A viable solution is the only prospect of returning to our land
27th December 2020, “Haravgi” newspaper
Article by Eleni Mavrou, member of the Political Bureau of AKEL, AKEL MP for the Kyrenia district (occupied).
The opening of Famagusta a few weeks ago shocked many people. Turkey is drilling inside the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Republic of Cyprus. The international community keeps equal distances. However, few turn to the President of the Republic to tell him “Do you see where your policy has led us to?” It suits most people to hide behind Turkish intransigence.
AKEL had warned that the situation which had developed surrounding the Cyprus problem after the collapse at the Crans Montana conference, in conditions where there is no negotiation procedure underway and Turkey being relieved of its responsibilities, posed serious dangers.
Two and a half precious years have been lost, during which we have seen Turkey’s provocative actions escalate. Some forces and circles may attempt to underestimate these developments by saying “big deal, so what”, others may confine themselves to the usual and easy talk about “just another expansionist expression of the occupation”. They may even resort to engaging in pompous bravado about the EEZ, in the hope that they’ll distract the people, but time is running out.
The situation on the ground is tragic and the government is content with engaging in rhetoric to serve internal consumption purposes. However, if something does serve, in the best possible way, the Turkish positions, it is allowing time to go by without making use of it, and by doing so consolidating the occupation.
All this time, N. Anastasiades not only ignored the warnings AKEL issued, but on the contrary he continued to cultivate illusions among the Cypriot people in order to hide the deadlocks to which he has led us to. The government ruling forces told us on 19th June 2019 that “the EU has gone from issuing a strong verbal position to practical solidarity”. For months the veto was being brandished, cultivating excessive expectations about the supposed imposition of sanctions “that will hurt Turkey”! The government ruling forces were telling us that we were shielded militarily and geostrategically, hiding the truth about Turkey’s intentions.
Now that Turkish provocativeness has surpassed all previous actions, Nikos Anastasiades is desperately trying to convince the people of his commitment to a solution of the Cyprus problem.
I say all this because for the people of Kyrenia (Note: one of the districts under the occupation of the Turkish army), a viable solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation is the only prospect of returning to our land. The saying “Once more, as years and time go by, once more they shall be ours” leaves us no prospect of survival.
We aren’t many. Maybe for this reason, perhaps for the fact that we are scattered all over the free regions of Cyprus, maybe because some people consciously or unconsciously, openly or behind the scenes, are paving the way for a two-state solution, Kyrenia must not be heard as much as it should be. Some have forgotten us, some have written us off.
We don’t forget. When we talk about the beauties of Cyprus, in our minds we have the occupied Pentadaktylos mountain range with the proud castles on its peaks. When we talk about our homeland’s cultural heritage, in our minds we recall the castle of Kyrenia, the Abbey of Bellapais, Solous, the Armenian monetary, Antiphonitis…When we talk about the beaches of Cyprus, in our minds we remember Davlos, Pachiamos, Tsiakkileri…
Those tempted to resort to “patriotic” sloganeering should remember that. They should remember how much we are being deprived of as a result of the ongoing deadlocks in the efforts to solve the problem. They should remember how much all of us have to gain from resolving it and reuniting our homeland.
