Sir,
I am reacting to your editorial of Sunday, August 15 (‘At last real support for the enclaved’) commenting on the visit of DISY leader Anastassiades to Karpasia.
One is surprised that the Sunday Mail opinion writer is either unaware of or trying to play down the realities that the whole world knows. The word “enclaved” has lost its meaning since the opening of the Green Line, if it ever had anything more than propaganda value. Greek Cypriot people living in Karpas can move freely, cross south, take their products to sell, and return whenever they want or settle in the South. How can they be called “enclaved”?
Surprisingly the last paragraph of the article admits: “ There is no doubt that the opening of the checkpoints has shattered the isolation of the enclaved. Yet if all Greek Cypriots followed the government’s line and refused to cross north, that isolation would have remained, ensuring the slow death of the community…”
On the one hand you admit that the isolation has ended, and on the other you still use the propaganda word “enclaved”. It may be useful to note that it was the Turkish Cypriots on the island who were living in enclaves scattered all over the island surrounded by heavily armed Greek Cypriots for 11 years (1963-74) facing bloody attacks and embargoes and in the words of the UN Secretary General “siege” conditions.
It is worth noting also that the real isolation today on the island is not against Karpasia Greeks but against the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Obstruction of the country’s links with the outside world ranging from political, trade and transport to even sporting links still continues. Even Turkish Cypriot school teams cannot play matches with foreign school teams due to pressure by the Greek Cypriot side.
As for Papadopoulos’ objection to Greek Cypriots showing identity cards to cross north, one gets a strong feeling of déjà vu. He objected to Greek Cypriots crossing north by showing passports and later when regulations were changed to require showing of identity cards, he objected to that too. His ochi list also covers the Annan plan and the opening up of the Turkish Cypriot economy to the world. He does all he can to obstruct and prevent it, and then at the point he fails, proposes a minimal package for the Turkish Cypriots as a bait to the EU in trying to obstruct or minimize direct opening of Turkish Cypriot ports and airports.
As for helping the Greek Cypriots in Karpas, I do not think they need anybody’s help from the south, if this is going to be in the form of manipulation by Greek Cypriot politicians. Experience shows that politically motivated moves, whatever their nature, whether Matsakis-style demos on the Green Line or high profile visits do not help the Karpas Greeks. It is one thing for anyone from the south to cross north and visit Karpasia Greeks whenever they wish, but an entirely different thing to use it to raise support for the Greek Cypriot thesis on the Cyprus issue. Humanitarian issues should be dealt with as humanitarian issues and solved as such.
What is needed in Cyprus, which will help all, whether Greek Cypriots living in Karpas or in south Cyprus or Turkish Cypriots living in the north is the solution of the Cyprus issue and not Cold War tactics of political manipulation to gain political advantage. The critical question is whether the two sides are ready for a partnership based on political equality. After the referendum, the question needs to be answered by the Greek Cypriots.
Levent Hasanoğlu, Nicosia
