried with them some of their prejudices; but for the most part, they seem to have avoided the tensions that jar their Mediterranean homeland.
On a soggy, slate-gray afternoon in north London, Green Lanes seems a less delectable place to spend some years of one's life.
However, for the residents of London's "Little Cyprus", Sabri's words still ring true: "We are all friends, though very different." Of the estimated 200,000 Cypriots (one-fifth of whom are Turkish) living in the United Kingdom, some 100,000 reside in London. The majority live or work in and around Green Lanes.
London's Little Cyprus
On Cyprus, tension between the Greek south and the occupied north is ever present. But in Green Lanes, Greek and Turkish Cypriots have proved they can live together in relative harmony, as they did for centuries before the infamous Green Line was etched onto their nation's map by a British officer in 1963.
History has an acute sense of irony: As refugees on British soil, Greeks and Turks have rediscovered a sense of solidarity, of belonging to one nation. Divided on Cyprus by language, religion, and political affiliation, they are united in London by cultural similarities, the struggle for survival, and the desire for peace in their homeland.
"London is the decisive model in the peace process," says barrister Nicos Trimikliniotis, who is also political editor of the Parikiaki Haravgi , London's only Greek-Cypriot newspaper, now in its 25th year.
"Citizens on both sides are taking the initiative here to create real solutions that serve real people, not military or economic expediency or party political interests," Trimikliniotis says.
While the dissidents and emigrants who make up London's Cypriot community might not be perfectly representative of the compatriots they left behind, they do provide a working model of Greek and Turkish Cypriots coexisting peacefully.
Unspoken Borders
The first immigrants from poverty-ravaged Cyprus arrived in London during World War II; some were servicemen who had fought for the Allies, others adventurers seeking their fortune in the colonial motherland.
Mostly Greek, their entrepreneurial spirit, work ethic, and close family ties helped these early settlers establish profitable businesses in the Camden area. As their small businesses thrived, they literally moved up in the world - to the north and the well-to-do Haringey area on Green Lanes.
After the Turkish invasion and partition of Cyprus in 1974, half the island's population was displaced. Many chose to emigrate to the relative security of Britain, the country where they expected to feel most welcome.
Whether Greeks who had been evicted from their homes in the Occupied Area, or left-wing Turks opposed to the invasion, they gravitated to Green Lanes. In this environment, newcomers-who were optimistic they would return home as soon as "The Troubles" were over-could ease into British life with few disruptions, and with minimal interaction with non-Cypriots.
Twenty-eight years later, Cyprus is still divided and refugees (primarily Turkish-Cypriot dissidents) continue to arrive in London. Haringey remains the commercial heart of the local Cypriot community.
Upwardly mobile
But the upwardly mobile Greeks have migrated northward to Palmers Green, while the Turkish community is clustered at the bottom end of Green Lanes in the poorer borough of Hackney.
The borders dividing the two communities are unspoken but obvious - defined not by barbed wire but by social, economic, and political differences.
One of the longest streets in London (and, incidentally, not at all green), Green Lanes is both cosmopolitan and parochial, like Cyprus itself. I emerge from the London Underground at Manor House into a curious global village where Cypriots, British, Italians, Mauritians, Asians, and Kurds live side-by-side. Shopkeepers know most of their customers by name.
Fat women in headscarves squeeze and squabble over the ripest tomatoes at the fruit stalls. There are zaharoplasteia , pandopoleia , Cypriot barber shops, travel agents, banks, and takeaways. There is Trehantiri music shop, which boasts "The Largest Collection of Greek Music in the World."
And there are countless greengrocers, their rainbow of produce a dazzling contrast to the London drizzle.
The only thing missing is a kafeneion : As the Greek-Cypriot population has gradually dispersed, they have all closed. The nearest equivalent is the back room in the Cypriot newsagent where locals gather to read Greek papers and offer running commentary about the issues aired on London Greek Radio.
Residue of resentment
The newsagent, Nicholas Serapheim, is a quiet man with haunted eyes. I blithely ask which part of Cyprus he is from. "The Occupied Area," he replies tightly. After losing everything in 1974, Serapheim could not bear to return to Cyprus for 18 years.
Despite a residue of resentment, he is on reasonably good terms with his Turkish neighbors here: "It would be impolite to ignore them. We talk-but we never discuss politics."
Opening hours are erratic in Haringey, with many shops open 24 hours. Cypriots and Greeks, Turks, and Kurds come here to stock up on dolmadakia and baklavadakia, haloumi and tahinopittes . Many shops bear signs in both Greek and Turkish, an indication of their mixed clientele.
Yacar Halim-a greengrocer, bakery, patisserie and delicatessen all rolled into one-is a particular favorite with both Greeks and Turks. "His prices are very competitive," explains one Greek Cypriot who wished to remain anonymous.
"Why should I be loyal to a Greek shopkeeper if he's ripping me off? Business is business. "I was surprised at how many people asked to remain anonymous. Others claimed they were "too busy" to talk or mumbled excuses about "not wanting to upset anyone in the community."





