“The only compensation for relatives of missing persons is for peace to come to this island…”

"The only compensation for relatives of missing persons is for peace to come to this island…"

Sevgul Uludag

caramel_cy@yahoo.com

Tel: 99 966518

"Dear friends,
The issue of "Missing persons" have never been on the negotiating table in the bi-communal negotiations between two leaders in the past 50 years.
Leaders of the two communities only remembered the "Missing persons" during their speeches commemorating 21st of December or during 15-20 July with fake tears and nationalist words…
There are still "missing persons" whose remains have not been found after 50 years… Unfortunately, leaders have not shown enough sensitivity for their remains to be found…
What they do is simply "wishful thinking" for the remains to be found…
I am calling on the two leaders here to be active for the remains of "missing persons" to be found, for the compensation and repatriation of the relatives of "missing persons" both in concrete terms and in moral terms, for the forming of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission in order to face the past.
Of course, issues of property and land are also important. But the value of the life of someone lost is no less valuable than the value of property…
And this is something important and sensitive and it is non-negotiable…
If we really want peace on this island, the leaders must form a bi-communal commission and apologize to both communities.
Our leaders are participating in a lot of social activities and have very nice photos from these activities.
But why are they refraining from meeting the relatives of "missing persons" from both communities and listen to their problems?
I too am a relative of a "missing person". I lost my first husband and my co-villagers. I used to feel anger at Greek Cypriots because of what I had suffered in 1974.
And this anger, more than the pain I felt was the cause of the deterioration of my health…
But life continued despite everything… And there came one day when I realized that when our bodies get sick, it has to struggle to overcome this sickness otherwise it would die or be crippled, with this consciousness, I managed to overcome the anger I had felt towards Greek Cypriots.
And I put love instead of anger. I put forgiveness. Forgiving does not mean that you forget what has happened or you approve what has happened. Forgiving does not change the past but helps us to walk with healthy steps towards the future.
Dear friends,
Once again I have to stress that peace is not possible without facing the truth, without apology, without forgiveness…
You may fly thousands of doves every day and plant thousands of olive trees… If your inside says something else and your mouth speaks something else, peace cannot be possible…
Thanking you all, I would like to end my speech with a poem of Yusuf Hayakoghlou:
If I was snow on these mountains
If I was a rebel wind
Would you come and seek me out
If I was an unknown grave…"
These were the words of Leyla Kıralp on the bi-communal event we had organized on the 11th of February 2016 Thursday evening on the buffer zone in Nicosia, at the Cyprus Dialogue Forum building…
Having done seven activities for youth about "missing persons" with EDON, this was the first bi-communal event we were organizing with EDON and CTP Youth as "Together We Can" – the Bicommunal Initiative of Relatives of Missing Persons and Victims of War.
The hall would be packed mainly with Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot youth and I would tell them real life murder and massacre stories from Tochni, Palekythro, Maratha-Sandallaris-Aloa, Galatia and other places… I would show photographs where with the help of my readers, both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, we had located the burial sites… Close to Agios Dometios, towards Goenyeli, a place where I worked for more than five years together with a reader and followed up for the place to be excavated - remains of 10 or 12 Greeks had been found and now waiting for DNA identification to be returned to their families for burial…
Livadhia and Paralimni, Lysi and Tseri, Pileri and Lapithos… So many stories, so much pain, so much unwritten history of our country…
So much pain that is common to both communities – the event we organized with EDON and CTP Youth as "Together We Can" is entitled "The Missing Persons – The Common Pain of Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots"…
To realize that waiting for someone who has disappeared cannot be in Turkish or Greek… It is simply, human pain, not Turkish Cypriot or Greek Cypriot pain…
Sevilay Berk would speak at the event telling the story of the disappearance of her mother and father and she being only 17-18 year old young girl, having to take care four brother and sisters left behind. Having to be a mother and a father to them… The youngest sibling being only 2 years old… And raising her voice to say, "What is it that we cannot share on this island? It is our island… We are all Cypriots… I want peace… I want you youngsters to defend peace…"
Christina Pavlou Solomi Patsia speaking and telling the story of her father and brother taken from Komi Kepir and their disappearance from Galatia… The bloody lake… How their murders were connected with the terrible murders of EOKA-B who had created the Maratha-Sandallaris-Aloa mass graves full of women and children and babies… How some Turkish Cypriots used this as a pretext to kill innocent Greek Cypriots…
She would ask the question: "Should I be angry with the ones who pulled the trigger to kill my father and my brother or should I be angry with the ones who did things that led to the pulling of the trigger that killed my father and my brother?"
She too would raise her voice for peace: "Enough killing on this island! Enough bloodshed! We want peace…"
Christos Efthymiou would speak and tell the story and the ideas of "Together We Can"… It is a very unique association of relatives of missing persons and victims of war that the leadership on both sides try to ignore… Because it does not "fit in" with either side – its character is bi-communal and all its activities are embracing both communities… It does not take the side of one or the other community but takes the side of both communities' needs and concerns in these issues…
As Dinos Agiomamitis pointed out afterwards in his reflections about the event on his Facebook page, "Christos Eftthymiou from the bicommunal committee of relatives of missing "TOGETHER WE CAN" summed up the meaning of the whole discussion with a compelling statement: "for the relatives of the missing there is no restitution, as they are discussing for the properties that there will be resettlement, exchange or compensation. For the relatives of the missing the only compensation is peace. For other families not to live what we have experienced."
Bravo to EDON, CTP Youth and the bicommunal committee of relatives of the missing TOGETHER WE CAN for organizing this event.
There are many things to be said so that the whole truth to be heard about everything that happened on our island and Workers' Democracy is giving this struggle consistently for many years can not but feel justified and welcomes such events."
I too thank EDON, particularly Elias Demetriou with whom I have been working to organize all these events, to CTP Youth, to our friends from "Together We Can"…
Immediately after this event, I get a call from someone who had come to follow…
"I am going to a meeting today and I will suggest that we do this event as well and invite you all to come and speak to our associations" he says…
"Of course… With pleasure…" I tell him…
Anyone who wants to listen to the stories and the ideas of our very unique group can invite us and we can come and talk…
One thing that touched my heart during the event was when at the end one of those who followed it would suggest that this group should be advising the Bi-Communal Technical Committee on Education that has just been formed…
I thank all who made this happen and definitely we plan to continue to roam Cyprus to speak about our unspeakable truths…

13.2.2016

Photo: Relatives of "missing persons" speaking at the event…

(*) Article published in the POLITIS newspaper on the 21st of February 2016, Sunday.

