Shame on you!

Cyprus Times

Shame on you!

Turkish Cypriots, embargoed until 20;00, 15 July 2005, and supportive foreign residents, assembled today to remember another Day of Greek Shame. Today marks the 31st anniversary of the invasion of Cyprus by Greece; by which it had intended to force an immediate union between the island and Greece (ENOSIS) regardless of the human cost.

This illegal act of international aggression triggered a chain of events that resulted in the death of hundreds of Greek Cypriots politically opposed to the invaders and many more Turkish Cypriot, Turk and Greek victims.

Sadly, this is not the first day of shame for Greeks. On the 21st December 1963, Greek Cypriots implemented their now notorious Akritas Plan meant to eliminate Turkish Cypriots from their homes, lands and, finally, to destroy the partnership Constitution that had been created following independence in 1960. This First Day of Greek Shame led to the death and disappearance of hundreds of Turkish Cypriots and the destruction of 103 Turkish Cypriot villages.

Turkish Cypriots also recall an ongoing Shame even for peace-loving Greek Cypriots and politicians around the world whose continued silence at the inhumane and humiliating treatment of Turkish Cypriots, past and present, that has enabled the Greek Cypriot authorities to get away with, literally, murder. Even after the intervention of Turkey in 1974, which finally stopped decades of bloodshed on the island, their passive stance ensures that Turkish Cypriots continue to be deprived of their human rights. Thanks to the unwillingness of the international community to stand up to Greek Cypriot propaganda and pressure, Turkish Cypriots have been subjected to 42 years of embargoes!

Today, on the anniversary of the Greek invasion of Cyprus, The International Council for North Cyprus, calls on the world to remember these Days of Shame and its victims, and to reflect on the true causes of this terrible conflict.

On behalf of the people of North Cyprus, they are asking the world: “How many more years must we live deprived of our equal political rights and under embargoes? When will you, the media, the politicians, the international agencies, and fellow peace-loving Greek Cypriots and other good people, end your Shame by speaking out against the wrongs that have been committed and continue to be committed against Turkish Cypriots?”

The tragic past or pain that the people of Cyprus have endured cannot be erased, but with public support, an end of unjust suffering of Turkish Cypriots can be achieved so they can build a peaceful, just future based on the equal rights of both sides in Cyprus.

The peaceful protest at Ledra Palace is featuring yellow ribbons. The Yellow ribbon is traditionally used as a symbol in the US to signify waiting for your lover. It means “I am waiting.” Later, it also came to represent individuals who were taken as hostages in various parts of the world. This too has resonance for TRNC which has been held hostage to unfair embargoes and denial of basic human rights.

As Tamer Burhan of ICNC explains: “We are giving two yellow ribbons to people, one for the car and the other to wear. Then after we complete the protest march to Ledra palace, we will select a tree or location where people can pin their yellow ribbons to say to the world they are waiting. We are waiting for embargoes to be lifted and for promises to be kept. We are waiting for peace from our Greek neighbours. We are waiting fot the international community to keep their promises and to our Greek friends we are saying, ‘look, I am coming'. Basically, we will give everyone a free t-shirt and two ribbons and hopefully also to tourists passing. Everyone wanting peace will pin a yellow ribbon to show determination and unifaction,” he explained.

ICNC and Embargoed! demand that the UN Secretary-General, and other international and national leaders, should keep their promises and take concrete action to end the isolation of North Cyprus. They specifically remind the UN Secretary-General of Paragraph 93 of his Report of 28th May 2004, to the Security Council, where he pointed out to the need to eliminate restrictions and barriers that have the effect of isolating the Turkish Cypriots and impeding their development, both bilaterally and in international bodies.

The people of TRNC are also calling on the UN Secretary General to remind the international community that the relationship of the Turkish Cypriot people and the Greek Cypriot people is not one of majority and minorit, but of political equality where neither side may claim authority or jurisdiction over the other.

“International opinion has started moving and now we are going to take peaceful action similar to the peaceful methods Gandhi used when protesting for his cause,” says Tamer Burhan. “We will be doing the usual shouting, but using peaceful creative methods to gain the attention of the international media, to let them hear our voice. And we think that if there is a good effort by the Turkish Cypriots, the world will have to act on it faster. If the world media reports this, they will have a better knowledge about the Cypriot problem and they must bring it to the top of the agenda to solve. At the moment we are at the bottom of the agenda.”

The message given to the Greek Cypriot side on this Day of Greek Shame is that in spite of the 42 years of suffering they have inflicted on Turkish Cypriots and the island as a whole, they exercised their free will on 24 April 2004, to extend a hand of peace and partnership. Turkish Cypriots proved they are ready to build a new Cyprus based on equality of rights and mutual respect. This was rejected overwhelmingly by the Greek Cypriots.

“Greek Cypriots have yet to realise that their actions are creating disillusionment and frustration, and the good will of Turkish Cypriots is rapidly disappearing,” commented one spokesman. “If Greek Cypriots do not reach back to the hand being held out and to help create a new bi-zonal partnership based on equal rights, then Turkish Cypriots will soon have to search for alternative solutions.”