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Date:         Thu, 7 Jan 1993 22:13:25 -0500
Reply-To:     "Varnavas A. Lambrou" <V999SAUM@UBVMS.CC.BUFFALO.EDU>
From:         "Varnavas A. Lambrou" <V999SAUM@UBVMS.CC.BUFFALO.EDU>
Subject:      Kupriako suvexeia...
Comments: To: hellas@uga.cc.uga.edu

THE TURKISH CYPRIOTS SINCE THE INVASION


When Turkey invaded in 1974, its Government claimed that it had mounted
a peacekeeping operation to restore constitutional order. Once its troops
were in occupation of Cypriot territory, this story was never heard again.
Turkey opposed the return of the legitimate elected President of Cyprus,
Archbishop Makarios, to the island, and it demanded the partition of Cyprus.
This demand is diametrically opposed to the basic articles of the
Constitution, and of the Treaty of Guarantee to which Turkey has repeatedly
referred.

Also, a new story was put forward: That Turkish troops were in Cyprus to protect
the Turkish Cypriots who constitute 18% of the population. This may sound
credible and perhaps laudable. The cause of minorities is one which many people
are eager to espouse, and rightly so where there is real oppression.

However in the case of Turkey and Cyprus there are two reasons why it would be
wrong to accept Turkey's claim. The first is that within the Republic of Cyprus
full cultural and religious autonomy has always been guaranteed to the Turkish
Cypriots together with political representation with built in safeguards.
Furthermore the Cyprus Government has agreed to the establishment of a federal
constitution in which Turkish Cypriot rights would be amply safeguarded.

The second reason for not accepting Turkey's claim that her troops are in
Cyprus to protect the Turkish Cypriots is that with the occupation,
"...the Cypriot Turks in the occupied northern part of the island seem
to have joined their compatriots in the south as victims of turkish aggression
and occupation," as the US Senate Subcommittee to Investigate Problems Connected
with Escapees and Refugees concluded in its staff report in 1976.

The Turkish Cypriots are now totally dependent on Turkey, economically and
politically, and they suffer the oppression which comes from this dependence.
The Turkish Cypriots are also Cypriots and it is not the Cypriot's interests
that Turkey is in Cyprus to further, but Turkey's.

The contempt for the Turkish Cypriots evidenced in Turkey's colonization of
the occupied areas with an alien peasant population is one facet of the fate
of the Turkish Cypriots in occupied Cyprus. There are now almost as many
colonizer's and Turkish military personnel in occupied Cyprus as there are adult
Turkish Cypriots.

Extremist forces from Turkey control the Turkish Cypriots with an iron hand.
Mr Ozker Ozgur, leader of the Turkish Cypriot Republican Turkish party revealed
in the Turkish Cypriot newspaper "Yeniduzen" (8.11.83) how the Turkish Cypriots
are kept under control by Turkey behind a facade of self rule, and indicated
that all the nominal institutions of an autonomous administration carried no
decision making weight. The decisions are all made in Ankara.


"BEY"

"BEY", according to Mr Ozgur's account, is an acronym.It denotes three elements:
Mr Denktash, the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, the Turkish envoy, and
the organization known as TMT. BEY is the real controlling force in the
community. BEY had existed before 1974. Though nominal organs of "government"
had been set up after 1974:
"The people know that the Police Force is not attached to the Executive; that
the Security Forces are not attached to the Ministry of Defense; that the radio
and television service is not autonomous and that a Counsellor from the Turkish
Embassy takes part in the meetings of the Council of Ministers."

The Turkish cypriots in the occupied areas of Cyprus are economically
disadvantaged, deprived of their political rights and intimidated.

On the 15th November 1983 an attempt was made by Turkey to annex the occupied
territories by declaring a "Turkish Republic of Northern Kibris" in their name.
How did the Turkish Cypriots acquiesce?

Christopher Price in the "New Statesman" (27.1.84):
"The two left-wing parties led by Mr Durduran and Mr Ozgur were well known
to be firmly opposed to UDI; yet on November 15th they voted for it.
Why? Mr Durduran, inhibited by others present, simply told me that he had been
given less than twelve hours notice, and it seemed better to show solidarity.
Mr Ozgur put it a little more clearly. `The plane had already taken off,' he
told me,`and you get hurt if you jump out of planes in mid-air'. There have been
reports that both were threatened with death if they failed to back UDI."

It is for the sake of the Turkish Cypriots that Turkey is occupying part of
Cyprus. At least Mr Turgut Ozal the ex-Prime Minister of Turkey does not think
so, as he is reported to have said in "Milliyet" on 3rd December, 1983:
"Cyprus is an island which pierces the middle of Turkey like a dagger. It is
extremely vital from the viewpoint of our security. This island should not be
in enemy hands. The existence of the Turks in North Cyprus is a guarantee in
this direction."

If, in the latter part of the twentieth century, there is any capacity left
for surprise it may be experienced at the observation that after two World
Wars the ex-Prime Minister of an important country can publicly state the
geographical position of another country to be reason for occupying its
territory, and for using a minority of that country as an instrument of its
aggression.


..."We have a feeling of physical security, but that is all" a prominent
Turkish Cypriots tells me: "Apart from that, we have good old-fashioned
colonial rule...When Turkey devalues her currency it happens here also,
even when it may not be necessary. Turks who have come in ostensbly to
help build us up have made piles of money and sent it back home. Nothing
is ploughed back.
Our leadership is weak. Every cabinet meeting is attended by three Turks who
veto all decisions. We are not our own masters."
                        "The Sunday Times", 5 February, 1978.


"The situation is further aggravated by the widespread interference of the
mainland Turkish authorities. These must be consulted on almost every point."
                        Metin Munir (Turkish journalist)
                        "Financial Times", 20 July, 1978.


"Is there any one left who is still unaware that all our produce is sold and
that the money paid in foreign currency is squandered by Denktash's regime...
In four and a half years Denktash has transformed north Cyprus into a paradise
for foreign customers and into a hell for the working class and the masses..."
                        Ozker Ozgur,
                        "Yeni Duzen", 21 June, 1979.


"One point we should never forget is that the intervention of Turkey in Cyprus
was not effected solely for the `blue eyes' of the Turkish Cypriot community...
it also intervened moved by consideration of its own strategic interest."
                        Mehmet Ali Birand
                        "Milliyet", 13 March, 1984.
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