Before I begin, let me introduce myself (and apologies for not doing this a while back when I joined the forum). I am 47 years old, male, born in the UK to TC parents, my father is from Turunclu (Strongylos) & my mother from Sandallar (Santalaris).
I would like to let it be known that I do not have a deep knowledge of the politics involved in resolving the Cypprob or indeed in renegotiating another plan, I am a family man who wishes for a solution so that everyone in Cyprus is able to get on with their lives after the traumatic events that led from the formation of the Republic to this current day.
I think we would all agree that nearly half a century has passed and in that time it seems that Cyprus as a whole has made no progress whatsoever in resolving the problem between its communities. Throughout the world we have seen an end to apartheid in South Africa, the Berlin wall has come down, the USSR has dissolved into umpteen different countries with capitalism taking over from communism, we have seen an end in the UK to the atrocities carried out by the IRA on innocent civilians, I’ve even seen Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness (who must hate each other more than any pair of politicians I am aware of) sit in the same room and come to agreement on the way forward for Northern Ireland. If all this (and many more) can happen, why can the Cypprob not be solved ?
Anyway, I was intrigued to read the points Kifeas listed where he highlighted clauses in the TCCS constitution (as well as the foundation agreement) which in his view made the Annan Plan unworkable. I do sincerely understand that the Annan Plan was not the ‘be all and end all’ that would have been the solution to the Cypprob, however once it was comprehensively rejected by the GC’s I keep asking myself why is it that for over 3 years now since the vote there has been little or no progress ?
Why hasn’t either side sat down and investigated the reasons a resounding NO was given by one community. Is it because the people in charge are happy for the status quo to continue and they stick two fingers up (or indeed show the middle finger) to the ordinary folk who want a solution. Ordinary folk, their children, and their grandchildren just want to get on with their lives living in peace ? No bloodshed, no fear of going out, just living life the way it is meant to be.
Here are a couple of quotes from Kifeas that stood out for me -
QUOTE 1
I have finally exposed the totalitarian, nationalist, un-cultural and opportunist attitude and aims of the Turkish kemalist establishment and its TC cronies, for trying to impose on the Greek Cypriots a status similar to that of the now rebelling Kurdish people of Turkey, whom they deny the right for cultural self-determination in their own country, under the kemalist doctrine of “one state, one language, one nation!”
They wanted in this way any GC that would choose to return back to were they were ethnically cleansed from in 1974 -back to their ancestral lands were they used to have their civilisation and all their cultural, religious, educational and linguistic rights for thousands of years, with their own signature to deprive them from all of those rights! They wanted to deny them their dignity and self-respect, so that they either choose not to return and thus live the 30% of Cyprus entirely as a Turkish province for the TCs and the mainland settlers, or if they choose to return to accept that they will have to be turkified themselves!
This is the diabolical nature of the kemalist Turkish ideology, one of the last remaining fascist, kitsch and banal ideologies on earth in our times!
Thank you Tassos for seen the devil and protecting the history, the dignity and the self-respect of the GC community!
QUOTE 2
VP, you need not say it in the forum that your intention was/is to treat GCs as second class citizens! We know this is what you intent to do, so that you discourage anyone from returning back to their ancestral lands in the north, and thus retain a purely Turkified territory in the north! We know it because this was what was provided by the constitution of the so-called TC Constituent State (TCCS) that you have gotten Kofi Annan, the biggest vagabond SG in the UN history, to offer you as part of his proposed “solution” plan!
I tried to understand the anger that was within when these were written, and deep down without having access to the TCCS/GCCS constitutions, I too would be sympathetic, however I shall now try and respond to each of the items raised to back up the quotes above.
I will post these separately so that they are easier to read (I cannot seem to gather together the ‘skill’ required to post several quotes via the cut’n paste method – maybe I’ll ask for help from Admin). Anyway here goes……………
PART I
General Principles
The Form and Characteristics of the Turkish Cypriot State
Article 1
The Turkish Cypriot State, as one of the two Constituent States of the United Cyprus Republic, which is based on the political equality, bi-zonality and equal status of the two Constituent States, representing the distinct identity of Turkish Cypriots and their equal political status in a bizonal partnership.
What one reads above?
You assume that one of the two states will ethnically belong to you, exclusively! You want the constitution of this state to only talk on your behalf as an ethnic community, and represent you, and only you, as the ethnic owners of the 30% of Cyprus’s territory! No mention or regard is paid to the fact that the people living in this part of Cyprus will also include the GCs that would wish to permanently return back to their ancestral lands! You assume that that part of Cyprus is not their country, and they should not be expressed through or represented by the above constitution! More or less like how your motherland treats it’s citizens of Kurdish origin! Need I say more? Do you want more evince of your bad will intentions?
But Article 1 goes on to say………….
“It is a secular state based on the principles of human rights, democracy, representative republican government, social justice and the supremacy of law “
In my view, this does not say that one of the two states “ethnically belongs” to the TC’s exclusively – what I interpret it as saying is that it represents the distinct identity of Turkish Cypriots, which is not taking any rights away from those from a different ethnicity who reside in the TCCS. However, there is no denying that the majority of inhabitants in the TCCS will be TC’s in the same way that the majority of inhabitants in the GCCS will be GC’s.
The TCCS further goes on to say……….
PART II - Fundamental Rights, Liberties & Duties
CHAPTER 1 – General Provisions
Equality
Article 10
1) All persons shall be equal before the law………
2) No discrimination shall be made among individuals for reasons of gender, race, colour, ethnic & social background, language, religion …………….
3) The organs and the administrative authorities of the State are under an obligation to act in conformity with the principle of equality before the law and not to discriminate in their actions.
I don’t see how the above represents “you and only you (i.e. the TC’s) as the ethnic owners of the 30% of Cyprus’s territory"
My interpretation when reading all of the above differs to yours, and hand on my heart I can’t honestly say that it is as bad as you make it out to be.
Yes, you are correct that it does not specifically mention GC’s, but neither does it make mention any other ethnic group or indeed Turkish settlers that are allowed to remain.
To be continued .........
