You can’t just ship off the settlers

Sir,
Like many Turkish Cypriots today, I want reunification, but not at any cost. I voted ‘yes’ in the last referendum because most mainlanders would be allowed to stay, but I am unsure whether I would vote ‘yes’ again if there is a second referendum in the north.

I will wait to see what Papadopoulos’ demands are, but like many Turkish Cypriots I will not vote for the full repatriation of Mainland Turks to Turkey. This is contrary to their human rights. As I am sure you will agree, whatever wrongs were committed in the past on this island of ours, it does not and should not encourage us to create more wrongs.

It is simply not rational thinking to move a Turkish family who have lived in Cyprus for five, 10, 15, 20 or 30 years back to Anatolia. In most countries in the world, if you live there for more than three or five years you are eligible to apply for citizenship, why not in Cyprus?

I also think the idea of offering them financial incentives to move is offensive to them as human beings. It would be cheaper and more rational to integrate them into the New Cyprus. Besides who knows how many future doctors, scientists, engineers and athletes are among them.

Ceyda Ozmen
Montreal, Canada / Cyprus

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