Cyprus-Forum.com

[peace4cyprus]

Hello,

After the inrecommunal conflict and after being separated for 31 years finding a solution became something extremely complicated.

My suggestion is to move with several small steps.

As a first step I propose the recreation of some mixed villages.

We can choose 5-6 villages in both north and south that used to be mixed before 1974. These should be villages of average size around Nicosia. We can then allow and also give incentives to the refugees of both sides to return to their homes.

These villages should be governed by a mixed TC/GC committee along with the UN and their residents should be given a free pass allowing them to easily travel over the green line.

This proposal can also be combined with Mills proposal for a bicommunal school.

What can be achieved:

Greek and Turkish Cypriots will start living together again. This will help trust building between the two communities.

Greek and Turkish Cypriots will have to cooperate in order to govern these villages. These will promote cooperation. It will also provide us with lessons that can be used when building a comprehensive settlement.

I hope that some of the bright people in this forum will help to refine this idea, if of course you like it!

[cypezokyli]

i like the idea peace.

if i may add to it. i am becomig more and more convinced that bicomunal actions should be done from bottom-up. if you try the other way round and get to the politicians they ll support it verbally but will find some kind of legal excuse to postpone it. not to mention that such legal arguments we ll be coming after you soon

[peace4cyprus]

I also believe that bi-communal actions are easier from the bottom-up. My proposal requires the help of the politicians but this proposal can be the 2nd or 3rd step and not the first one.

The first step could be a more organized Cypriot unity movement with NGOs. In other countries NGOs are quite powerful, why we can't have that in Cyprus also?

A second step could be a PanCyprian political party, with one common agenda.

My proposal and the proposal or Mills for the school can came as 3rd of 4th steps.

Instead of trying to find the final solution lets start making small steps, one at a time!

[Mills Chapman]

Peace4Cyprus,

Congratulations on contributing your first posts. I would say, "Welcome," but I read all of your posts, and you said that you have been a visitor to Cyprus Forum for quite some time. There is a lot of wisdom in what you wrote, both courage and compassion. Your point about baby steps and recreating the mixed villages are good ones. Let's see what the TCs and your fellow GCs say about it.

[Leonidas]

Hi Mills
Sounds like a good idea from our American way of thinking.
Would the mixed schools work? Afterall we do have two major religions involved here. And both are not going to give in to the other.
You see what we have to deal with that issue in the USA.

I would think that 1st we need to change our way of thinking. I mean we, as in all Cypriots. We have to let go of the old ways and let the past where it belongs.

It was easier to have it done in the USA because the country is not as old. Can it be done there? I don't want to sound negative but somehow I see a huge problem there.

[peace4cyprus]

Hello Mills and Leonidas. Thanks for your comments.

Leonidas, the USA had in its own history a fair share of problems between her communities. If they found a way to solve this problem in a country of 250 million people why not in Cyprus?

Lets stop being pessimistic. Lets stop the apathy. Lets make some positive steps.

[Leonidas]

I am trying not to be pessimistic.
Just know a young country like the USA with just a very few old bad feelings vs Cyrpus, Thousands of years old with many atrocities between the Greeks and the Turks will not be that easy.

The US still has issues with the school prayer. It is not resolved. And doubt it will be. Christianity is the majority in this country.

I told a story to Mills about me meeting a Turk in Toronto where I went there for business a few years ago. We got along great and we had a few drinks and talk about our young lives. He was in Cyprus on the “enemy” lines when I was in the military service there. We probably had each other in our out rifle sites or even one could had killed the other. But years later we had no problem sharing a few drink and talking about it.

I would love to see a solution. Trust me. My house is on the green line now and I would love to be able to go to my home town Famagusta where I grew up.

I really do not see the mixed schools working. Sorry. I can not see the Turks allowing us to teach their kids Christianity nor vise versa. And prayer in schools will be an issue like it is here in the USA now.

Other than that, like I said before. IF we let go of our old ways and go forward we can come up with a solution. We just need to have a few drinks with the TCs and a few laughs like we used to years ago. Well in my times was coke but still. GC and TC kids got along fine in many areas.

Can you see my point though on the religion issue?

[Leonidas]

BTW
You are talking to an open minded GC that has been in the USA for 25 years.

I talk to people in Cyrpus. Things have not changed. The worst is the new TC generation that has been brainwashed against the GC.

We are talking about very deep wounds here that need to be healed.

I wish you the best of luck in coming up with a solution. I just hope I can get a chance before I die to walk the beaches of Famagusta. Even though the TCs have changed that name also it will always be Ammochostos.....

Anyway
GOOD LUCK from the bottom of my heart.

Merry Christmas everyone. I will be praying for a solution soon.

[ONURLU_1925]

Mixing TCs and GCs? We have seen the affects of these mixing at present. We saw EOKA's genocide on Turkish Cypriots, because of this mixing life. The only logical solution in Cyprus is accepting two independence country, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and South Cyprus. Today's EOKA dreamers want to mix TCs and GCs again and than self-determination will come. Who can give the guarentee that Turkish Cypriots won't carnaged again?

If we talk about peace, first of all World has to remove illegal political, economical and humanely isolations on TRNC.
Then, in this peace atmosphere, GCs/TCs can travel to TRNC/South Cyprus, visit their hometown or friends in there without visa.

[Piratis]

How did you saw the "TC genocide", when much more GCs have been killed??????????

The "TRNC" pseudo state is illegal for a reason: It was created by ethnically cleansing 200.000 GCs (the majority) from their own land and bringing Turkish Settlers in their place. Saying lies like "TC genocide" etc will not legalize your illegal pseudo puppet state.