A tale of two goats
Note: This article was published in the author's regular column in Cyprus.
Reproduced here with the author's request and permission.
The economic crisis in Northern Cyprus has reached a point of no return, to which it was driven by the continuing devaluation of the Turkish Lira and the severe crisis in Turkey as well as the imposed economic and social embargoes. One used to find it difficult to talk about the economics and social and political situation in the North in positive terms; however, given the current picture the past looks like a heavenly picture. Several factors have contributed to the creation of this current mess: the corrupt political and economic system, detached from the realities of the world, has been the chief culprit from the inside and the interest games the international world has been involved in coupled with the differing agendas of the Greek Cypriot leadership, performed the deed from the outside. Throughout the years the suffering of Turkish Cypriots was perpetuated to such an extent that the community is currently running the risk of extinction and cultural disintegration.
The North
The Prime Minister Mr. Eroglu and his deputy Mr. Akinci have so far been calming worries through repeating a by now well known phrase: "We have written a letter to the Turkish embassy and they have passed it on to Ankara. We are waiting" Since the beginning of the banking crisis and then the February crisis, the government of the Turkish Cypriots is on hold. This is by itself admission enough of the fact that without any help from Turkey the government is incapable of providing solutions. The annual GDP/Capita of $3000 retreated to $1800 in a matter of four months. Currently, the people are confined to their houses, the students are having difficulty in paying school fees (all in foreign currency) and the shops are empty. The famous Bogaz picnics -a traditional weekend pass time of Turkish Cypriots, with people socializing around barbecue fires- are long gone. Tokyo, London, and New York have become less expensive by comparison and Northern Cyprus is without a doubt the most expensive place on earth in relation to national income generated. Even then, the leading politicians are miraculously managing to run the country on the thirty key words (mainly of nationalistic nature) that they have been using for the last thirty years.
The worst comes when some chauvinist voices in Turkey claim that it is the Turkish Cypriot themselves, unlike the politicians and power groups in Turkey, that have drained the government and the country of its wealth. It even gets worse when phrases such as 'the Turkish Cypriots were saved and that they are not even grateful -instead they dislike Turks' are thrown into the air. What these argument seem to conveniently brush over is that the Turkish Cypriots have been robbed of their wealth in 1976-77, when the Turkish Lira forcibly replaced their Cypriot pounds at 80% less than then the going exchange rate. This meant that throughout the 1980's and 1990's they have suffered every crisis imported from Turkey including that of 1994. And now, they are again paying dearly for an economic crisis in Turkey that has little to do with them. The other thing that criticisms of 'ungratefulness' do not take into consideration is that the Turkish Cypriots live in a country with constant deteriorating social and economic conditions. They see their children migrating in search for a better life in other countries and experience the disintegration of their culture and society. This in fact, makes many of them state that since 1963 their community has hardly experienced a day of communal peace.
And while this is going on, the well deserved praises to the humanity of an international community trying to save three trapped whales in the Antarctic, the wild dogs of Africa and more, seem that much more cynical in the light of the abandonment of Turkish-Cypriots -a community also on the verge of extinction And this fate enforced upon them makes that much more tragically comic the situation in Cyprus, an island divided by unresolved conflict at the fringes of the modern world of Europe. A place where one Cypriot leadership in the South can be dominant, active and healthy in asserting its positions and paving the way forward for EU membership, while the other in the North is entrapped, sick and shouting weakly: "I am here, too". I think, or at least strongly hope, that there exists nobody who can claim that the Turkish Cypriots deserve anything less than the Greek Cypriots. Well, the political equals and the rightful co-owners of this country are currently in dire straits. The vital question is whether leaderships (and more pertinently the one in the South) are more interested in abusing the situation and benefiting or in providing genuine help.
The South
Thus, instead of claiming that 'we are confused and do not know how to help' or that 'we are worried that it may mean the recognition of the North or helping Mr. Denktas and his illegal regime', the Greek Cypriot side should decide whether it really wants to help. Because if we are sincerely interested in helping and incorporating the Turkish Cypriots into the process for EU membership, in order to secure a brighter and better future for all, and if we are committed to solving the expired Cyprus problem, we better act now or at least save us all the hypocrisy. If there is a will, there is a way. And it is certainly not through creating images of the 1960's and 1974: tent villages and guarded refuge camps do not go down well in 2001, the beginning of a new millenium -as neither do statements that EU membership will help realize the long desired dream of 'Enosis'. Whilst knocking single-handedly on the door of the EU, one of the main custodians of human rights and social and cultural justice and equality, the Republic of Cyprus, legally and constitutionally the Republic of all Cypriots appeared in all its mightiness unable to handle 150 poor, better life-searching Cypriot souls. In fact, it even refused to see them as such, presuming at first their 'Turkish-Cypriot-ness', then questioning it, while at the same time underlying their 'different culture and lifestyle'. The two questions that inevitably spring to mind is whether everybody with a Turkish name is a potential spy and collaborator of Mr. Denktas and whether any 'lifestyle' can be respected by being put into tents in guarded camps.
