Konuk Yazar, 19 Mayis 2001
Murat ILICAN
The European Court of Human Rights Decision
The recent decision of the European Human Rights Court (EHRC) in Strasbourg condemning Turkey regarding its presence and policies in Cyprus sent shock waves to all the leaderships involved in the long lasting conflict. Some leaders mostly of Greek origin were filled with joy, whilst the others mainly of Turkish origin were despaired by the decision. The most important massage given out however, was the confirmation of the fact that any action conducted by any party that does not comply with the norms and ethics of universally accepted rights and freedoms will not be tolerated and legalized in the course of time. In this respect, the court sent a clear massage to Ankara that universal laws are laws and no one country is above it. Especially, for a country that openly considers itself to be European, the decision is much more binding and unavoidable.
One needs to congratulate the hard work and the preparation of the Greek Cypriot officials. And hope that they will repeat their performance when it comes to addressing and resolving the existing violation of Human Rights within the 'controlled' areas of Cyprus as well as the human rights abuses of 1963-1974. Only then the 'Republic of Cyprus' will gain its credibility and identity as the one and only republic representing all Cypriots without any prejudices. One the other hand, one certainly needs to condemn the dismissive attitude and policies of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership regarding the ECHR and its recent decision. Unlike the way it is presented in the ruling political circles, the decision of the EHRC will remain to be problem for the Turkish side up until the point of resolving the Cyprus conflict and will certainly be an advantage for the Greek side throughout negotiations. Most importantly ignoring the EHRC and its decision will reinforce the widely accepted notion of uncooperative and status quo supporting attitude of the Turkish side and in turn will weaken the bargaining power of the Turks vis-a-vis Cyprus as well as any other issue (re) appearing at any international platform.
EHRC decision also underlined the urgency of finding a long lasting solution between the two communities on the island prior to the EU accession. And avoid Cyprus problem to be transported to a wider platform where the decision-making mechanisms could easily be jammed by the complexity of such a problem. Especially, key European issues and strategies such as security/defense and enlargement will run into great problems if the status quo in Cyprus does not improve. Given the interests of all the parties involved in the conflict and the current global conjecture, the problem of Cyprus needs to be solved within the next two years. Any side working against this clock and help prolong the peace on the island will pay a great price in the future. The main question remaining is how the two sides will resolve their differences so that Cyprus will take its place in the global platform as an EU member as an island of peace/stability and prosperity to be shared by the two communities. It seems that long discussed and almost agreed upon Bi-communal and Bi-zonal Federation with political equality is the only way forward.
However, before anything else public acknowledgement and apologies of the atrocities committed by all sides here in Cyprus should be made public in order to build a platform of trust and cooperation. The two communities should be encouraged to build bridges of communication and understanding and the public in general should be prepared for a day after a solution. Whilst the negotiations are continuing behind the close doors and most probably will speed up after the May elections in the South, the Cypriots are yet to be informed about the realities of a probable solution. It is very common to hear political statements abusing public sentiments at the cost of a peaceful future in the island in the name of populism and gaining votes or staying in power. A fresh realistic approach by the politicians and political parties let it be the ones in the North or the South to prepare the ground for meaningful rapprochement is yet to be seen. A long lasting solution will not only come through a 'fair' agreement and the EU membership, but also through social and cultural understanding and respect for the 'other'. The wide economic gap between the two communities needs to be eliminated and a bi-communal political movement for safeguarding the peace and stability should be encouraged. After all, what Cyprus does not need in this new Millenium is to experience the period of 1960-63 and else there after.
As a final note, I would like to point out the fact that a peace on the island can only be materialized with willingness to take political risk. Unless one does take political risks to take the island and its communities forward, one can not expect to see any positive changes in the status quo. And so far given the local and foreign participants of this conflict hardly any political risk for peace has been taken and thus no serious return has been secured. It is no time to be conservative, it is time to be radical and active. It is time to grab the opportunities to secure a better and peaceful future for younger generations on the island as well as all around the globe.