Από το Κιομουρτζιού στο Καζάφανι…

Από το Κιομουρτζιού στο Καζάφανι…

Sevgul Uludag

caramel_cy@yahoo.com

Τηλ: 99 966518

Μετά από αίτημα του Okan Oktay, του Συντονιστή Εκταφών στο Γραφείο του Τουρκοκύπριου Μέλους της Κυπριακής Διερευνητικής Επιτροπής Αγνοουμένων, πάμε μαζί στην περιοχή Κιομουρτζιού – Αγύρτας…
Πριν από χρόνια, ένας αναγνώστης μου είχε δείξει τον πιθανό τόπο ταφής πέντε «αγνοούμενων» Ελληνοκυπρίων στο Κιομουρτζιού, σε μια περιοχή που ενώνεται με την Αγύρτα… Ήταν στην άκρη ενός ρυακιού και μετά από λίγο καιρό μετά τις πληροφορίες αυτές από τον αναγνώστη μου, η Κυπριακή Διερευνητική Επιτροπή Αγνοουμένων ξεκίνησε εκσκαφές… Βρέθηκαν τα οστά πέντε «αγνοουμένων» στο μέρος που είχε δείξει και πιο πάνω ακριβώς όπως είχε περιγράψε …
Τον συναντούμε ξανά για να δούμε τι έχει στο μυαλό του ο Okan Oktay…
Ο αναγνώστης θέλει να ξέρει αν είχαν σκάψει το «καμίνι» που είχε δείξει προηγουμένως και παρκάρουμε τα αυτοκίνητα μας και περπατούμε στα χωράφια για να δούμε το «καμίνι» που είχε σκαφτεί… Αυτός ήταν ένας άλλος πιθανός τόπος ταφής αλλά δεν βρέθηκε τίποτε εκεί…
Κοντά βρίσκεται ένα στρατιωτικό φυλάκιο που δεν είχε σκαφτεί έτσι ο Okan Oktay το σημειώνει…
«Υπήρχαν πολλά πρόχειρα στρατιωτικά φυλάκια, τρύπες που είχαν σκαφτεί στο έδαφος» μας εξηγεί ο αναγνώστης μου… «Όταν ήρθαν οι Τούρκοι στρατιώτες, ήταν εδώ, παντού και είχαν εκείνα τα φυλάκια για κάποιο καιρό… Αλλά όταν είχαν ήδη έτοιμες τρύπες, ήταν εύκολο να θάβουν μέσα ανθρώπους… Έτσι χρειάζεται να δουλέψουμε περισσότερο για να δούμε που αλλού μπορεί να είχαν θάψει ανθρώπους…»
Ακριβώς απέναντι από το σημείο που είχαν βρεθεί τα οστά κάποιων «αγνοουμένων» Ελληνοκυπρίων όπου μας είχε δείξει, θυμάται ως παιδί ότι υπήρχε μια τεράστια τρύπα όπου συλλεγόταν νερό… Δεν είναι πλέον ορατή…
Ο δρόμος έχει επίσης αλλάξει… «Αυτός ο δρόμος που ενώνει το Κιομουρτζιού με την Αγύρτα ήταν ένας πολύ στενός χωματόδρομος» μας εξηγεί… «Η άσφαλτος έγινε μετά τη δεκαετία του '80 έτσι δεν ξέρω αν εκείνη η τρύπα είναι κάτω από την άσφαλτο» λέει…
Ήταν στο καφενείο όταν είχε ακούσει μια συνομιλία μεταξύ δύο ατόμων από την περιοχή…
«Ο ένας έλεγε στον άλλο «Ήρθαν στην άκρη του τόπου ταφής αλλά δεν έσκαψαν στο σωστό σημείο και έφυγαν!», γι αυτό ήθελα να δω το καμίνι που είχατε σκάψει και το άλλο μέρος…» εξηγεί…
«Αν μπορείτε να μου βρείτε ένα εναέριο χάρτη ή μια αεροφωτογραφία από τη δεκαετία του '60, μπορώ να το δουλέψω» λέει ο αναγνώστης μου…
«Θα ζητήσω από τον κύριο Ξενοφώντα Καλλή, το Βοηθό του Ελληνοκύπριου Μέλους της Κυπριακής Διερευνητικής Επιτροπής Αγνοουμένων να δώσει τέτοιες φωτογραφίες στον Okan Oktay έτσι ώστε να το δουλέψετε» λέω στον αναγνώστη μου… Τον αποχαιρετούμε και τον ευχαριστούμε… Έχει μια μεγάλη ανθρώπινη καρδιά και πάντοτε προσπαθεί να βοηθήσει…
Πάμε για να δούμε το μέρος ενός άλλου «καμινιού» μαζί με τον Okan Oktay… Υπήρχαν φήμες ότι το «καμίνι» αυτό ήταν ένας άλλος πιθανός τόπος ταφής… Είχαμε δείξει το μέρος του «καμινιού» αυτού ίσως πριν από πέντε χρόνια… Τότε δεν ήταν ορατό, και τώρα επίσης δεν είναι ορατό – ο χρόνος περνά, τα πράγματα αλλάζουν, οι τρύπες γεμίζονται και γίνεται όλο και πιο δύσκολο να βρεθούν πιθανοί τόποι ταφής…
Θα αρχίσουν να σκάβουν έτσι ώστε να βρουν την τοποθεσία του «καμινιού» και να δουν αν έχουν θαφτεί άνθρωποι εκεί… Είναι ένα άδειο χωράφι, χωρίς κτίρια ή οτιδήποτε έτσι θα πρέπει να είναι εύκολο να σκαφτεί…
Οι αναγνώστες μου συνεχίζουν να τηλεφωνούν και να δίνουν πληροφορίες…
«Είχαμε ένα φίλο» λέει μια αναγνώστρια… «Ήταν υψηλόβαθμος αξιωματικός από την Τουρκία… Μια μέρα πήγαμε στην περιοχή Κερύνειας – Λαπήθου και μας έβαλε να σταματήσουμε το αυτοκίνητο σε ένα συγκεκριμένο σημείο και άρχισε να μας λέει πόσοι άνθρωποι είχαν σκοτωθεί εκεί και έκλαιγε… Έκλαιγε και έκλαιγε…»
Από αυτά που μου περιγράφει, καταλαβαίνω ότι πρέπει να είναι η περιφραγμένη περιοχή στη Λάπηθο…
«Έσκαψαν εκεί και δεν μπόρεσαν να βρουν τόσα πολλά οστά» της λέω, «μόνο τα οστά τεσσάρων ατόμων» εξηγώ…
«Ίσως μια μέρα μπορούμε να πάμε εκεί;»
Λέει ότι θέλει να βοηθήσει διότι δεν θέλει να μείνει αυτό στη συνείδηση της…. Παρόλο που είναι τρομοκρατημένη έχει πιέσει τον εαυτό της για να μου τηλεφωνήσει και να μου μιλήσει… Και αυτό χρειάζεται πολύ κουράγιο… Την ευχαριστώ και ελπίζω ότι θα έρθει για να μου δείξει το μέρος που της είχε δείξει ο Τούρκος αξιωματικός…
