Sir,
I would like to refer to Loucas G Charalambous’ column (‘The Stark Truth About Return Of Refugees’) in last week’s Sunday Mail regarding the ‘all refugees in their homes’ sloganeering which politicians of all the main parties have indulged in over the years.
This is nothing short of cynical, manipulative cruelty carried out by people who should know better. As Mr Charalambous so ably points out, these political demagogues never actually state how many of these refugees would want to return to a Turkish-controlled federal state and in any event it is unlikely that all the refugees would be able to return in any final settlement of the decades old Cyprus problem.
Following on from this, I would also like to refer to Jacqueline Theodoulou’s piece in the Cyprus Mail of December 5 (‘Committee Discusses Status of Cypriots Living In British Sovereign Bases Area’). The Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Commerce Committee, Lefteris Christoforou, is quoted as saying that Cypriots who lived and owned properties on the Bases were living under “unacceptable hostage conditions” as they have no rights over their properties.
He goes on to say that “it is incomprehensible for Cypriots living in and around the British Bases to have fewer rights than other Cypriot citizens”. People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, Mr Christoforou.
What about the refugees from the north who are living in “unacceptable hostage conditions” in the south? These are thousands of refugees who, for the past 33 years, have been “given” Turkish houses or have been “allowed” to build on Turkish land.
These refugees have had to sign licence agreements with their own government which could legally enforce them to vacate these properties giving them 30 days’ notice. I repeat, are these not “unacceptable hostage conditions”, Mr Christoforou?
These refugees are enclave as they are effectively unable to move and have little or no incentive to look after these properties and thereby improve their neighbourhoods. A simple and practical solution would have been to grant these refugees title deeds with the Cyprus government being the underwriter until the Cyprus problem is solved.
In reality, it would cost the government nothing as the international community would ultimately pick up the bill. Every government during the past 33 years has, in effect, treated the refugees as second class citizens and political footballs.
Finally, I understand that the government and presidential hopefuls have pledged to give title deeds to those who have built on Turkish land and have earmarked land for houses to be built for refugees living in Turkish houses.
I sincerely hope that these pledges will be honoured speedily and do not end up like those “all refugees to their homes” slogans which will be conveniently consigned to the waste-paper basket as soon as February’s Presidential election is over.
G.N. Jones,
Paphos
