Piratis wrote:however, the problem that divides the two communities comes down to "FEAR" and "TRUST".
I wouldn't say so. What divides the two communities is that the TCs are (illegally) given way more than what proportionately belongs to them and are also given the hope that somehow one day this illegality will be legalized which would allow them to fully take advantage what they currently control.
Before the Ottoman rule Cyprus had many other conquerors. Those conquerors had their own people on the island to run and exploit it (army, elites etc). Those people were of course a higher class than their slaves, the Greek Cypriots. However when each one of those conquerors lost the island to the next conqueror, those people either left the island or were integrated to the rest of the society.
The Ottomans also brought their own people to Cyprus when they conquered it, and they also forced several Greek Cypriots to switch to Islam, since Muslims were enjoying several privileges (e.g. much lower taxes) and were treated much better than Christians.
The difference is that when the Ottoman rule ended, a sizable Muslim minority stayed in Cyprus which continued to believe that they should maintain their super-privileges, and that they somehow can not be just equal citizens with the "inferior" Christians. This belief was re-enforced to them by the British (who loved divide and rule tactics) and also by Turkey since she needed Turkish Cypriots for their plans to re-capture Cyprus or at least part of it. At the same time a new Greek Cypriot nationalism was created to fight for the rights of just their own community.
That is the root of our problem in Cyprus. That instead of having equal people, we have two conflicting groups with conflicting interests (or at least thats what they are made to believe).
The problem in Cyprus will be permanently solved only if we all accept that all Cypriots are equal regardless of their language, religion, ethnic background etc, and we learn to respect each other. This will allow Cyprus to become truly democratic and all of its citizens will be able to enjoy all of their human rights without racist discriminations.
If that does not happen, and we continue to have two conflicting groups, then the problem will not end no matter what agreements we sign.
The great majority of Greek Cypriots have accepted long time ago that union with Greece would not serve the interests of Turkish Cypriots, and they have therefore abandoned that idea. It is time for Turkish Cypriots to abandon the idea of partition, and to accept that they are part of Cypriots in one united Cyprus, and not a separate entity.
Piratis,
I don't have a problem accepting some of your arguments as to what the reasons are of the present situation. You can give many more reasons if you would like, however, until there are no FEARS from anyone for their future to live in peace with each other, and there is TRUST to build a nation that will care for all of it's citizens without discriminations, we will lose the island to foreigners, by them buying it from under our feet.
I have mentioned this to you before as not to go any further back than 1960's for the reasons for our problems today. Most people only care what has happened to them since that time, and not what happened in ancient times. That might make a good history lesson to be told to children sitting by a fire place, but to vast majority, not only they don't care what happened 300 years ago, they don't care what happened before 1960's. What they care about is, what has happened since 1960's and how to find a solution for peace.
You may very well be correct, that those who are holding onto land that is proportionately more than what they should have, do not want peace, but rather a partition, in order to keep their "ill" gotten gains. If they don't have a better offer, that's exactly what will happen. Lets take away their "FEARS" and give them "TRUST" in "ONE CYPRUS" for them to abandon their other dreams. This is where the elected officials are not doing their jobs to do just that. Instead, they like to play a "cat & mouse" games, because this suits them just fine, to retain their positions.
So, what is your solution you might be asking.? Honestly, I have given up hope on the elected officials. It is time for people to rise, but not against each other, but rather rise against their own Governments, to bring about a lasting solution, otherwise, sooner or later, there won't be Cyprus as we know /knew it, worth rising for. As for your other solution, to wait for the "change of power", in order to have yet another war and re-create all of today's problems, once again from the beginning. Just how long do you want to wait for this "change of power" occur ?. Something tells me, since you seem to be fixated on ancient times history, another 300-500 years in the future will be worth waiting for, I guess.!!
