If this is not Cypriots’ country, which country is?

The mind boggles: what a revelation. Cypriots have been living in Cyprus since 10,000BC and “it isn’t their country”. Frustrated, from Paralimni (Sunday Mail, February 1) tells us that a certain person expressed this comment on being told that you are in their country and should appreciate you are a guest here.

If the person concerned would have taken the trouble to learn a little about Cyprus, she would see that this unfortunate island has been conquered, occupied, ravaged, under domination since  the time of the Ptolemys, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, Arabs, Genoese, Lusignans, Phoenicians, Venetians, Ottomans, British and many more – too many to list here. Nevertheless, Cypriots were in Cyprus, even if their numbers were reduced due to poverty, sickness, slaughter, slavery etc.

Cyprus is in a very strategic location and in the past and up to the present day, everyone wants a presence here. That is why Cyprus has never been allowed to exist in peace. Small and unable to defend itself, it has been subjected to the most horrendous existence for is inhabitants – Cypriots.

Therefore, if “Frustrated” does come across this “lady” (term used loosely), perhaps she will be kind enough to inform us in whose country the Cypriots have been living in since before the early 6th millennium.

Take heart, ashamed to be British? You are not alone.
 
L. Pollard,
Kato Polemidia

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.