Cyprus-Forum.com

[reportfromcyprus]

That's interesting, Piratis, and I can appreciate your perspective and understand your reasons for saying that there isn't an identity crisis in Cyprus.

However, a person in an identity crisis isn't going to necessarily know that he/she is going through one. Therefore, an action may appear entirely logical even though it is self-destructive or pushing the envelope in some way or another.

That's interesting, reportfromcyprus, and I can appreciate your perspective and understand your reasons for saying that, but you are crazy. A crazy person isn't going to necessarily know that he/she is one.

A fractured society is exactly what we have in Cyprus. There is more drug misuse, more crime, and more insecurity than ever. If we take 2004 out of the equation and say there's another referendum tomorrow, the result will be the same, because the question of identity, of wholeness and of reconciliation has not been settled.

There is an increase of crime, drug abuse etc all over the world. In the case of Cyprus globalization is the reason and not an "identity crisis".

Imagine if in Cyprus foreigners were a tiny minority, we had only state TV channel, there was no internet - and in general globalization didn't touch our island. Those negative things would not exist (and many positive things would not exist either)

lol, Piratis, I know I'm crazy

Anyhow, back to the point - the split in our society may be caused by our insecurity over our identity. People are placing so much importance on whether they are greek or turkish cypriots that they forget that they are also just people trying to inhabit the same place.

Globalisation is partly responsible for society's problems, but we have unique problems here - crime isn't properly controlled because of the different sets of authorities. If someone steals a car in the south, they can run to the north and never get caught unless the car is used in a crime. It goes both ways, if someone steals a car in the north and runs to the south, they can find ways to hide it as there's no communication between the two sides.

The crisis runs deeper than we think. The media only reflect society, they don't create it; so whether we had one tv channel or not, reality would still go on. The fact that reality is being recorded by the media only means that there's a mirror, not an instigator.

[Alexis]

No, I meant the AP just as an example which highlighted the identity crisis and lack of wholeness in our society.

It exposed the crisis but didn't cause it.

Society's problems are not separate from the political problems though, there's a lot of proof that because of the split and lack of cooperation between our communities, that crime has risen and drugs are flooding the market.

Sure, I think these things are related. But more realistically, the problem with drugs and crime are in my opinion a global phenomenon. Things like human trafficking/exploitation, drug abuse and violent crime are more of a global phenomenon and there will always be people in any country that will find ways to break the law for economic gain. If anything Cyprus had avoided these problems for a far longer time than some other countries. If it were the case that the main catalyst for these problems was the lack of cooperation between communities then we would have seen far more of these things happen back in the 1980s. In those days though, violent crime and drug addiction were almost unheard of in Cyprus, whilst in western Europe they were already prevalent. Co-operation between the Cypriot communities would undoubtedly help in combating organised crime but I don't think this is what is causing it. I think that Cyprus has essentially two separate societies which are suffering from similar problems related to organised crime/immigration etc.... I still think though that these are global phenomena made worse by lack of cooperation, sure, but not caused by it. I actually think that inthe immediate years following a comprehensive solution these things would actually get worse as the criminals will exploit the transient conditions that arise in transitioning to a 'new' Cyprus to commit even more crime. That's no reason not to go for a comprehensive settlement though.

Yes, your point is excellent. Still, why is it that some societies function together and others, like Cyprus, don't?

When you say Cyprus' society doesn't function, what exactly are you referring to? Are you referring to the split in the communities caused by invasion and the two entities not co-operating, or are you pointing at something else which makes society (in either RoC or TRNC) not function properly? If it is the later, in what way is Cyprus any different to most other countries?

[free_cyprus]

reportfromcyprus
you wrote During the 2004 referendum a psychologist commented that Cyprus was like a community with schizophrenia and split personality

we have known this to be true for many many years the reason for being like its cyriots regardles if they speak turkish or greek they are cut from the same cloth they speak the same in the same tone the body language is the same in fact if you were watching a silent movie you would not be able to tell whick is turkish speaking and whis was greek speaking thats how close cypriots aresecondly, the fathers of the cypriot comunities are usualy dominant alpha males they know best even though what they say or do is agains all human reasoning. also the children pf any cypriot family is usualy oppressed to the point that most of the cypriots are nervious wrecks . not to mention everything is done through briberty if you go to univercity you get a bmw lol if you marry this woman you get a house . and so it goes on no wonder most of the cypriots suffer from depressions becouse deep down most of them want to live in peace they want to have the choiced to fall in and marry who they like not to be dictated by their perents and so forth

[reportfromcyprus]

No, I meant the AP just as an example which highlighted the identity crisis and lack of wholeness in our society.

