By Prof. Dr. Ata Atun *
Leaders of the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus in the past and present have committed the same political error. They both assert that they wish to live in harmony and create a “so-called” single state with the Turkish Cypriots, and they are unafraid to take whatever measure to deny them the right to life.
The hatred that Greek Cypriots have displayed towards Turkish Cypriots and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, TRNC, is one of the two political-related incidents that occurred last week.
They are unaware that their outrageous efforts and hostilities to keep the TRNC from participating in international political contexts and to disregard its existence are eroding the bonds between the island’s Turkish and Greek Cypriot residents and escalating their animosity.
They will eventually realize that they have destroyed the peace that was going to be established on the island by adopting these hostile attitudes and ignoring them, and that they will not be able to find a single Turkish Cypriot to reach out to them in a friendly manner, to greet them with a smile, and to offer them assistance.
The 146th Inter-Parliamentary Union Meeting was held in Bahrain, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) flag was flown during the meeting. Annita Dimitriu, the Speaker of the Assembly of the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus, requested that the flag be taken down and made a demeaning statement about the TRNC in a letter to the Speaker of the Bahraini House of Representatives.
The usage of the TRNC flag at a special Organization of Turkic States meeting in Ankara was condemned by Southern Cyprus, another member of the EU, in an unpleasant political move.
Even in these two incidents, the question of “How will we partner and live together with these Greeks who did their best to oppress us and impose an inhumane embargo on us for years,” which is in addition to the past inhumane treatment of the Turkish Cypriots, crossed the minds of the Turkish Cypriots.
The President of TRNC Ersin Tatar feels that the EU, UN, and US views that presume only the Greek Cypriots have the right to discuss the Cyprus issue are no longer acceptable. He is committed to clarify that there are Turkish Cypriots on the island of Cyprus and that they have the right to speak about the Cyprus issue in every situation and location.
He no longer intends to put up with the Turkish Cypriots’ lack of speaking rights about the Cyprus problem and the reality that only Greek Cypriots have had that privilege for years.
The Turkish Cypriot people are an integral part of the Turkish world, as stated in the Organization of Turkic States Summit Statement. Despite all of the Greek Cypriots’ protests, it is guaranteed that the future will not be like the past…
Prof. Dr. (Civ. Eng.), Assoc. Prof. Dr. (Int. Relt.), Dean, Cyprus Science University, Political Advisor to the President of the TRNC.