Cyprus-Forum.com

[Natty]

In 1948, King Paul of Greece declared that Cyprus desired union with Greece. In 1951 the Orthodox Church of Cyprus presented a referendum according to which around 97% of the Greek Cypriot population (and also many Turkish Cypriots!) wanted the union.

Hey, I was browsing the Web, when I came across a Website, Library something, that claimed the above. I new that the Greek Cypriots held a referendum for enosis, but I always thought that because it took part in the church it excluded the Turkish Cypriot community....Now, the above is probably wrong, but did any Turkish Cypriots vote in the referendum?

(Sorry, I seem to have lost the Website I got the information from...I'll keep looking for it though... )

Cheers!!

Peace!

[Issy1956]

Natty,
I doubt that anyone asked the TC 's and if they did they were unlikely to want enosis. Didnt voting take place in the Churches anyways. Turkeys dont usually vote for christmas if you will excuse the pun.

[Piratis]

Such referendum should have been organized by the colonialists and give to Cypriots as a whole all available options to choose from, not just a "yes" or "no" to enosis.

According to the UN resolution about decolonization:

"the subjection of peoples to alien subjugation, domination and exploitation constitutes a denial of fundamental human rights, is contrary to the United Nations Charter, and is an impediment to the promotion of world peace and cooperation, and that steps should be taken to transfer, unconditionally, all powers to the Trust and Non-Self-Governing Territories so that they might enjoy complete freedom and independence".

http://www.un.org/Depts/dpi/decolonizat ... ration.htm

Also resolution 1541 (XV) defines:

free association with an independent State, integration into an independent State, or independence as the three legitimate options of full self-government.

All Cypriots should have been allowed in a democratic way to choose any of the three legitimate options.

If the colonialists didn't try to force on Cypriots their will and instead they had started the democratic procedures for decolonization of Cyprus then non of the events of the 50s and later would have happened.

Unfortunately peace, democracy and liberation of Cypriots didn't suit some. Conflict and war suited their nasty plans better.

[Simon]

Piratis I couldn't agree with you more and indeed this is what I have been saying all along on this subject.

[Issy1956]

Piratis,
Answer me one question. Do you believe the GC majority had the right to choose enosis in instead of independence as an option for decolonisation in face of TC opposition in the 1950's?
Yes or No.

[Natty]

Piratis,
Answer me one question. Do you believe the GC majority had the right to choose enosis in instead of independence as an option for decolonisation in face of TC opposition in the 1950's?
Yes or No.

Hi Izzy 1956, I don't think it's fair to try and force anything on anyone. I've always said that, as far as I can see, the biggest mistake made with the enosis idea, was the fact that in effect it left out the TC community. I think the Greek Cypriot community had every right to want enosis, but they should have taken into account the opinions of others. There's something, about the whole enosis idea, however, that I don't quite understand. The Greek Cypriots had been asking for enosis for a long time, since 1878, yet there weren't any clashes between the two communities until the end of the 1950's, (1958 I believe) and even then it was provoked....I don't know, I mean if the TC community were so firmly against the idea, why hadn't there been a lot more resistance, and earlier...to me, for the most part, until the end of the 50's, the 'ordinary' TC community were kinda more 'spectators' of the political arena than anything (meaning no offence to anyone, I'm probably wrong, and maybe 'spectators' isn't quite the right word to use...). I mean, as far as I can tell, the line of the official Turkish Cypriot elite up until the late fifties, early 60's (although I could be really wrong on that too... ), was that either the British stay on, or Cyprus (or maybe half of Cyprus?? Again I don't know for sure....) gets 'given back' to Turkey, but what did the 'ordinary' Turkish Cypriots think/want???

(I'm sorry if I offend anyone, I could be barking completely up the wrong tree here....but I'm here to learn!! )

Peace!

[Issy1956]

Natty,
I suspect that as long as the prospect of enosis remained an unlikely prospect there was no need for the TC community to do anything at all. It only became more political active as enosos became a prospect. Also the Brits recruited the TC to the security forces settings the GC against the turks.
Piratis,
I am still waiting for an answer Yes or No?

[Natty]

Also the Brits recruited the TC to the security forces settings the GC against the turks

That 'Divide and Rule' again....

[Viewpoint]

Such referendum should have been organized by the colonialists and give to Cypriots as a whole all available options to choose from, not just a "yes" or "no" to enosis.

According to the UN resolution about decolonization:

"the subjection of peoples to alien subjugation, domination and exploitation constitutes a denial of fundamental human rights, is contrary to the United Nations Charter, and is an impediment to the promotion of world peace and cooperation, and that steps should be taken to transfer, unconditionally, all powers to the Trust and Non-Self-Governing Territories so that they might enjoy complete freedom and independence".

http://www.un.org/Depts/dpi/decolonizat ... ration.htm

Also resolution 1541 (XV) defines:

free association with an independent State, integration into an independent State, or independence as the three legitimate options of full self-government.

All Cypriots should have been allowed in a democratic way to choose any of the three legitimate options.

If the colonialists didn't try to force on Cypriots their will and instead they had started the democratic procedures for decolonization of Cyprus then non of the events of the 50s and later would have happened.

Unfortunately peace, democracy and liberation of Cypriots didn't suit some. Conflict and war suited their nasty plans better.

To sum it up Piratis today we would have been part of Greece, you would be more Greek than GC and I hate to think what would have happened to the TCs, probably 6ft underground and long forgotten. In such a scenario no TC could be claiming human rights and democracy don't you think Piratis?

[Issy1956]

Piratis,
Your silence speaks volumes. Its says that you believe your democratic rights are more impoprtant than mine because you are in the majority.
Come on answer Yes or No.
Its a simple question.