Cyprus-Forum.com

[joe]

http://www.project-syndicate.org/print_ ... 24/English

The Refugee Dilemma
Shlomo Avineri

One reason Greek Cypriots rejected last April UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan for the reunification of Cyprus was that an overwhelming majority of them felt it did not do justice to the claims of refugees displaced during the 1974 Turkish invasion. This was also one of the few occasions when international public opinion became aware that there was a refugee problem on the island, because few people knew that refugees from that war still exist.

When Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974 after an abortive attempt by the Greek military junta in Athens to carry out Enosis (unification with Greece), 250,000 or so Greek Cypriots were uprooted from their homes. Some fled in terror from the invading army, some were expelled - the usual complex, morally problematic picture that emerges in such situations.

Although overwhelmed, the Greek Cypriot community reacted with humanity, solidarity, and prudence. Initially, refugees camps were set up, but the Greek Cypriot government decided that while it will not surrender the refugees' claim eventually to return to their homes in the North, it would do its utmost in the interim not to leave them vegetating in squalid camps.

No UN-sponsored refugee agency was established to help the refugees. Instead, with some international help, but mostly out of its own resources, the Republic of Cyprus - a small, then not very prosperous country that was devastated by war - launched a re-settlement and rehabilitation program as a national project. Government loans were offered for housing construction. In many cases, refugees built their own new homes.

Businesses were encouraged with government subsidies and loans. Schools and training centers were established. Within a few years, the refugees were absorbed into the economy and society of the southern, Greek Cypriot sector of the island. As in post-World War II West Germany, much of the current prosperity in Cyprus today is an outcome of the boost the economy received from the absorption of refugees.

Anyone visiting the Greek Cypriot part of the island nowadays will not find refugee camps: most of the millions of tourists are unaware of the fact that more than a third of the Greek Cypriots they encounter are refugees or descendants of refugees. The Greek Cypriot community can justly be proud of the way they handled the humanitarian and social problems of the refugees, without at any point surrendering their claims to the lands they lost.

Equally commendable has been the Greek Cypriot strategic decision to follow a Gandhi-like policy of non-violence: while there is deep bitterness about the Turkish occupation, and the fact that Turkish settlers were implanted in the North, the Greek Cypriot community decided not to use violence against the occupation. Not one incident of Greek Cypriot terrorism or violence against Turkish occupation has occurred in more than a quarter of a century. This is also one of the reasons few people have ever heard about the Greek Cypriot refugees.

It could, of course, be different: had Greek Cypriots followed the Palestinian example since 1948 - that is, kept the refugees in camps, segregated them from the non-refugee society, and fed their children a daily militaristic message of hatred, revenge, and terrorism - a completely different atmosphere would permeate the island. The Greek Cypriot example shows that it is simply not true that the occupied have no recourse other than violence and terrorism. Recourse to violence and terror is a moral and strategic choice. The Greek Cypriots chose the path of non-violence; the Palestinians chose the opposite route. There is always a choice, and there are always consequences.

Consider what the Greek Cypriot community has achieved - a thriving economy, no one living under conditions of misery and humiliation in camps, membership in the European Union - compared to the catastrophe the Palestinian choice has brought to their own people. Perhaps on the level of public relations, the Palestinian leadership - sacrificing their own people on the altar of propaganda - can bask in their achievement: yet it is their own people who suffer.

These leaders would do better to look across the Mediterranean at Cyprus and see how - without giving up claims to disputed land - refugees can live in dignity and honor. But then again, the Republic of Cyprus is a democracy, while the Palestinians have not been able to emancipate themselves from the violent militarized option that has brought them such misery.

Shlomo Avineri is Professor of Political Science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

[bg_turk]

Israel should be the last one to talk about justice for refugees. It is the very model the TRNC is in fact following.

[humanist]

bg_turk you have just admitted to the violation of huan rights imposed on Cypriots everyday by the Turkish Government and its military presence on Cyprus. Goes to show Turkish mentality and ideology.

Before you jump down my throat I also wish to say that by Cypriots I include all Cypriots regardless of their language or CALD background.

[zan]

That is the worst case of reporting I have read. What an utter rubbish and misinterpreted and inaccurate report.

[bg_turk]

bg_turk you have just admitted to the violation of huan rights imposed on Cypriots everyday by the Turkish Government and its military presence on Cyprus. Goes to show Turkish mentality and ideology.

Before you jump down my throat I also wish to say that by Cypriots I include all Cypriots regardless of their language or CALD background.

humanist, of course I will not jump down you throat and I have in fact never denied the human rights violations against Cypriots specifically those of Greek origin, or the Greek speaking ones as you call them. On the contrary, I support the efforts of the Turkish Cypriot government to provide remedies for the displaced persons on the island while at the same time ensuring its security. In this respect Israel could be a model to be followed,as 20% of its population are Israeli Arabs. I think the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus can strike this balance between security and human rights, and Israel is the model it should follow on its path to recognition as a legitimate independent soverein state.

[humanist]

I do not follow you...


You have stated, Israel is the last to talk about justice for refugees. To this end I totaly agree. My understanding of your coment is that Israel violates human and refugee rights.

You also state, TRNC is based on the Israel model. To this end you are in agreeance with what Israel is currently practicing towards the Palestinian territories.

Have you also been looking at what is been happening over there snce 1948. I think we need to learn from their experience that you cannot invade a country and expect that there will be no future problems. So long as people feelt that they have been wronged they will revolve. We need to look at this issue and ensure we do not creat a state like Israel and Palestine.

I do agree with you in some respect and I would say that the only responsible move that the Turkish Speaking Cypriot Leader can propose is the right of return for all refugees north or south and certainly demilitarisation of the Island.

I fail to see how human rights allows for the invassion, withholding,and misappropriation of property which have an impact on the free will of individuals to grow, develop, participate and make free choices for their personal development. By restricting Cypriots of their rights to have access and exploit their own properties for the past 32 years it prevents those to develop progress the way they may have chosen to do so over the past 32 years.

[Natty]

Although I commend the way the refugees were dealt with in Cyprus after the invasion....this article seems to completely ignore the daily horrors the Palestinians have to deal with because of the Israeli occupation regime....

[eracles]

true natty, the article is trying to equate the two situations and is saying "look how well behaved the GCs are when they get trampled on by a bully, what's up with the palestinians!"
Just using GCs to lazily get a point across.

[Kartal_Aetos]

what a bullshit article...well done, no GC has been stupid enough to blow themselves up...someone give the journalist a medal...lol

oh yeh, someone please tell mr avineri how the jews were given the land by america (jews) as a present for their 'sufferings'...land that was palestine...but the palestines did not have an army to defend themselves so why not just go and take it and give it to the jews? why not, its the nice thing to do...the jews deserve it...lol...what an asshole...

switzerland dont have an army, someone give it to the kurds...they suffered long enough anyway and the swiss cant protect themselves anyway...let them lose their land and live as 3rd rate citizens in what is essentially there country...lol

Shlomo Avineri, you ignorant £$%%&$%&£ so and so...lol

[rawk]

Headlines in Cyprus Mail

CYPRUS BOAT PEOPLE REACH VIETNAM!

Rawk