‘CYPRUS is Greek’ and ‘Cyprus united and federal’, depending on what youth group they belonged to, were some of the slogans shouted yesterday by protesting students on the 27th anniversary of the north’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI).
Students from all over Cyprus took to the streets to voice their opinions on the setting up of the so-called “pseudostate,” in 1983. In Nicosia, some students marched down to the Ledra Street crossing, some to the Green Line near the Orpheas stadium and others down Makarios Avenue, to the Ledra Palace. But as usual, most were just glad of the opportunity to bunk off school.
A 16-year-old who preferred to remain anonymous said: “I just came to have a bit of a walk around, but if you ask anyone else if they know what this day is about, 99 per cent of them won’t be able to tell you.”
Other students wandering about downtown Nicosia, when asked whether they were part of the demonstration answered no, then proceeded to draw a complete blank when asked why they were not at school.
“I’m English Cypriot and I just thought I’d come and take a look round Nicosia,” said 16-year-old Marianna Sklavo. A 17-year-old boy commented that he didn’t participate in demonstrations.
However there were those who were truly there to support the cause. Wrapped in Cypriot and Greek flags, left-wing youth group EDON marched from Famagusta Gate down to the Green Line near the Orpheas restaurant and later in the stadium, where sang songs.
Phidias Toffaris, 17, who was standing outside the stadium said that they hoped to gain “reunification of our island”. “Cyprus is ours and we don’t accept a Turkish occupied state,” replied another teenager who referred to himself as “Mischa”.
Also on the streets yesterday were members of the far-right National Popular Front (ELAM). Clad menacingly in all black, reciting slogans, such as ‘Cyprus is Greek’, and marching in a military style, to the beat of a whistle, marchers made their views known. They marched through Makarios Avenue wielding Greek flags, all the way down to the crossing at Ledra Palace.
In the north, the scenes were those of celebration. ‘No one can separate the TRNC from Turkey’, and ‘TRNC forever’ were what some of the banners read at Kuchuk square in northern Cyprus. A speech was also given by Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu and Cemil Chicheck, Turkey’s state minister, who flew in especially for the celebrations.
Speaking to several people in Turkish occupied Nicosia, one Turkish Cypriot responded: “I don’t feel anything about the TRNC, I care about the future of the Republic of Cyprus,” said Ogur Soyalan, a salesman opposite the Saray hotel in Nicosia.
He then spoke with great fervour about how he only wanted Cyprus to be one big place and not divided. In an effort to demonstrate without a shadow of a doubt the truthfulness of his words, he ripped open his shirt to reveal a faded tattoo of the outline of Cyprus on his chest.
“It should be 50/50 between the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots, said Dervish Yusuf, a 55-year-old builder. A 47-year old shop owner Hasan Hancerli, in the Nicosia market area, explained how they said ‘yes’ in the 2004 referendum because they wanted peace. “They said everything will get better, but it did not happen,” said Hancerli.
Many did not want to comment but at the end of the day, like many of their Greek Cypriot compatriots, the celebrations and protests meant little. By late afternoon when the activities had died down, many Turkish Cypriots crossed the Ledra St checkpoint holding, not banners with slogans…but shopping bags.