It exposed the crisis but didn't cause it.

Society's problems are not separate from the political problems though, there's a lot of proof that because of the split and lack of cooperation between our communities, that crime has risen and drugs are flooding the market.

Sure, I think these things are related. But more realistically, the problem with drugs and crime are in my opinion a global phenomenon. Things like human trafficking/exploitation, drug abuse and violent crime are more of a global phenomenon and there will always be people in any country that will find ways to break the law for economic gain. If anything Cyprus had avoided these problems for a far longer time than some other countries. If it were the case that the main catalyst for these problems was the lack of cooperation between communities then we would have seen far more of these things happen back in the 1980s. In those days though, violent crime and drug addiction were almost unheard of in Cyprus, whilst in western Europe they were already prevalent. Co-operation between the Cypriot communities would undoubtedly help in combating organised crime but I don't think this is what is causing it. I think that Cyprus has essentially two separate societies which are suffering from similar problems related to organised crime/immigration etc.... I still think though that these are global phenomena made worse by lack of cooperation, sure, but not caused by it. I actually think that inthe immediate years following a comprehensive solution these things would actually get worse as the criminals will exploit the transient conditions that arise in transitioning to a 'new' Cyprus to commit even more crime. That's no reason not to go for a comprehensive settlement though.

Yes, your point is excellent. Still, why is it that some societies function together and others, like Cyprus, don't?

When you say Cyprus' society doesn't function, what exactly are you referring to? Are you referring to the split in the communities caused by invasion and the two entities not co-operating, or are you pointing at something else which makes society (in either RoC or TRNC) not function properly? If it is the later, in what way is Cyprus any different to most other countries?

I'm referring to the split caused by the invasion, and prior to that, to the intercommunal fighting.

You know, it's spooky to turn on the tv and see the missing persons being dug up and all those skeletons in the closet coming out into the open. These kinds of killings affect both communities and society as a whole.

Our identity has to mature beyond the basics of ethnic origin and essentially, we have to grow together, not further apart.

[free_cyprus]

reportfromcyprus
you wrote
Our identity has to mature beyond the basics of ethnic origin and essentially, we have to grow together, not further apart.

we might speak two languages in cyprus but we are the same people . and when you watch the tv and see them digging up bodies you can safely point your figer at turkey and greece for those graves and if you look a little further you can point your finger at america and britain. its disgracefull and it goes agains every human rights every international law what the turks and the greeks have done to us cypriots what makes it worse there are those who actualy thing they are greeks and turks and they are from cyprus lol that always makes me have a good giggle.this is an insult to cypriots as a whole

[reportfromcyprus]

reportfromcyprus
you wrote
Our identity has to mature beyond the basics of ethnic origin and essentially, we have to grow together, not further apart.

we might speak two languages in cyprus but we are the same people . and when you watch the tv and see them digging up bodies you can safely point your figer at turkey and greece for those graves and if you look a little further you can point your finger at america and britain. its disgracefull and it goes agains every human rights every international law what the turks and the greeks have done to us cypriots what makes it worse there are those who actualy thing they are greeks and turks and they are from cyprus lol that always makes me have a good giggle.this is an insult to cypriots as a whole

free - I know we can point fingers, but that's all changed now. We're no longer a colony, Cyprus is an independent republic and liable for its actions as an independent state.

Blaming other countries only goes so far, we also have to accept responsibility internally for what goes on. It's a hard process and difficult to face, but that's the whole point about an identity crisis, it's hard to go through because you're questioning the very basis of your existence and that process of questioning can be painful.

[free_cyprus]

reportfromcyprus
i m yet to see any independence in cyprus. the only time we will have independence in cyprus is when we kick out greece and turkey ban all turkish and greeks flags from the island and when we can make our own decision then we will be closer to having an independent little island but till then we have nothing