Ένα άλλος αναγνώστης τηλεφωνεί:
«Υπάρχει αυτή η γυναίκα που ζει δίπλα από το χωριό μας» λέει… «Στην αυλή του σπιτιού των γονιών της στο Καζάφανι είχαν θαφτεί κάποιοι άνθρωποι… Δεν θέλουν να αναμειχθούν… Αλλά μπορούμε να επισκεφτούμε αυτήν και τους γονείς της και μπορούν να σου δείξουν και εσύ να δείξεις στην επιτροπή…»
«Σίγουρα, θα έρθω να σε βρω στο χωριό. Ας πάμε πρώτα να τη δούμε και να δούμε τι θα πει και μετά μπορούμε να πάμε μαζί στο Καζάφανι στους γονείς της» του λέω… «Είσαι σίγουρος ότι το μέρος αυτό δεν έχει εκσκαφεί;»
«Ναι…» λέει…. «Γι αυτό θέλουν την Επιτροπή να πάρει τα οστά από εκεί αλλά φοβούνται να βγουν προς τα έξω… Γι αυτό χρειαζόμαστε τη βοήθεια σου…»
«Κανένα πρόβλημα, θα το κανονίσουμε…» του λέω και τον ευχαριστώ…
Ένας Ελληνοκύπριος αναγνώστης μου τηλεφωνεί δύο φορές, τρεις φορές, αλλά δεν μιλά… Στο τέλος λέει κάτι αλλά δεν μπορώ να καταλάβω… Ζητώ από την αγαπητή μου φίλη Χριστίνα Παύλου Σολωμή Πατσιά να του τηλεφωνήσει και να μιλήσει μαζί του… Είχε διαβάσει το άρθρο μου στον ΠΟΛΙΤΗ για τον «αγνοούμενο» νεαρό άντρα Hasan Nural Djevdet και γι αυτό μου τηλεφωνούσε… Ο Hasan Nural Djevdet ήταν ένας νεαρός Τουρκοκύπριος αστυνομικός στην Κοκκινοτριμιθιά όταν τον έπιασαν και έγινε «αγνοούμενος» το 1963. Τα οστά του ήταν στο «λαούμι» ακριβώς έξω από την Κοκκινοτριμιθιά… Ένας από τους αναγνώστες μου μας είχε δείξει την περιοχή και επίσης μας είχε δώσει ένα χάρτη πριν από χρόνια που έδειχνε το «λαούμι»… Η Κυπριακή Διερευνητική Επιτροπή Αγνοουμένων είχε κάνει εκσκαφές και βρήκε τα οστά επτά Τουρκοκύπριων «αγνοουμένων» από το 1963, μαζί τους και του Hasan Nural Djevdet… Τα οστά πέντε «αγνοούμενων» Τουρκοκυπρίων επιστράφηκαν στις οικογένειες τους και έχουν θαφτεί όλοι… Οι δύο ακόμα αναμένουν για ταυτοποίηση με τη μέθοδο DNA…
Ανάμεσα σε εκείνους που θάφτηκαν από τις οικογένειες τους ήταν και ο Hasan Nural Djevdet…
Είχα γράψει ότι είχε ένα ολοκαίνουργιο αυτοκίνητο Volkswagen, ανοικτό πράσινο χρώμα και είχα ζητήσει από τους αναγνώστες μου αν μπορούσαμε να μάθουμε τι είχε απογίνει το αυτοκίνητο εκείνο…
Προφανώς αυτός ο Ελληνοκύπριος αναγνώστης γνωρίζει…
Λέει ότι το αυτοκίνητο χρησιμοποιείτο από έναν Ελληνοκύπριο που αργότερα έγινε μέλος της ΕΟΚΑ Β… Χρησιμοποιούσε το αυτοκίνητο αυτό για πολλά χρόνια στην περιοχή Μόρφου – Λεύκας…
Δεν είναι σίγουρος αν το 1974 πήρε το αυτοκίνητο μαζί του ή αν το άφησε εκεί... Αν είχε αφήσει το αυτοκίνητο στην περιοχή της Μόρφου θα μπορούσαμε να το εντοπίσουμε από τον αριθμό πλαισίου του!
Ευχαριστώ τη Χριστίνα και αυτόν τον αναγνώστη για την ιδιαίτερα πολύτιμη βοήθεια τους…
Κάνω κάποιες έρευνες για αυτό το άτομο της ΕΟΚΑ Β… Στην πραγματικότητα είναι πολύ γνωστός και ποτέ δεν έδειξε οποιαδήποτε «μετάνοια»…
Έχει υπηρετήσει σε δημοτικό συμβούλιο για πολλά χρόνια και οι άνθρωποι μου λένε ότι βγήκε στο ράδιο για να πει «Ακόμα και σήμερα, θα εντασσόμουν στην ΕΟΚΑ Β!»
Ήταν άραγε αναμειγμένος στη δολοφονία των Τουρκοκυπρίων στην Κοκκινοτριμιθιά ή απλά πήρε το αυτοκίνητο; Δεν το γνωρίζουμε αλλά λέγεται ότι είχε μεγάλη «επιρροή» στην περιοχή της Μόρφου…
Οι αναγνώστες μας δίνουν στοιχεία για να εντοπίσουμε την σκοτεινή μας ιστορία..
Τους ευχαριστώ από καρδιάς…
Πρέπει να κρατήσουμε την ανθρωπιά τους για να μπορέσουμε να δούμε τι μας περιμένει στο μέλλον…
Σύντομα η Κυπριακή Διερευνητική Επιτροπή Αγνοουμένων ξεκινά εκσκαφές στο Κιομουρτζιού στο σημείο που είχαμε δείξει δύο φορές – μια το 2010 και μια αυτή τη φορά… Και είμαι πολύ χαρούμενη διότι αρχίζουν να βρίσκουν οστά στο σημείο που είχε δείξει ο αναγνώστης μου… Καθώς γράφω το άρθρο αυτό οι εκταφές συνεχίζονται, έτσι θα πρέπει να δούμε πόσων «αγνοουμένων» Ελληνοκυπρίων από το 1974 θα βρουν τα οστά…
Ευχαριστώ ξανά τον αναγνώστη μου που ήταν τόσο συνεπής και επίμονος και που ακολούθησε αυτά που υποπτευόταν και μας είπε αυτά που είχε ακούσει… Το 2010 όταν μας έδειξε το ρυάκι, στις εκταφές βρέθηκαν εκεί τα οστά πέντε «αγνοούμενων» Ελληνοκυπρίων από το 1974… Τώρα το σημείο που έχει δείξει δύο φορές, και αυτή τη φορά επίμονα, είναι ακριβώς απέναντι από το ρυάκι, δίπλα από το δρόμο… Και έχουν αρχίσει να βρίσκουν οστά… Δεν ξέρω πως μπορούμε ποτέ να τον ευχαριστήσουμε…

