The following is my response to an article in the Irish Times, Saturday 21 May 2011: “The other side of Cyprus”, written by Liz McManus, a former Irish government minister.
Dear Ms McManus
I was shocked to read your article ‘The other side of Cyprus’ published in the Irish Times, Saturday May 21, 2011. I presume you are aware that when you visited the Turkish occupied northern part of Cyprus you stayed in stolen and illegally occupied property.
You wrote: “Progress has come with a familiar price, very familiar to anyone from Ireland. We visited a divided island that had a property bubble and the ghost estates to prove it. That said, it is also true that, in the carve-up, the Turkish Cypriots got the best scenery.”
The “carve-up” was a brutal Turkish invasion & occupation of Cyprus in 1974 which still continues in spite of numerous UN resolutions. Turkish settlers & Turkish military ‘planters’ were ‘allocated’ the property stolen from over 200,000 Greek Cypriot, Maronite Cypriot, Armenian Cypriot & Latin (Roman Catholic) Cypriot refugees in 1974. Much of this stolen property has since been sold on to British & other foreigners. Compare this with the plantation of Ulster.
Yes, Turkish Cypriots are entitled to EU passports, also to free health care, social welfare, etc in the Republic of Cyprus & many living in the occupied northern part of Cyprus regularly cross over the cease fire line to obtain these services. However, Turkish Cypriots are now the minority there, having become victims of the demographic changes imposed by Turkey, a country wanting to join the European family of democratic nations.
You mentioned historical trips & walks – I don’t suppose you managed to visit the many desecrated Greek Orthodox religious sites which have been converted to mosques, stables, or left to decay (after the valuable icons were removed and sold abroad), the enclaved, Apostolos Andreas, to mention a few places not on the tourist trail? One must not forget that the “best scenery” as you called it has its rightful owners and this must never be forgotten if we are to live in a just and peaceful world, “a Fair Society – equitable, inclusive” as you have stated as TD for Wicklow that you were deeply committed to.
The occupied northern part of Cyprus is recognized only by Turkey. This is why there are no direct flights to Ecran airport and all flights have to go via Turkey due to IATA regulations. It will be a while “before Michael O’Leary gets landing rights into Ercan airport and a new invasion begins”.
There have been numerous articles espousing the delights of “Turkish Cyprus”; however, bearing in mind how the Irish have suffered invasion, occupation & injustices from our oppressors, I am saddened and extremely disappointed that a former Irish government minister would write such an article for the Irish Times.
Bernadette Charalambous, former Cyprus Irish Society President