Cyprus Tragedy Continues
The tragic-comic situation in Cyprus that continues to occupy the local and international media as well as almost all the Cypriot minds for the lasting half a century is yet to come to an end. The more time passes without a viable permanent solution in the island, the more isolated Turkish and Greek Cypriots get and more ignorant they became regarding the life, needs and the desires of each other. The possibilities of informed, educated analysis disappear, leaving ignorant, haphazardly chosen topics involving the 'other' to be exhausted in the name of safeguarding a specially designed line of argument and interests. The prevailing 'Green Line', dividing the territories and minds of the two communities persists and is becoming increasingly reinforced, proving that the educational systems as well as the governmental propaganda of each side have worked well. So well in fact, that today at the beginning of the new millenium Turkish and Greek Cypriots have reached the utmost level of alienation from each other. Naturally, spoon-fed arguments forming the basis of many discussions are dominating the scene and as a direct result, appreciation, understanding and reason cease to exist.
Old national theories and the nationalism that informed them, bringing destruction to many world nations and their inhabitants are becoming outdated within the new world (dis) order. These theories found acceptance in many communities after the second-world war, and particularly during the process of de-colonization. Cypriot politics got its share of this movement, but failing to materialize a Cypriot concept of nationality (and thus nationalism) preferred to draw its strength from the differences between the various 'ethnic' groups on the island. Thus, Turkish and Greek nationalism prospered as two competing forces with two differing ideological goals and agendas. 'Enosis' (unification with Greece) and 'Taksim' (Partition) became a daily desire for the majority of the reciprocal Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities. The rest of the story and many dirty games and tactics played upon the people are being gradually revealed as the secret documents of involved nations come to light.
For the last half of a century, Cypriots are systematically made to choose to belong to a specific 'pure' ethnic group with a 'clean' identity. Turning into 'more Greek than Greeks' and 'more Turk than Turks' became an unconscious process, making this one of the easiest transformations in Cypriot history given the abundance of the required doze of nationalism at each street corner (in both visual and audible forms). This, to the point that a common, centuries-old, Cypriot way of thinking, dancing, acting, understanding, expressing respect and above all conceptualizing humanity is under the threat of extinction.
Given the current realities, e.g. the economic and political interests of the parties involved in Cyprus and the EU membership process of the island, Cyprus has now entered, probably for the first time, into a road with set and defined timetables and a vision. However, this set road map for the island will either bring unification under some sort of a structure (e.g. Gali set of ideas) or a permanent division for the two peoples (e.g. South part becoming an EU member and North integrating with Turkey). The most important issue, regardless of the outcome, is securing peace and stability and thus, facilitating economic, social and political development of the people of this region. Any outcome failing to secure the above will make the island a source of tension for the local and international communities for many more years to come.
Negotiations are continuing since the early 1960's to find a way forward for the Cypriots to live safely and happily on this island. Unfortunately, so far no serious breakthrough has been accomplished. Both sides have been busy advocating their own respective positions and demands instead of listening and focusing on a win-win scenario securing a peaceful outcome. This approach needs to change. In parallel, the two parties should stop their ugly propaganda against the other and focus on areas of possible co-operation. Contacts should be developed and encouraged especially for the young generations that have little to say and know about the other and are being brought up surrounded by hatred-talk. The political leaders as well as all the parties involved in the conflict need to give a chance to peace chiefly by helping to prepare the ground for it to prosper.
It is about time that Cypriots grabbed this opportunity of international support and initiatives to find a long lasting solution on the island. After all, the world and the Cypriots are tired and sick of this problem and one day the status quo (however it looks at the time) will be accepted as given and nobody will care anymore. In that case, the historians and the next generations will read about Cyprus and classify it as a case of wasted time, effort and energy as well as a shame for the whole humanity. And the biggest losers will be the local inhabitants and the island itself, and the active regional players.