Photo: Το ρυάκι που υποδείξαμε όπου βρέθηκαν τα οστά πέντε "αγνοούμενων" Ελληνοκυπρίων…

(*) Article published in POLITIS newspaper on the 14th of February 2016, Sunday.

From Komourdjou to Kazaphani…

From Komourdjou to Kazaphani…

Sevgul Uludag

caramel_cy@yahoo.com

Τel: 99 966518

At the request of Okan Oktay, the Coordinator of Exhumations at the Turkish Cypriot Member's Office of the Cyprus Missing Persons' Committee, we go together to Komurdju-Aghirdagh area…
Years ago, one of my readers had shown the possible burial site of five `missing` Greek Cypriots at Komurdju, an area connected with Aghirdagh… It was on the edge of a stream and after some time with this information from my reader, excavations were started by the Cyprus Missing Persons' Committee… Just as he had described the remains of five "missing persons" were found in the place he showed and further up…
We meet him again to see what Okan Oktay has on his mind…
My reader wants to know if they had dug the "gamini" he had shown previously and we park our cars and walk through the fields to see the "gamini" that was dug… This was another possible burial site but nothing was found there…
Close by is a military post that has not been excavated so Okan Oktay takes note of that…
"There were a lot of make-shift military posts, holes that was dug in the ground" my reader explains to us… "When Turkish soldiers landed, they were here, all over the place and they had those posts for some time… But when they had ready-made holes, it would be easy to bury people in them… So we need to work more to see where else they might have buried people…"
Just across the place where the remains of some "missing" Greek Cypriots had been found, where he had shown us, he remembers as a child there was a huge hole where water would be collected… It is no longer visible…
The road has also changed… "This road that connects Komurdju with Aghirdagh used to be a very narrow dirt track" he explains… "The asphalt road was built after 1980s so I don't know if that hole is under the asphalt" he says…
He was in the coffee shop when he heard a conversation between two persons from the area…
"One was saying to the other 'They came to the edge of the burial site but they did not dig the right place and they left!' so that's why I wanted to see the gamini you dug and the other place…" he explains…
"If you could provide me with an aerial map or photo from the 60s, I can work on it" my reader says…
"I will ask Mr. Xenophon Kallis, the Assistant of the Greek Cypriot Member to the Cyprus Missing Persons' Committee to provide such photos to Okan Oktay so you can work on it" I tell my reader… We say goodbye to him and thank him… He has a big human heart and is always trying to help…
We go to look at the site of another "gamini" with Okan Oktay… There were rumours that this "gamini" was another possible burial site… We had shown the site of this "gamini" maybe five years ago… It was not visible then and it is not visible now – time passes, things change, holes are covered up and it becomes more and more difficult to find possible burial sites…
They will start digging in order to find the location of the "gamini" and to see if people have been buried there… It is an empty plot, no buildings or anything here so it should be easy to dig…
My readers continue to call and give information…
"We had a friend", a woman reader says… "He was a high level officer from Turkey… One day we went to the area of Kyrenia-Lapithos and he made us stop the car at a certain point and he started telling us how many people were killed there and he was crying… He was crying and crying…"
From what she describes to me, I understand that it must be the fenced area in Lapithos…
"They dug there and could not find so many remains" I tell her, "only the remains of four persons" I explain…
"Perhaps one day, we can go there?"
She says she wants to help because she does not want this to remain on her conscience… Although she is terrified she still has pushed herself to dial my number and speak to me… And that takes a lot of courage… I thank her and hopefully she will come to show me the place shown to her by the Turkish officer…
Another reader calls:
"There is this woman who lives next to our village" he says… "In her parents' yard in Kazaphani, some people were buried… They don't want to be involved… But we can go visit her and her parents and they can show to you and you can show to the committee…"
"Sure, I come to find you in the village. Let's go see her first to see what she will say and then we can go together to Kazaphani to her parents" I tell him… "Are you sure this place was not excavated?"
"Yes…" he says… "That's why they want these remains to be taken from there by the Committee but they are afraid to come out… That's why we need your help…"
"No problem, we will sort it out…" I tell him and thank him…
A Greek Cypriot reader calls two times, three times but does not speak… Finally, he says something I cannot understand… I ask my dear friend Christina Pavlou Solomi Patsia to call and speak with him… He had read my article about the "missing" young man Hasan Nural Djevdet in POLITIS and that's why he is calling… Hasan Nural Djevdet was a young Turkish Cypriot policeman in Kokkinotrimithia when he was taken and went "missing" in 1963. His remains were in the "laoumi" just outside Kokkinotrimithia… One of my readers had shown us the area and also had provided a map years ago showing the "laoumi"… The Cyprus Missing Persons' Committee had exhumations and had found the remains of seven Turkish Cypriots "missing" from 1963, among them Hasan Nural Djevdet… The remains of five "missing" Turkish Cypriots were returned to their families and they have all been buried… Two of them still waiting for DNA identification…
Among those buried by his family was Hasan Nural Djevdet…
I had written that he had a brand new Volkswagen, colour of light green and asked my readers to see if we could find out what had happened to that car…
Apparently this Greek Cypriot reader knows…
He says that the car was used by a Greek Cypriot who would later become a member of EOKA-B… He would use this car in the area of Morphou-Lefka for many years…
He is not sure if he took the car with him in 1974 or whether he left it there… If he has left the car there in the area of Morphou, we could trace it through its chassis number!
I thank Christina and this reader for their very valuable help…
I make a little investigation about this EOKA-B person… In fact he is very well known and has never shown any "regrets"…
He served in a municipal council for many years and people tell me that he went on the radio to say that "Even today, I would still join EOKA-B!"
Was he involved in the killing of the Turkish Cypriots in Kokkinotrimithia or did he just take the car? We don't know that but they say he was very "influential" in the area of Morphou…
Readers give us clues to trace our dark history…
I thank them from my heart…
It is their humanity we must hold on to in order to be able to see what lies for us in wait in the future…
Soon the Cyprus Missing Persons' Committee starts excavations at Komourdjou at the place we had shown twice - once in 2010 and once this time... And I feel very happy because they start finding remains in the place that my reader has shown... The exhumation continues as I write this so we will have to see the remains of how many "missing persons" - Greek Cypriots - from 1974 they would find...
I thank my reader again for being so consistent and insistent and following up what he suspected and telling us what he had heard... In 2010 when he showed us the stream, there during the exhumations remains of five "missing" Greek Cypriots from 1974 were found... Now this place he had shown twice and this time insistently, is just across the stream, next to the road... And they have begun finding remains... How can we ever thank him, I don't know...

16.1.2016

Photo: Just as my reader says the burial site is next to the road...

(*) Article published in POLITIS newspaper on the 14th of February 2016, Sunday.

Η φωνή ενός νεαρού Τουρκοκυπρίου για την ειρήνη: Nuri Silay…

Η φωνή ενός νεαρού Τουρκοκυπρίου για την ειρήνη: Nuri Silay…

Sevgul Uludag

caramel_cy@yahoo.com

Τηλ: 99 966518

Την περασμένη βδομάδα ο Nuri Silay, ένας από τους νεαρούς Τουρκοκύπριους φίλους μας, έκανε μια πολύ συγκινητική και σημαντική δήλωση αναφορικά με την αντίρρηση συνείδησης του στη στρατιωτική θητεία. Η δήλωση που έχει γράψει βγήκε μέσα από την καρδιά του και είναι ένα κείμενο που ο κάθε Κύπριος θα πρέπει να διαβάσει… Αν οι φωνές όπως αυτή του Nuri πολλαπλασιαστούν τότε μπορούμε να λύσουμε όλα τα προβλήματα σε αυτό το νησί, για αυτό δεν έχω καμιά αμφιβολία… Θέλω να μοιραστώ σήμερα μαζί σας τα σοφά λόγια αυτού του νεαρού φίλου, του Nuri Silay… Λέει:

