Hamamboculeri.org: Alternatif Haber,Ingilizce, 4 Ocak 2003
Alpay Durduran
Some Thoughts about the Rally
Serazat, December 26th 2002
Alpay Durduran
Hamamboculeri.org
(rough translation from the original by Turgut Durduran)
SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT THE RALLY
Kyrenia Gate was overcrowded. I was right on time but had a lot of difficulty entering. The square was full after a short while. They announced everyone to stay at that very spot. Amazing! In a place where all gatherings start half hour late, there was a gathering that begun right on time.
This was the first thing that suprised me. I thought I was going to wait for half hour and then I could begin contemplating about the size of the crowd. It did not happen that way.
Ofcourse, I did not just stand and try to listen to the speeches. I continously walked around. As I walked around, I begun enjoying myself. Those people who criticized me for bringing the party in opposition to Turkey because of my support for peace, those who kicked me out of my party, argued against me on TV shows and many others were there... I kept walking around saluting those who were anxious to salute me and show me that they were in attendance too. I was not hiding the fact that I was enjoying myself. Instead of standing in one place to listen to that person who kicked me out my party, or the other one who promised to fight me to the end when I stated that Cyprus would be an EU member whether or not there was a solution, I just kept walking around.
It was crowded to the limit. It could not have been more crowded, otherwise where could they have fit? There was not too much of excitement but there was the confidence of doing something they ought to have done. The excitement while shouting "Denktash Resign!" was noticable. They meant to call him to fully resign. They had the pride of being able to yell "Denktash Resign!". It was as if they wanted to say "I am not afraid!" Some looked as if they were taking revenge of something. Some could not help buy laugh while shouting "Denktash Resign!"
It was expected that those who proclaimed "we do not want just any solution" were in the crowd but it was also clear that those in attendance did not caremuch about the Annan plan, they were saying "just peace". While they were discussing the referandum, I still could not help but think about something those against the plan and peace said. According to them, nobody was saying yes to Annan plan; i.e CTP and TKP are also against, they want changes to be negotiated. Does that mean this "peace right now" rally is also sending them a message?
When a person in opposition criticises, ofcourse, he is using his right to express his opinion. However, one has to reconcile supporting negotiations of the Annan plan and criticising it. The issues to be criticized should be for peace and should be done with the mentality of there will not be peace and there will be fighting. It should be realized that someone else is negotiating and needs to consider his views while speaking. Finally, instead of evaluating based on whether the criticisms were accepted, the result should be evaluated.
The crowd was judging and saying "peace now" and did not care much about the rest. They were taking calls for unity and cooperation for peace and unlike the speakers, they did not consider cooperation with UHH. Nobody booed the speakers because even they were speaking as if they had forgotten to call they made few days ago. The crowd also chose to forget that some of them were those who were calling for unity and cooperation to resist against the Greeks and struggle for that.
You probably know why minds forget easily. They either do not care so much and since they do not recall it again, it easily gets lost from the memory or they think that the person in question is simply following the wave, he does not really mean what he is saying.
Come on Agolemli, come on Mehmet Ali, come on Kutlay, it is perfect time for struggle. Ofcourse, they do not want you to guide them because Cyprus entered EU without a solution!
They are still worried that our people will take a passport and leave but the majority was asking me "where is our red passport? when are we getting it?". I did not tell them to ask the speakers. They turned the package the government was going to announce into a matter of honor and suspended it. However, the crowd was wishing that atleast the doors should be opened.
I told them I heard in the news that Greek Cypriot government stopped discriminating and announced that they would pay compensation for the families of the missing Turkish Cypriots. That meant that old mentalities would fade away. They took it with a lot of interest. They did not say "but we have honor". I told them it is nonsense to give good points for the plan because there would be a tunnel under or a bridge over the Famagusta road and ensure our safety. They said this was a backward mentality.
In any case, the crowd was very interesting.