Cyprus-Forum.com

[BirKibrisli]

I do not think this is what Birkibrisli means in a literal sense. It is a figurative remark. What he is trying to say is that our Turkishness or our Greekness, as well as our Cypriotness (yes there is also this one) are merely cultural orientations and should not be confused with our national (citizenship) identity. Our acceptance of being Cypriot nationals (citizens) and our equal love for Cyprus are the unifying factors which surface above our cultural backgrounds or inclinations. Think of the example of the USA! It is a mosaic of numerous cultural backgrounds and "ethnic" origins. Yet, they all feel as American nationals (citizens,) they are all proud of it, participate in sports under the American flag and they even fight next to each other in wars. You see Greek-Americans, Irish-Americans, Black-Americans, Cuban-Americans, Chinese-Americans, etc, ect, to all unite under one flag, the US flag. However, all these people, if you go down to their community, neighbourhood and private life level, they do not deny their cultural backgrounds, roots, customs and /or languages, and they are equally proud of them. The Greek-Americans have no less of Greekness in their consciousness, than the Greeks living in mainland Greece, etc, etc. No one prohibits them for being who they are. In fact this is the richness and beauty of their country -the US, namelly a multicultural society /country!

Ethnicity (our turkishness or greekness) is not a shirt that you can take off at will.I was wrong to use the word "abandon",as obviously that was not what I meant.I was trying to say that we won't get anywhere by waving the turkish or greek flags,and putting our ethnicity above all else to highlight our major difference.Our nationality is not turkish or greek,it is Cypriot.Our homeland is not Turkey or Greece,it is Cyprus.Our national interests are not those of Turkey or Greece,we have our own Cypriot interests which unite us.Our history is not Turkish or Greek history,we have our own Cypriot history which unites us.Our traditions are not exactly like those of Turkey and Greece.We have our own traditions which unite us.Our culture is not the culture of Turkey or Greece.We have our own Cypriot culture which unites us.My point is if we chose to focus on our similarities and common factors,we can forge a Cypriot nation which has been denied to us,and which we have been denying ourselves.
How can I abandon my turkishness eric,when the verses of Namik kemal is etched on my childhood memory:

Edepsizlikte tekleriz
Kimi görsek etekleriz
Haktan da yardım bekleriz
Ne utanmaz köpekleriz

Vatanın girdik kanına
Leke getirdik şanına
Cümlemizin bok canına
Ne utanmaz köpekleriz

(for those who can't read Turkish,Namık Kemal was a Turkish nationalist poet and playwriter who was fighting the Ottoman Sultan and ottoman rule and was exiled to Cyprus for a long time during the Ottoman rule.
I won't even attempt to translate the verses above.Suffice to say that he was not beeing very kind to those "dogs" who bloodied our homeland,who stained our reputation,and still hoped for divine help...)

[TheCabbie]

Why dont you give us an example of a successful multiethnic society closer to Cyprus? Maybe Yugoslavia, Iraq, Lebanon, Russian Federation (Checnya), Israel-Palestine would be more applicable in the case of Cyprus, dont you think?

Perhaps you should look to the West...

Switzerland is probably the flagship of multiethnic societies, it's even held together through wars when the Mother/Fatherlands of the component peoples were at war with each other.

Belgium is another, despite having riots in the '60's the Dutch and French speakers have worked together to make a peaceful and healthy place for their children to live and prosper. Also, 1.5% of the population is ethnic German who speak German and have thier own TV stations ect, bearing in mind the two wars in the last century the Begians had with the Germans, this is an attitude to be copied by all.

[zan]

When people give examples of other countries they do not take into account the full story. There is no where on earth that has the same problems as Cyprus. When you are making comparisons you have to take the whole story. Dutch and French had riots; GCs and TCs had a war. People were killed. The Americans moved to America and together they fought against the native Americans. I believe then there was a bigger war and Canada and the USA were formed. Even Canada has a French speaking north and English speaking south. They had leaders that were willing to talk and resolve issues we don’t. We have property issues, which is the biggest obstacle by far. You guys still haven’t grasped the implications of this problem. Unless every body who has lost out accepts a payment only option nothing can be done. I am presuming that you guys are accepting the fact that both sides have issues regardless of numbers. I am also saying that the issue is not just of accepting money but of accepting to pay.