«Αναλαμβάνοντας πλήρως τις ευθύνες όλων των αποφάσεων που πήρα μέχρι σήμερα ως ένας 32χρονος ενήλικας, γράφω αυτό το κείμενο γιατί θέλω να μοιραστώ μαζί σας ένα νέο συνειδησιακό καθήκον το οποίο μου ανέθεσε η ίδια η ζωή.
Θα ήθελα να αρχίσω επισημαίνοντας την ντροπή που νιώθω γιατί εν έτη 2016 σε αυτά τα χώματα, ακόμα δεν έχουν διασφαλιστεί πλήρως βασικά ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα όπως το δικαίωμα της ελεύθερης έκφρασης και πίστης, το δικαίωμα του να ζει κάποιος όπως επιθυμεί τη ζωή του.
Γεννήθηκα στις 21 Μάιου του 1983 στο Βαρώσι/Maraş. Όταν γεννήθηκα ακόμα δεν υπήρχε η Τουρκική Δημοκρατία Βόρειας Κύπρου (ΤΔΒΚ). Στο πιστοποιητικό γέννησης μου καταγράφηκα ως πολίτης του Τουρκοκυπριακού Ομόσπονδου Κράτους. Πέρασαν 9 χρόνια από το 1974 και όμως ήταν ακόμα όλα νωπά. Εγώ ουσιαστικά άνοιξα τα μάτια μου στον κόσμο, σε ένα σπίτι που δεν μας ανήκε.
Δεν ήμασταν οι μόνοι. Στην περιοχή που ζούσαμε άλλωστε κανένας δεν ανήκε στο χώρο. Όχι μόνο οι άνθρωποι, αλλά και οι πολυθρόνες, οι καρέκλες που καθόμασταν, τα ποτήρια που πίναμε νερό, τα πιάτα του φαγητού, τα παιχνίδια των παιδιών, τα ποδήλατα, οι καρποί των δέντρων… τίποτε απολύτως τίποτε δε βρισκόταν στον πραγματικό του ιδιοκτήτη.
Τι μπορεί να καταλάβει ένα παιδί από φυλή, πόλεμο και πλιάτσικο…
Όμως δεν είχαμε καμιά επιλογή να μην καταλάβουμε, αφού μπροστά μας, πίσω μας, δεξιά και αριστερά μας, όλα φώναζαν την πικρή αλήθεια. Δεν ήταν δυνατό να μην συνειδητοποιήσουμε την παράξενη κατάσταση μέσα στην οποία ζούσαμε. Τελικά η ίδια η μνήμη αλλά και η ίδια η ζωή μέσα στην πραγματικότητά της σχηματοποίησαν και την αντιμετώπιση της αλήθειας από εμένα.
Ένας χώρος που σου απαγόρευε να πας στη δίπλα γειτονιά, περικυκλωμένος από συρματοπλέγματα, σπίτια εγκαταλελειμμένα και άλλα που στους τοίχους ήταν ακόμα οι φωτογραφίες των πραγματικών τους ιδιοκτητών. Από την άλλη, στο σκοτάδι της νύχτας να βλέπεις τα φώτα από τα οποία τελικά να μαθαίνεις ότι πρόκειται για το νότιο κομμάτι της πατρίδας σου, στο οποίο απαγορεύεται να πας.
Για αυτό ακριβώς το λόγο δεν είχες επιλογή, η αλήθεια ολόγυμνη στεκόταν μπροστά σου.
Όπως θα έχετε καταλάβει είμαι και εγώ ένα παιδί οικογένειας προσφύγων. Η οικογένεια μου ήρθε αντιμέτωπη πολλές φορές με την τραγική και πικρή πραγματικότητα του πολέμου. Προσφυγοποιήθηκε όχι μια, αλλά τρεις φορές. Μέλη της οικογένειας μου υπήρξαν αιχμάλωτοι, έχασαν τις περιουσίες τους, έχασαν ουσιαστικά τα πάντα και αναγκάστηκαν να μεταναστεύσουν στα βόρεια της Κύπρου χωρίς καν να αποχαιρετήσουν τους ανθρώπους με τους οποίους έζησαν μαζί για τόσα χρόνια.
Μεγάλωσα λοιπόν σε μια τέτοια οικογένεια. Από τα παιδικά μου χρόνια έμαθα τι σημαίνει πόλεμος, ανέπτυξα την προσωπικότητά μου βλέποντας για χρόνια τους δικούς μου να προσπαθούν να ξαναχτίσουν τη ζωή που τους έκλεψαν.
Αυτή η συνειδητοποίηση με συνέδεσε με την αριστερή ιδεολογία ήδη από τα χρόνια της λυκειακής μου εκπαίδευσης. Ως ένας προοδευτικός και πατριώτης άνθρωπος έλαβα μέρος σε πολλές δραστηριότητες με στόχο την επανένωση της μητέρας πατρίδας μου, της Κύπρου. Προσπάθησα να γνωριστώ με τους ανθρώπους που ζούσαν στο νότιο μέρος της Κύπρου, αυτούς που η πλειοψηφία έβλεπε ως «άλλους». Προσπάθησα να τους κατανοήσω και να ζήσω μαζί τους, να καλλιεργήσω τη συμπόνια.
Οι αντιλήψεις μου που σχηματοποιήθηκαν στα χρόνια που ήμουν μαθητής λυκείου, αναπτύχθηκαν περαιτέρω στα χρόνια του Πανεπιστημίου και στην ένταξη μου σε πολιτικό κόμμα. Από τα 19 μου χρόνια ανέλαβα διάφορα καθήκοντα στο Ρεπουμπλικανικό Τουρκικό Κόμμα. Στα 20 μου χρόνια ανέλαβα πρόεδρος της οργάνωσης νεολαίας του κόμματος. Οι εμπειρίες που έζησα και οι γνώσεις που απέκτησα σε αυτό το πλαίσιο, με βοήθησαν να αναπτύξω περαιτέρω την ιδεολογική μου στάση. Πέραν από τις κομματικές δραστηριότητες συμμετείχα και σε άλλες δράσεις εθελοντικών οργανώσεων. Ως ένα άτομο που απέκτησα σημαντική εμπειρία τόσο πριν όσο και μετά το δημοψήφισμα για το Σχέδιο Ανάν με στόχο την επανένωση της Κύπρου, της μητέρας πατρίδας μας, κατανόησα ότι το Κυπριακό πρόβλημα δεν μπορεί να επιλυθεί μόνο στο τραπέζι των συνομιλιών.
Απελευθερωμένοι από την επιρροή του δηλητήριου των επίσημων ιδεολογιών των δύο πλευρών, πιστεύω ότι πρέπει να αντιμετωπίσουμε το γεμάτο πόνο παρελθόν μας, να ζητήσουμε συγγνώμη εκ μέρους των κοινοτήτων μας, να ζορίσουμε τα όρια του διαχωρισμού που μας επέβαλαν και να οικοδομήσουμε την κοινή μας ζωή χωρίς να περιμένουμε τη «λύση». Εφόσον η σημαντικότερη μας κληρονομιά, αυτή που μπορεί να μας κρατήσει μαζί, είναι η κοινή ζωή και κουλτούρα των κοινοτήτων που έζησαν για αιώνες στην Κύπρο, τότε δε θα πρέπει να επιτρέψουμε στα εθνικιστικά και μιλιταριστικά δόγματα να συνεχίσουν το διχασμό μας.
Οι άνθρωποι που μιλούν ελληνικά ή τουρκικά, όπως και οι άνθρωποι που μιλούν άλλες γλώσσες ή διαλέκτους στην Κύπρο, είναι συμπατριώτες μας. Ίσως για μερικούς οι άνθρωποι αυτοί να είναι ο έρωτάς τους, για άλλους ο επαγγελματικός τους συνέταιρος και για άλλους ο φίλος. Συναποτελούμε επομένως ισότιμα άτομα με κοινό παρελθόν που οδεύουν προς το μέλλον. Η πιο σημαντική απάντηση για το ποια είναι η Κύπρος στην οποία θέλω να ζήσω προς όλους αυτούς που προσπάθησαν να παρουσιάσουν τους ανθρώπους της νότιας πλευράς της Κύπρου ως «άλλους», είναι η κοινή ζωή που δημιούργησα εδώ και πάρα πολύ καιρό μαζί τους.
Κανένα άτομο δεν είναι υποχρεωμένο να υιοθετήσει την ιδεολογία που επιβάλλει ένα κράτος. Δεν μπορεί να είναι αποδεκτό το ότι χωρίς επιλογή μας υποχρεώνουν να αποδεχτούμε την ιδεολογία που συντηρεί το καθεστώς στο βορρά. Δεν μπορεί να είναι αποδεκτό το ότι δεν αναγνωρίζουν ούτε το δικαίωμα στη ζωή σε αυτούς που διαφωνούν με τη συγκεκριμένη ιδεολογία.
