By Antonis Elias Kasapis
I am a Cypriot.
Neither Greek nor Turk.
I am of Christian Catholic Maronite religion, not because I chose to be so but because I was born into it.
I have many close relatives who are of different religions, Christian Orthodox, Moslem, Christian Protestant, and others.
I love Cyprus and it is my only country, my motherland.
I was born in Cyprus 60 years ago, in 1956.
In a place near my village, there is a military camp which existed in all my life.
In this camp, I saw three different flags. First it was the British Flag, then it was the Greek Flag, and then, since today, it was the Turkish Flag.
The flags of three different countries, supposedly the guarantors of my own country, the Republic of Cyprus.
In all my life I have been learning about the same things, in two different ways.
What was good for the Greek speaking Christian Cypriots was bad for the Turkish speaking Moslem Cypriots. And vice versa.
What was a heroic act for the one side, was a barbaric act for the other one.
What one side called a massacre, was called fighting for freedom by the other side.
Both sides have been “fighting for liberty and justice” for decades.
And the result?
We have made our country, from a beautiful island in the Mediterranean which could have been one of the happiest places in the world, into one of the most unhappy places on earth.
We have turned it into a place where our children have no future.
We have given half of it to one ‘mother’ country and the other half to the other ‘mother’ country, who use their respective halves for their own purposes, not really being concerned about the real welfare of the legitimate inhabitants of the island, the real Cypriots.
And the third ‘guarantor; power, Britain, having secured what was wanted by her, watches indifferently, taking care only to prolong the stalemate, playing the divide and rule game, and really being concerned only about safeguarding its own interest in continuing to use the ‘sovereign’ bases on the island freely and without any problems by the locals, who are kept busy fighting between them. Can we blame them?
Every time there is even a theoretical chance for some kind of a solution to be reached, the powerful forces that have big interest in keeping the island divided and the status of uncertainty continuing, intervene and make sure they destroy the progress towards the solution.
They have set supposed ‘red lines’ beyond which they are not able to accept a solution.
They make sure that these red lines are so far apart that a solution will be impossible.
They use their influence in the education system of each side, the religious establishment of each side, the public media and propaganda machines of each side, to present a possible agreement, where compromises beyond the artificial ‘red lines’ will have to be made, as unacceptable betrayal of the nationalistic pride of their side.
They hide their economic and other parasitic interests behind the mask of patriotism and religion.
These are the real enemies of the people of Cyprus.
These are the main responsible people for the suffering of the people of Cyprus.
These are the enemies that we must face and we must overcome if we will ever manage to change our beautiful country to what it should be, the ONLY motherland for ALL its own children, of any religion, of any language, but of ONE motherland, Cyprus.
You sir, are awesome.
excelent
seckin
εξαιρετικό
Beautifully stated. Thank you….
Thank you for your insightful, excellent and thought provoking statement.
Are you completely out of the question. Your point of view is of a neutral observer.
Sadly … I agree completely with you sir.
Respect to you sir!
I respect what you say but its only your personal opinion.
I am also Cypriot but a proud Greek Cypriot.The Mycenaean Greeks lived on the island in the Bronze Age, the Achaen Greeks around 1200 BC and the Dorian Greeks around 1100BC.
I read the comments and except for Angela Alexandri, i have to seriously consider what all of you are smoking.
kormtikia,nwt.
GOOD job on censoring comments.
what BS is this that it can only be 2 words long ????
YOUR MOTHERLAND IS SYRIA – ASSYRIA . RESPECT TO SYRIA – ASSYRIA OF COURSE !!! YOU ARE ALSO CATHOLIC , WHAT ARE YOU SEEKING FOR LASSIE ??? WHAT ???
Your mind can save Cyprus Sir. Thanks for your peaceful words, they are real example of its kind.
Thank you for this Mr Kasapis.
Spot on Mr. Kasapis. Prioritizing “Greek”, “Turkish” (or other) national identities, keeps undermining our home state, the Cyprus Republic.
Oh really? In what way have we given the non-occupied side to the Greek motheland? Does this non-occupied side belong to Greece in any way?
On the other hand, the Turkish-occupied side is fully controlled by Turkey and the Turkish Army.
I am a Cypriot too (Greek-Cypriot and proud) and have no problem co-existing with my Turkish-Cypriot compatriots. Cyprus is our country, our home.
I want peace also. Who wouldn’t? Nevertheless, this is totally your own opinion (fully neutral) which forgets and ignores a great deal of other facts.
Can you elaborate on how one part of Cyprus was given to Greece exactly, and if that part belongs to Greece as the Turkish occupied area does to Turkey?
excellent article, respect!!
Woofis, you ‘undermine’ the home state when you ignore historical identity.I am a person but that doesn’t mean I’m not a woman.In the same way I’m Cypriot but a Greek Cypriot.
It doesn’t matter what your origins are. Anyone who is overtaken by their origins (Greek, Turkish or any other nationality), should go and live in the respective ‘motherland’, and give peace a chance
1) I am 100% sure that history, was not one of your favourite lessons. 2) Cypriot is a citizenship NOT o nationality, you are confused!
Good, but I would like also to have your opinion about the Turks settlers from Anatolia. Stay or leave? Thank you.
Cyprus’ Constitution protects the Maronites’ rights and all people of Cyprus. Turkey has invaded. North part depends in everything on Turkey. You should apply to them for your complain…
. Heard it a million times. Without stating *up front* the model u support (and not just replacing with more rhetoric like “…a united Cyprus”) ur words lack any real credibility.
Sad reading….
This is an excelent statement!
I was born and grew up in England – where we were taught our language, culture, our heritage and our religion at school on Saturday. Greek school.
This is an isightfull view by a cypriot who suffered due to the nationalistic sentiments of the ohter two communities
Let us hope that some day we can all stand above those sentiments and see the human sentiment first of all.
We shall maintain our national origin and sentiment but the human sentiment will prevail. It will be the day of reason and resurrection for all Cypriots
Before 1960 Cyprus was a pretty much a mix community. During 50’s EOKA then Samson in 1973 try to make Cyprus a Greek island. So to hope the Turks want a mix community after is not realistic.
I am an Armenian Cypriot and very proud.I cannot forget my roots and what my grandparents went through under the ottoman empire.