When the boarders opened the first time, I heard stories of an English owner being visited by no less than four different families of GCs taking pictures and laying claim to her property. None had any idea that some one had been there before them.

There are thousands of fake deeds doing the rounds on both sides. The nightmare of sorting through all this will cause tension. You are asking a bit much of the ordinary Cypriot to be able to tell these aggrieved people that the deeds to that property has already been issued to another family. Perhaps we should be breeding an army of solicitors and people who have strong backs and can dig to a depth of six feet.

As for utopian dreams, communism, on paper, is utopian and without the examples we have seen would fool any one. We have some wonderful selfless people on this planet but they have a quality that most people do not possess.

[Eric dayi]

zan, the GC's who own lang in the KKTC can not accept payment for their property because there is a "law" in the South that makes it illegal for GC's to sell land to TC's. Would you sell your land if there was even the slightest chance that you'd end up in prison?

But anyway, I just can't grasp how such a "law" that prohibits one Cypriot citizen from selling his/her land to another Cypriot citizen can be allowed in the EU?

But funny enough, a GC is allowed, even encouraged, to buy TC owned land, some EU "country", ey?

[I DO NOT FORGET 1974 -B]

zan, the GC's who own lang in the KKTC can not accept payment for their property because there is a "law" in the South that makes it illegal for GC's to sell land to TC's. Would you sell your land if there was even the slightest chance that you'd end up in prison?

But anyway, I just can't grasp how such a "law" that prohibits one Cypriot citizen from selling his/her land to another Cypriot citizen can be allowed in the EU?

But funny enough, a GC is allowed, even encouraged, to buy TC owned land, some EU "country", ey?

After thirty years of looting, years of looting,
E, I, E, I, O,
You have now lost the game, lost the game,
E, I, E, I, O,
What a panic in la Türka, in la Türka,
E, I, E, I, O,
After thirty years of looting, years of looting,
E, I, E, I, O.


_____________________________________________________________

[Eric dayi]

Quick, someone call "RentOkill", I think we've got a mouse in here, I am sure I can hear it squeaking.

[Christine Toskos]

Turkey does not have any rights on Cyprus or even in Asia Minor. Turks should return to their homes. They are originally from Turkmenistan. I personally believe just as the Israeli government took Jews from Arab nations and return them to their ancestral home in Israel. The Turkmenistan's government should take Turks and return them to their ancestral homes. Until that day happens there will never be world peace. Cyprus is Greek.

[insan]

Turkey does not have any rights on Cyprus or even in Asia Minor. Turks should return to their homes. They are originally from Turkmenistan. I personally believe just as the Israeli government took Jews from Arab nations and return them to their ancestral home in Israel. The Turkmenistan's government should take Turks and return them to their ancestral homes. Until that day happens there will never be world peace. Cyprus is Greek.

Hmm, Christine especially brings back the old threads on top... a thread from 2005...

[EPSILON]

Nice one simon. the only reason the occupation is still in place is because greek cypriots and there supporters wont get of there arses and do something.
I walked into an estate agents who is advertising and selling property built on greek land in the occupied areas and told him he was a thieving bastard and that he should not be exploiting greek land.
at least i am doing something and not just sitting on my computer all day with talk talk talk.
Will you confront those that prop up the occupation ?

You never know what each indivitual is doing for his country in addition of posting here.

[EPSILON]

Turkey does not have any rights on Cyprus or even in Asia Minor. Turks should return to their homes. They are originally from Turkmenistan. I personally believe just as the Israeli government took Jews from Arab nations and return them to their ancestral home in Israel. The Turkmenistan's government should take Turks and return them to their ancestral homes. Until that day happens there will never be world peace. Cyprus is Greek.

Cyprus is a Greek island i agree however i am not sure whether we mean the same thing saying so!!