Perhaps minding their own business is the simplest and surest way of protecting the peace. A young Greek-Cypriot banker offers a more cynical interpretation: "The individual quest for money and status has become more important than community spirit."
Leaving the Lanes
As more and more Cypriots land white-collar jobs and are assimilated into British society, their sense of interdependence has dissipated. Those who have reached the upper echelons of London society now tend to regard the close-knit community in Green Lanes with a degree of condescension.
The whole question of ethnic identity has become increasingly complex. "I'm different things in different contexts-Cypriot, British, and Greek...I don't feel a conflict between the three: I embrace diversity," says Trimikliniotis.
Turkish Cypriots have more acute identity problems, since they comprise a smaller group with a smaller support structure. Some advocate shrugging off their Cypriot identity as quickly as possible, while others want to hold onto it in as pure a form as they can. It seems much easier for Greeks than Turks to grasp the third alternative of being a London Cypriot.
Rising crime is another unsettling factor in Green Lanes. However, inter-ethnic violence is rare. The 1974 invasion did reawaken dormant loyalties and led to a surge of political activity in London, but even during the most turbulent crises in Cyprus, there have been few repercussions on Green Lanes.
From Hasapi to Kasap
Outside, the sun has yet to materialize and the rain is falling hard and fast. I hop on a bus and head down to the Turkish end of Green Lanes. From the top of the double-decker, I survey the changing face of the street through the sleeting rain: "Kypriakon Pandopoleion," "Andreas Fish-n-Chips," "Zorba's Fruit and Veg," "Hollywood Dreams Bridal Gowns."
A flash of green park, grim housing estates, then a flurry of Turkish shops: sausages dangling suggestively in the "Kasap Celal," a windowful of perfect pastry pyramids in the "Baklava Salonlari," Turkish bookshops, and minicab companies
I might have crossed the Green Line and entered another country. I don't speak the language and many of the shopkeepers don't speak English. Those who do are guarded and suspicious. Even the most innocuous inquiries provoke heated outbursts.
"When you come from Cyprus, everything is political. People just want to stay out of trouble," explains Turkay Hadji-Filippou, a social worker at the Turkish Cypriot Community Association (TCCA), located in the same premises as the Turkish Cypriot newspaper, the Londra Toplum Postasi.
Affiliated with the local council, the TCCA was set up in 1976 to help asylum seekers find housing and employment and claim state benefits. Despite its name, Greek Cypriots are also welcome. In fact, Turkay is married to a Greek Cypriot.
Marrying across the lines
On Cyprus, according to the 1962 Constitution, mixed couples cannot marry unless one of the pair converts. "Yes, there is prejudice against mixed couples here, too," says Turkay. "There are nationalist extremists on both sides. But if we carry on thinking like them, there will never be peace."
Ayhan, another TCCA social worker, has an infectious cheerfulness that is impressive, for, like so many Cypriots, his life has been scarred by tragedy. "My father was shot three times on Cyprus, first by EOKA, then twice by right-wing Turks.
In 1974, he decided to bring the family to England, but after four years he went back. He missed his garden, his country, too much. He knew he might be sent to prison, but England was like a prison for him. He wanted to be free..." Like his father, Ayhan has never stopped fighting for democracy.
He organizes "Forums for Friendship," where dozens of young Greeks and Turks discuss ways of improving relations. But the price is high: "If I went back to Cyprus now, my life would be in danger. I'm not afraid to die but I don't want to die for nothing."
In suburban Palmers Green , several miles up Green Lanes, life seems much less dramatic. Even Philip's Social Club, a thinly disguised gambling den, is empty except for a few dodgy geezers drinking tea and watching Eastenders (a soap set in London's East End). Peter Christianson runs a Greek music and video shop.
Born Panikos Christodoulos, when he came to London as a teenager he adopted an anglicized name-and a British persona to match. Unsympathetic toward the ancien regime in Cyprus, he seems determined to leave his past behind. "Peace on Cyprus?" he snorts.
"All the old hard-liners will have to die off first! Cyprus needs somebody under 45, somebody with a broader European perspective, to lead the country into the 21st century."
Peaceful future
In the Cypriot Community Centre down the road, everyone is male and over 60. Some old boys are gazing wistfully at images of sunkissed Cypriot beaches on PIK TV. Others are engaged in heated political debate, the dissonant rhythms of Greek and Turkish chiming in a harmonious hum.
The canteen attendant, Yilmaz Hakyemez, brews us a couple of coffees on the hovoli and fixes us some haloumi sandwiches.
In north London's Wood Green Library-where there are separate sections of Greek and Turkish books, periodicals and CDs-a group of Cypriot men are engaged in a heated political debate.
They are clearly oblivious to a sign behind them that reads: "This area has been designed as a quiet area for reading newspapers, magazines, etc. For the benefit of all library users, noise levels should be kept low at all times."
For the majority of London's Cypriots refuse to remain silent. Whether they display an air of indifference and detachment toward one another, or a passionate commitment to cooperation, they seem determined to look to a peaceful future instead of the war-torn past.