Είναι κωμικοτραγικό να ζητείται από εμένα να προετοιμαστώ για πόλεμο ενάντια στους ανθρώπους με τους οποίους μοιράζομαι την ίδια ζωή. Είναι την ίδια στιγμή μια ιδεολογική διεκδίκηση και εγώ δεν ανήκω σε αυτή την ιδεολογία.
Η Κύπρος αποτελεί μια γεωγραφία, η οποία πλήρωσε πολύ ακριβά τις συνέπειες του εθνικισμού και του μιλιταρισμού. Ακόμα και σήμερα γίνονται έρευνες για να ανευρεθούν τα οστά των ανθρώπων μας που χάθηκαν πριν 40 και πριν 50 χρόνια. Η γεωγραφία στην οποία ζούμε, τα χώματα που πατούμε, κάθε γωνιά αυτού του τόπου, έχει το κορμί κάποιου συμπατριώτη μας, είτε μιλούσε ελληνικά είτε τουρκικά. Υπάρχουν ακόμα συνάνθρωποι μας που περιμένουν έστω και για ένα τάφο για τα παιδιά και τους συζύγους τους. Μόλις πρόσφατα ανευρέθηκαν τα οστά του Αντρέα, βρέφους 6 μηνών. Ανάμεσα μας υπάρχουν οι γυναίκες μας που έζησαν τη φρίκη του βιασμού από τον μιλιταρισμό. Ακόμα μέχρι και σήμερα δε ζητήθηκε μια συγγνώμη από τους συνανθρώπους μας που έχασαν τη ζωή τους και την αξιοπρέπεια τους. Δεν είναι λοιπόν επιλογή να ζήσουμε μια ζωή θάβοντας όλες αυτές τις αλήθειες στις συνειδήσεις μας. Δεν είναι επιλογή να ζήσουμε μια ζωή παραιτημένη έτσι όπως μας δίδαξαν.
Η ευθύνη για όσα ζήσαμε ανήκει στον εθνικισμό και στο μεγαλύτερο του όπλο που είναι ο μιλιταρισμός. Ως άτομο, αυτό είναι κάτι που ούτε μπορώ να το αποδεχτώ, αλλά ούτε και η συνείδησή μου επιτρέπει να το εγκρίνω. Ως ένα άτομο μιας γενιάς που γεννήθηκε και μεγάλωσε με το Κυπριακό πρόβλημα, πιστεύω ότι στη βάση όλων όσων ζήσαμε, όπως ακριβώς συμβαίνει και σε άλλες περιοχές του κόσμου μας, υπάρχουν οι ανταγωνισμοί εξουσίας που διαχωρίζουν τους ανθρώπους σε φυλές, σε γλώσσες, σε θρησκείες, σε φύλα και σεξουαλικούς προσανατολισμούς, με στόχο την εξυπηρέτηση συγκεκριμένων πολιτικών.
Σε αυτό το παιχνίδι των όπλων και του πολέμου που στήνουν όσοι έχουν την πολιτική ισχύ, στο σημερινό μας κόσμο που οι άνθρωποι μετρούνται με στατιστικές και δείκτες και που μετατρέπονται σε ασήμαντες υπάρξεις, θεωρώ ότι όσοι υιοθετούν τις αξίες της Αριστεράς θα πρέπει να δώσουν ιδιαίτερη σημασία στη συγκρότηση του αντιμιλιταρισμού.
Διότι μια ιδέα από τη στιγμή που συναντιέται με το κράτος και το όπλο, αποτελεί κίνδυνο για την ανθρωπότητα. Είναι απειλή ενάντια στη ζωή. Δεν πιστεύω ότι τα όπλα μπορούν να επιλύσουν προβλήματα είτε σε μια κοινωνία, είτε μεταξύ κοινωνιών.
Όπου υπάρχει πόλεμος, αλλά και όπου υπάρχει προετοιμασία για πόλεμο και συνεπώς οι στρατιωτικοί θεσμοί και η δραστηριότητά τους, εκεί υπάρχει ταυτόχρονα μια αντίληψη που δεν υπολογίζει τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα και τις ελευθερίες. Εκεί υπάρχει βία και ανισότητα.
Για αυτούς ακριβώς τους λόγους πιστεύω ότι η υποστήριξη της ειρήνης, η εναντίωση στον μιλιταρισμό και στα απάνθρωπα αποτελέσματα που προκαλεί, είναι πάνω από όλα ένα καθήκον για την ανθρωπότητα.
Είμαστε άλλωστε ζωντανοί μάρτυρες της καταστροφής που προκαλούν οι πόλεμοι, ειδικά στην Κύπρο και στη Μέση Ανατολή, αλλά και γενικότερα σε κάθε μέρος του πλανήτη. Ενώ η κατάσταση είναι αυτή, η μη αποδοχή εκ μέρους μου να συμμετέχω σε ένα στρατό που υπηρετεί ή και προετοιμάζεται για πόλεμο, που διδάσκει πώς να σκοτώνεις ένα άνθρωπο, δεν αποτελεί «προδοσία» ενάντια στην πατρίδα. Είναι υπηρεσία υπέρ της ανθρωπότητας.
Όπως θα έχετε καταλάβει, ενώ η στρατιωτική θητεία παρουσιάζεται σε μένα ως «καθήκον», εγώ θεωρώ «καθήκον» μου να εναντιωθώ στο μιλιταρισμό. Η Διοίκηση των Δυνάμεων Ασφαλείας, όπως και όλοι οι στρατοί στον κόσμο, είναι ένας θεσμός που προετοιμάζεται για πόλεμο με τη δικαιολογία της ασφάλειας ή/και της άμυνας. Όμως εγώ είναι υπέρ την προετοιμασιών για την ειρήνη, τόσο στην πατρίδα μου, όσο και σε όλο τον κόσμο.
Οι στρατιωτικοί θεσμοί τόσο στα βόρεια, όσο και στα νότια της Κύπρου αξιολογούν τους ανθρώπους που ζουν στην άλλη πλευρά ως προοπτικά «εχθρούς» και προετοιμάζονται εναντίον τους. Εγώ όμως είμαι ένα άτομο που ζω με αυτούς τους ανθρώπους, που δουλεύω μαζί τους, που αγωνίζομαι μαζί τους τόσο για την κοινή μας πατρίδα, όσο και για ολόκληρη την ανθρωπότητα.
Οι στρατιωτικοί θεσμοί εξυψώνουν το έθνος τους με τους κώδικες του ανδρισμού, όμως εγώ πιστεύω στην αδελφοσύνη όλων των ανθρώπων χωρίς να τους διαχωρίζω με βάση τη φυλή, τη γλώσσα που μιλούν, τη θρησκεία στην οποία πιστεύουν.
Εν συντομία, όπως θα έχετε καταλάβει, είναι ξεκάθαρες οι ιδεολογικές, πνευματικές και συνειδησιακές μου διαφωνίες ειδικά με τις Δυνάμεις Ασφαλείας της Τουρκοκυπριακής κοινότητας και γενικά με τον μιλιταρισμό.
Απορρίπτω την προετοιμασία για πόλεμο εναντίον του οποιουδήποτε ανθρώπου. Απορρίπτω τη συμμετοχή σε ένα στρατό που καλλιεργεί την κουλτούρα της βίας, που δημιουργεί ένα καθεστώς ανισότητας. Απορρίπτω το ενδεχόμενο να γίνω μέρος του πολέμου που αφαιρεί ζωές, που εξαναγκάζει τους ανθρώπους στην προσφυγιά και τη μετανάστευση, που προκαλεί τόσα πολλά προβλήματα στο περιβάλλον μας. Επαναλαμβάνω αυτό που είχαμε δηλώσει το Δεκέμβριο του 2007 όταν δημιουργήσαμε την «Πρωτοβουλία Αντίρρησης Συνείδησης στην Κύπρο»: Εναντιώνομαι στην παρουσίαση, στην επιβολή και την υιοθέτηση της βίας ως μεθόδου επίλυσης προβλημάτων. Απορρίπτω ιδεολογικά και συνειδησιακά την υποχρεωτική στρατιωτική θητεία που μου έχει επιβληθεί.
Θα ήθελα τέλος να ευχαριστήσω όλους τους φίλους μου, τους συντρόφους, τους ακτιβιστές και τις οργανώσεις που ήταν, αλλά και που θα είναι αλληλέγγυοι μαζί μου σε αυτό το δρόμο που ξεκίνησα λόγω του δικαιώματος να ακούσω τη φωνή της συνείδησής μου.
Νουρί Σιλάϊ
Ιανουάριος 2016»

