I was watching on RIK (Cypriot state TV) a couple of weeks ago the pleas of a Turkish Cypriot (tCypriot herein) unionist for more Greek Cypriot (gCypriot herein) support and I was literally telling my self "Is this guy for real?". I was also thinking "How hypocritical the gCypriot reporter's silence was!" It was evident that the unionist was puzzled as to why gCypriot masses did not come out in the streets in support for their plight. He shouldn't be so naive! Let me try to explain:On one hand tCypriots think the 2004 UN plan was fair and balanced. On the other, gCypriots think 2004 would have perpetuated an illegality, a division which was the result of a war that only Turkey can explain why it was at all necessary
On one hand tCypriots think 1960 was fair and 1960 "equality" as a God-given right, the beginning of time, the big-bang of their "democracy" and "equality". On the other, gCypriots think that 1960 was the result of coercion, a result that gave rights to the minority that are unimaginable for any minority of any country, even today. An injustice that must be done away with. An 18% minority [today even less] cannot possibly be allowed to dictate every single decision the nation takes. It cannot possibly be equal to an 82% majority, a majority with documented millennia-old uninterrupted presence on their land.
On one hand tCypriots think that 1974 was equally bad for gCypriots as 63-74 was for them. On the other, gCypriots think that 63-64 was the result of 1960's injustice, largely incited by Turkey/TMT [TMT was Cyprus' PKK], that 64-74 was self-inflicted by tCypriot leaders, and so does the UN, and largely peaceful. gCypriots know that 1974 was infinitely more heinous for them than for the tCypriots, and gCypriots have been living with its unjust repercussions to this date. 1974 cannot easily be either forgotten or forgiven
As a result, gCypriots won't be rushing any time soon to support tCypriots, and tCypriots best understand it. It is, in a sense, bloodless payback time, though not many will call it that. gCypriots will wait for you to crawl on your knees and beg for reintegration, a reintegartion which will happen on the majority's terms.
Because the gCypriot majority feels, and rightly so, that it has suffered immensely at the hands of tCypriot collective stupidity & hypocrisy, even if unintentional by the majority:
- by denying gCypriots their democratic right to chart the course of Cyprus in the 50s, in fact siding against them in their struggle for union with Greece.
- by refusing to acknowledge, to this day surprisingly, the huge injustices of 1960 against the gCypriot majority, and the need for change, by refusing to understand that we cannot be equal other than at the individual level.
- by erroneously thinking that the 77-79 agreements were fair and not the result of a war that could have been avoided and which never served its stated purpose either, under the huge pressure of the leverage Turkey had on Cyprus with its occupation
As a result, the tCypriot unionist best wake up and smell the coffee. gCypriots may want to live again with the remaining authentic tCypriots, but they will NOT do so:
- by legitimizing the division of 1974
- by signing away their human rights
- by letting go of ancient Greek cities of Keryneia, Lapithos, Morphou etc
- by perpetuating the ill-equality of 1960
- by allowing a 12% [less?] minority veto the country's direction
- by allowing Turkey to have the slightest intervention right in Cyprus' affairs
The tCypriot unionist best understand that gCypriots will not shed a tear if tCypriots were to decide to leave Cyprus en mass tomorrow. The pain you have caused us is such that we cannot so easily forgive and forget.
The tCypriot unionist best understand that gCypriots will allow them to share the benefits of the RoC, which they abandoned, and the EU, only on majority's terms. The EU was our achievement and we won't share without getting in return what we must, nor will we allow Turkey to play games in the EU by proxy. Neither will the EU by the way.
If the tCypriot unionist understands all this then we may have a future together. If not, we will both take our chances the way the chess board has been set. I have my reasons to be hopeful for gCypriots.
It does not get any more honest from a gCypriot. I want to live again with you, and I believe we can do great things together, but I won't greatly miss you if you cannot understand that the ill-equality of 1960 and the division of 1974 are non-starters for me, even if they are not ostensibly for some of our leaders. It should help explain our 2004 will & our future will to any divisive undemocratic plan that does not take into account first and foremost the will of the overwhelming majority of this land: the Greek speaking authentic Cypriots!