[cypezokyli]

the question is what do you think about it zan ?

i can already imagine some conctrating the beauty of the article in the sentence:
but we never talk about politiks
some others: the extremists have to die off first. we need leaders less than 45
while others: the individual seek for status and money has become more important than community spirit

i can already imagine : but thats england


anyway, my view itsthe people. if the people want it is possible

[zan]

I just thought it was heart warming. I did not read too much into the political side of it, just that it can be done. I just saw one ironic thing in it and that is that they are under British rule?

I have also said in the past that once the entity of economics come into the equation all will be solved, as in my idea of two states with a central city/town of Nicosia/Lefcosa as the catalyst. Once the city starts to grow it will be like a flower blooming and covering all of the island. It was meant to cheer Birkibrisli up as well because he is in OZ and could not know that this is going on here in England.

[Main_Source]

But the upwardly mobile Greeks have migrated northward to Palmers Green, while the Turkish community is clustered at the bottom end of Green Lanes in the poorer borough of Hackney.

I disagree...many Turkish Cypriots live in the same areas as Greek Cypriots still. There are many Turkish Cypriots living in Palmers Green, Southgate, Winchmore Hill, Edmonton etc. I find that its mainland Turks who live in the bottom end of Green Lanes and around Hackney.

I hop on a bus and head down to the Turkish end of Green Lanes. From the top of the double-decker, I survey the changing face of the street through the sleeting rain: "Kypriakon Pandopoleion," "Andreas Fish-n-Chips," "Zorba's Fruit and Veg," "Hollywood Dreams Bridal Gowns."

The guy who wrote this obviosuly looked at all the Turkish shops in the Harringey end of Green Lanes and thought the area was exclusively vacated by Turks. Not true, a lof of Greek Cypriots live in Harringey still but our generation do not really want to run shops like out parents...so our parents either sold or still rent the shops out to Turks. Just because there are Turkish shops everywhere, doesnt mean there arent any Greek Cypriots in Harringey.

By the way, Andreas Fish Bar has been been run by Chinese for a few years now...just that they havent bothered to change the sign yet lol.

Nice article but nothing Cypriots round here dont know already.

[Agios Amvrosios]

"Andreas Fish Bar has been been run by Chinese for a few years now"

Apparently there is a former cypriot take away shop in Sydney that was bought by Koreans and it sells sheftalies

[zan]

"Andreas Fish Bar has been been run by Chinese for a few years now"

Apparently there is a former cypriot take away shop in Sydney that was bought by Koreans and it sells sheftalies

[Main_Source]

Never tried Koren food but if its similar to Chinese...then that would be brilliant ordering special fried rice and a portion of sheftalia.

[zan]

Never tried Koren food but if its similar to Chinese...then that would be brilliant ordering special fried rice and a portion of sheftalia.

Come off it Source, you,re making my mouth water.

[Main_Source]

Dipping sheftalia into that sauce they use for duck!!!