Photo: Nuri Sılay…

(*) Article published in the POLITIS newspaper on the 7th of February 2016, Sunday.

The voice of a young Turkish Cypriot for peace: Nuri Silay…

The voice of a young Turkish Cypriot for peace: Nuri Silay…

Sevgul Uludag

caramel_cy@yahoo.com

Tel: 99 966518

Nuri Silay, one of our young Turkish Cypriot friends, last week made a very touching and important statement about his conscientious objection to military service. The statement he wrote came from his heart and it is a text that every Cypriot should read… If voices like Nuri's are multiplied, we can solve each and every problem on this island, I have no doubt about that… I want to share the words of wisdom of this young friend, Nuri Silay with you today… Here is what he says:

"As an individual of 32 years of age, I lead my life taking responsibility for all my decisions. Such a conception of life, though, places on us certain conscientious duties; I draw up the following text in an attempt to share with you my new duty.
I would like to begin by stating my sense of shame of the fact that, in 2016, still, the very basic human right to freedom of thought and conscience and the right to lead a life according one's beliefs in are not safeguarded on these lands.
I was born in Varosa / Maras on the 21st May of 1983.
"TRNC" did not exist at my birth.
I was registered as a citizen of the "Turkish Cypriot Federated State".
Everything was still very recent, notwithstanding 9 years have passed since 1974.
I have opened my eyes to the world in a house that did not belong to us. Not only us, no one living in the area belonged to the places they lived.
Let alone the people, the chairs we used to sit on; glasses we used to drink in; plates and cutleries we used to eat with; children's toys, their bicycles; even the trees we used to pick fruits off; nothing, absolutely nothing belonged to their true owners anymore.
After all you are a kid, what do you know of race, of war, or the spoils of that war…
Nevertheless, you did not get a choice, not a chance to ignore all this; wherever you look it cried out the grim reality. It was impossible not to realize the peculiar state you lived in.
Thus, when I look to myself; I, also, faced such realities in life's own way.
There were abandoned houses surrounded by fences on the next street. On one hand, pictures of real owners of your house that does not belong to you were hanging on the wall, on the other hand, the south part of your country, to where you are not allowed to go; you only know it exists by the lights shining through the night.
That is why you did not have a choice; reality was right before you in all its glory.
As you might have realized, I am a child of a refugee family. My family had to face the tragic and relentless realities of war many times. Indeed, they have become refugees not only once but for three times over. Some of their family members were captured as Prisoners of War; they lost their properties, belongings, their settled lives; in short they lost all. They had to leave the south part of Cyprus without a chance to say goodbye to people they lived together for years.
As an individual brought up by such a family, since childhood years, coming to know the meaning of war from my closest relatives I have developed myself witnessing my family's efforts to reconstruct their lives from scratch. This awareness had led me to adopt a leftist ideology during my high school years.
As a progressive and public spirited person, I have taken part in various activities for unification of Cyprus, my homeland. Since early youth, I made an effort to meet, understand, and be with people living in the southern part of Cyprus, whom at that stage had been presented as "others" by many.
My ideas from the high school years further developed, under the umbrella of a political party, during my years at the university. Since the age of 19, I have taken various roles within the Republican Turkish Party; and at the age of 20 I served as the President of the Youth Branch of RTP.
My ideological stance has been shaped within such a framework and through my experiences. My activities within the political party framework aside, I have taken part in activities and even foundation of numerous civil society organizations that I believe in.
I later realized – as an individual who actively participated in and gained great experience from the April 2004 referenda on the Annan Plan foreseeing to reunify Cyprus, our homeland - that the Cyprus Problem cannot be solved through the negotiation table only.
I believe we can construct a shared life in Cyprus prior to a "solution" through challenging the limits of the separation imposed on us. In order to do so, we need to cleanse ourselves of the poisonous effects of the official ideologies on both sides and face our wailful past; and we should apologize to each other on behalf of the communities we represent. While the centuries old shared culture and life of the peoples living on Cyprus is the greatest heritage we have to hold us together, we should not allow any more othering of our citizens by the nationalist-militarist teachings. Those who speak Greek and Turkish in Cyprus are our citizens as much as any other who speaks any other language. The "others" are business partners, friends, and even lovers to many of us. In short, we are people of equal stance who work towards the future rooted in our shared past.
The foremost representation of the Cyprus I would like to live in is the very life I have built with those who had been presented to me as "the others" in the south. No individual is obligated to accept the official ideologies imposed by the state. It is not acceptable that in the northern part of Cyprus the very ideology that sustains the regime shows no tolerance to who believe and think otherwise. Their demands, that I make preparations of war against those whom I share a life with, are not only tragicomic but also an ideological demand; however, I do not belong to that ideological formation. Cyprus is a part of the world that has paid a great price for nationalism and militarism. Today, we are still looking for the remains of those who went missing during the war, 40/50 years ago.
On every inch of land we step on, whether in the north or in the south, lays the body of one of our citizens, whether Greek-speaking or Turkish-speaking. Today, there are still those who are waiting for their missing partners or children to be found and have a proper burial, a proper grave. 6 months old Andreas was found in a well, his pacifier still in his mouth, just the others day. Our women who suffered rapes by militarism walk among us. Today, there are no apologies, still, to those who lost their lives, and those who lost their dignity in this country.
It should not be a choice to bury all these truths in our conscience and give in to learned helplessness. As an individual it is not conscientiously acceptable for me to ignore the fact that what we have been through was caused by nationalism and its greatest weapon, militarism. As a member of a generation that was born and brought up with the Cyprus Problem, I believe that what we are going through, just as with the other problematic parts of the world, is due to power games categorizing humans around race, language, gender, sexual orientation, othering and dissociating for the sake of political agendas.
In this game based on guns and wars by those who hold the political power; in today's world, where human beings are reduced only to insignificant numbers, specially those who identify themselves with the left ideology, should place a great emphasis on antimilitarism.
Inasmuch as that the moment an idea meets guns and khaki tones through state involvement that becomes a dangerous idea; becomes an attempt on "his" life.
As an individual I believe that guns cannot provide any solution to any problems whether within a community or an international one.
We can observe similar conceptions of inequality, violence and violations of human rights and freedoms in all type of military environments or any environment of war or war preparations for that matter.
This is why I believe standing for peace under all circumstances, and standing against militarism and all its inhumane consequences is a humanist duty.
We are witnesses to destruction and ferocities created by wars fought all around the world, specifically in Cyprus but in the Middle East in general. With this, my objection with all my existence to take part in an army which impose guns on us and teaches/proposes to kill, an army which only serves war is not treachery but in service to humanity.
As you would agree I believe my "mission" is to oppose militarism not the mission or conscription imposed on us.
While, like all armies around the world, SFC make constant preparations for war based on security or defence claims, I stand with peace preparations in my country and all around the world.
Military institutions in both north and south of the island regards those living on the other side of the line as "enemies" and make preparations to deal with the "other". While, on the other hand, I live my life with the "others", work with them, and stand with them in many struggles not only for the good of our country but also for all of humanity.
While military institutions glorify their nation through patriarchal social codes, I dignify brotherhood of all human beings, regardless of their race, language or beliefs.
Therefore -as is should be obvious to all at this point - conscientious, spiritual, and physical problems I confront are clear, specifically with regards to GKK, the armed forces of the community I adhere to, but also with regards to militarism at large.
I conscientiously, in thought and in body object taking part in any form of war preparation, for whatever reason it maybe and against whichever race it maybe.
I object to take any part in a war which I hold no favour; in a war destructing the ecology, depriving people of their land, their homes, and their lives; or in an army feeding a culture of violence and creating an unequal order between human beings.
As one of the founding persons of Conscientious Objection Initiative, I would like to repeat today what we have publicly announced back in December 2007;
I stand against adoption of violence as a means of solution to any problem or its imposition or representation as such, and accordingly I not only conscientiously but also in my thoughts and in my body I object conscription.
I sincerely thank all friends, comrades, activist friends and supportive organizations who stand in solidarity with me in this quest for my right to follow my conscience and all those who will along the way.
Nuri Silay – January 2016"

Photo: Nuri Sılay…

(*) Article published in the POLITIS newspaper on the 7th of February 2016, Sunday.