Without needing to dwell on this issue, it has to be said that what the televised images of Gypsy camps did was to drive home to the Turkish-Cypriots (who for better or worse still receive TV signals and still watch Greek-Cypriot media) the overall message emanating from the South -the same message that weakens those progressive Cypriots searching for a common peaceful, prosperous homeland on both sides of the divide, and not only the ones in the North, who are risking their livelihoods to help build a better future for all here in Cyprus. In fact, sometimes it becomes highly questionable who is collaborating with Mr. Denktas and providing him with weapons to fight against the progressive forces. Mr. Denktas' ideology and aspirations are doing his job right and he is playing it open and fair. He himself admits that his main goal is to protect Turkish interests in the island at all costs: even if it means the extinction of his own community the Turkish Cypriots. For him there is no difference; a Turk is a Turk -a belief that he openly voiced on numerous occasions. He is an expert in manipulating public opinion by using the chauvinist voices coming from the South and constantly fueling the burning memories of the Turkish Cypriots who have yet to handle the worries and the pains experienced during the period of 1963-1974. His influence can also be felt in the South and in Turkey. However, it should not be forgotten that Mr. Denktas is a product of the past 50 years of history and the actions of all the players actively involved in the complex and continuing Cyprus problem.
On the other hand, the attitude in the South is rather different. Whatever is said and intended falls short of effective action and delivery. If the Cypriot national politics is that the Republic of Cyprus is the republic of all Cypriots irrelevant of Greek or Turkish 'origin', then it should really be so. All the organs of the Republic of Cyprus should try actively to reach out to the Turkish Cypriots in the North and simultaneously encourage and promote social/cultural, political/economic understanding and cooperation. The Turkish Cypriots would then evaluate the effort and could not easily be manipulated by nationalist Turkish-Cypriot propaganda as is the case now, and their broken trust will enter a phase of healing.
However, if the politics is geared towards securing wealth and prosperity as well as security for the Greek Cypriots only, then it should openly be admitted. Either way it will help better the situation for the people in the North and will be more constructive in solving the Cyprus problem and creating a peaceful, stable and secure island for both the Turkish- and the Greek- Cypriots and the region at large. In this case, the world will know for sure that the Republic of Cyprus does not represent Turkish Cypriots and at least Northern Cyprus will attain a higher level of political recognition, which will translate as bettering the life standards of people in the North. This is what Mr. Denktas is asking anyway in order to sit down and negotiate.
The Republic of Cyprus' EU accession process is certainly the right way forward. However, this whole process lacks the contribution and the presence of Turkish Cypriots as equals on the table. There is a pending invitation. Yet what that invitation falls short of, is defining what the status of the Turkish Cypriot delegation in the process will be. Are they merely observers and in a way window-dressing for Cyprus as far as the EU is concerned, or are they equals who can voice their concerns and needs given the radical differences and needs of the North and South parts of the island. It is a fact that the two peoples of this island live under extremely different social, economic and political settings. The advantage is that Cyprus as a whole is a small country with a relatively small population. Thus, if serious steps are taken, it will be a matter of a few years that a healthy balance can be achieved.
One cannot talk about peace and stability on this island without eliminating the economic gap between the two sides as well as attaining a higher level of cooperation, understanding and respect between the two communities. Demilitarization of the island is a must as well as a logical and fair compensation for the past losses of all Cypriots. And many more steps need to be taken by both parties and the international world. However, before anything else, a solid, workable and fair agreement based on political equality and mutual respect has to be commonly signed. Until the actual peace ceremony, one should not fall into despair and act offensively or defensively. Politics that are based on openness, calculated risk and rapprochement would yield results and returns. After all, without taking a risk, one cannot expect to receive a return.
Final Note
Goats have been the first movie stars of Cyprus. The British Colonial administration in order to educate Cypriots about the damage that goats can inflict on nature and to encourage settled farming, produced a documentary in the early 1940's. Goats are stubborn animals and they tend to act the way they like within the liberty and freedom that the shepherd provides for them. As the documentary goes to pains to point out, this selfish stubbornness can in fact mean the end of the goats themselves. There is a traditional Cypriot story regarding these magnificent animals, that makes a similar point and it goes as follows: "Two stray goats were grazing on two different sides of a river bank. Upon seeing each other, both started to think that the other side should have better and more grass. They both approached to the only available narrow bridge to cross. The bridge was wide enough to fit only one, but they both entered the bridge simultaneously and met in the middle. The fast flowing wild waters of the river beneath was a concern to both, but none allowed the other to pass first. Stubbornness turned into antagonism and both fell into the river and drowned."