The unhappiness of Turkish Cypriots…

The unhappiness of Turkish Cypriots…

Sevgul Uludag

caramel_cy@yahoo.com

Tel: 99 966518

One of my good friends, Mine Yucel who is the owner of Prologue Consultancy, has been doing research about the Turkish Cypriots living in the northern part of Cyprus and one of her reports recently made headlines where she pointed out that Turkish Cypriots are in fact very unhappy… I want to share excerpts from her recent report called `Policy Recommendations for North Cyprus`… I am sharing this so that our readers have a perspective about how Turkish Cypriots are feeling… Here are some highlights from her report:
"… there is a group who believe that Turkish Cypriot identity is under threat. Departing from the conceptual framework we used to define identity as 'a tent which includes all individuals living on a common land', we discovered holes on the Turkish Cypriot identity tent resulted from unrecognition, past and recent traumas and also from not having confidence either on themselves or the institutions to the extent of unhappiness and social depression. Seeing these holes, this common tent now is not adequately covering everyone insomuch that the presence of the tent is now being questioned. Additionally, individuals living inside the tent are suffering from 'unhappiness' in their daily lives for not feeling they 'belong' there.
It is necessary to investigate this finding further and to put forth the reasons why. In Identity report, we referred to mistrust in institutions existing widespread in the country while in Human Rights and Crime reports we emphasized the legal gaps and/or inefficiency of existing regulations resulting from the lack of inspection and insufficient implementation. It is possible to speak of 'hypocrisy' of authorities on this land and also of an increasing gap between legality and 'legitimacy'. This increasing gap also gradually fuels the confusion of Turkish Cypriots about their 'identity'.
If Turkish Cypriot identity is defined as 'people living in this country', it would be expectable to observe pride, happiness and satisfaction of individuals for having such an identity. Individuals want to be proud of the social groups they feel they belong to…
There is an increasing 'distance between legality and legitimacy' in our country. This gradual increase results with new traumas among citizens and excludes them from the democratic structure.
'Gambling is prohibited for Turkish Cypriots…' 'It is illegal to live off prostitution…' 'Human trafficking is a crime and nobody committed to this crime in this country until today…' Individuals are stuck in the difference between these 'facts' and their own 'facts' they face every day. In this sense, 'hypocrisy' became a reality in the governance of the country as a fundamental factor of the identity crisis of Turkish Cypriots.
Human beings are social creatures who seek to be proud of and satisfied from 'belonging' to an identity/group/community. For Turkish Cypriots, there are less and less reasons to be 'proud' and 'satisfied' for living in the northern part of the island and having Turkish Cypriot identity. It is necessary to form a social model in order for individuals to reembrace their identity. Otherwise, it will be highly possible to observe a rise in social activities which aim 'individual satisfaction', a rapid social mobility in the way defined by consumption, differentiated interests and short-term satisfaction…
Additionally, there is a common belief that the decisions taken by the authorities do not prioritise 'democracy and social interest'. In order to re-establish this belief, it is necessary for elected authorities to govern the country with the principles of accountability and transparency. It is a common belief among Turkish Cypriots that these two fundamental components of democracy are lacking in the northern part of Cyprus.
Though violence is increasingly becoming a way of life in this country, individuals cannot perceive the circumstances of this country as a form of violence which signals a lack of consciousness also on this subject…
There is an apparent lack of democratic culture in the country. Citizens believe that their 'impact' on political system could be made through 'partisanship' in an environment where accountability and transparency in implementation practices are lacking, independence of judiciary system from the government is questionable and trust in legislative system is very low. Within such a system, it is possible to argue that, there is a lack of democratic culture and therefore "individual interests" override "social interests"…
We observed that the victims of human rights violations do not demand their rights either from the (authorities) or organizations and even when they do, they cannot timely or fully benefit from these rights due to either the slow pace of the legal process or the legal gaps. Moreover, those who appeal to relevant authorities regarding such violations encounter 'degrading', 're-victimising' treatment of the officials as a result of lack of consciousness in such institutions. Institutions such as the police, medical services, judiciary, social services and the media which are central to complaints about discrimination, violence, human trafficking, drug addiction etc., often 're-victimise' the victims as a result of not knowing their problems, needs and how to communicate with them…
There is a belief that organized crime is on the rise in the country. It can be argued that inefficiency of relevant institutions in tackling such crimes negatively influences the trust in institutions and also increases the visibility and the role of criminals who are members of crime organizations within the society. If organized crime is not prevented, members of the society will gradually feel less secure, committing a crime will become a 'norm' and therefore individual crimes will drastically increase…
Generally, public institutions are surrounded with the problems caused by bribe, corruption, lack of transparency and accountability. Similarly, within the context of the 'right to access information' there exist complaints of citizens who cannot obtain information from public institutions…
Human trafficking is not recognised as a crime in this country. However, there is a strong grounding to prove that this crime is being committed. The lack of required legal regulations and legal gaps within existing laws which allow the government to be indirectly involved in human trafficking and legitimise such activities found to be the most important issues in this subject…
Based on the studies carried out for a hundred years, Gallup Company prepared a 'well-being' book for a good quality of life. This book provides a prescription for personal happiness under 5 complementary titles: Career, Social, Financial, Physical and Societal Happiness.
When applied to Turkish Cypriots, the results of Gallup study are remarkable. Based on the concerns they voiced for each title, it can be argued that Turkish Cypriots need to create an environment in which primarily they feel happy in their individual lives and then in a society they feel they 'belong' to…
According to the studies we carried out, it was observed that Turkish Cypriots are trying to hold on to an identity and a sense of belonging which is constructed upon unrecognition. Such an identity structure is too fragile to hold the society together. Common values should be re-established.
Turkish Cypriots deem increasing crime rates as the most important problem of the society. This view gradually reduces the sense of security of the society and the level of trust in related institutions.
Clearly current economic structure is dysfunctional and soon public and private sectors will also become utterly dysfunctional. At this stage there is a necessity to plan a comprehensive economical development model. The economy of the country is based on sectors like college education, gambling and tourism; however, the infrastructure is not sufficient enough for these sectors. Besides the economic structure, education and health sectors are also impaired, as well as internal and external transportation and road safety issues all of which indicate the necessity for serious investment on country's infrastructure.
Turkish Cypriots are facing a sense of uncertainty and 'being in-between' caused by the deadlock of Cyprus issue. Through being at the central focus of country's agenda, Cyprus issue distracts attention from and therefore prevents the solution of all other problems present in the country. For a society of which expectations for the future are beclouded with uncertainty and hopelessness, it is inevitable to have low self-confidence level as well…
Departing from the problems presented above, it is clear that Turkish Cypriots are in need to start a social awakening movement to find solutions to these problems. This movement would start with the search of individuals, sectors, organizations and institutions for an answer to the question 'what type of society you want to live in?' through which they would determine their visions and aims for the society.
Turkish Cypriots require such a movement to fulfil their need for living in a society they feel 'proud to be a part of' again.
It is Turkish Cypriots who can establish such a movement. It can be suggested in this regard to form a committee/advisory board consisting of experts, professionals and people who know about the world order and to take steps towards and make reforms on points listed below.
1) Woman's role in society
The lack of consciousness amongst women should be dealt with in order for them to reach to that point. Raising awareness could be possible through creating an 'education and awareness package' country-wide which would provide education on several subjects such as sexuality, child care, social values, citizenship and human rights. In this awareness raising and empowerment movement, primarily Civil Society Organizations, Psychologists and the Media have crucial responsibilities.
2) Treating Past Traumas
It is necessary to initiate 'social therapy' studies in order to wash away past traumas and to treat social identity and happiness issues. In light of a model suggested by social psychology experts and with active contributions of civil society, a 'social treatment' process should be started.
3) Improving Economic Structure
North Cyprus is in need of a vision for both the solution of the Cyprus issue and also for a development model. It is necessary to carefully analyse, evaluate and if needed, re-regulate the socio-economical effects of university and gambling tourism on which the country's economy is based.
Current infrastructure regarding services/transportation/communications/education/health is insufficient to meet the requirements of the current population structure and thus requires improvement.
4) Happiness
A small country nearby India called Bhutan, based its development model on happiness. As to this model, the level of individual happiness is positively correlated with the level of development of the country. It is possible to consider such examples to define a similar development model for the northern part of Cyprus which is based on improving the level of individual happiness and quality of life.
5) Civil Society Organizations
Civil society organizations should be empowered and 'independent'. They should get rid of the 'just a sign organization' image, free themselves from 'fund addiction' and political party affiliations, establish their autonomous structures with the aim of working for society's benefit."
The report goes further to make policy recommendations on different areas… I thank Mine Yucel for sharing her report with us…

9.1.2016

Photo: Painting by Turkish Cypriot artist Nilgun Guney called "I love you…"

(*) Article published in POLITIS newspaper on the 31st of January 2016, Sunday.

The unhappiness of Turkish Cypriots…

Sevgul Uludag

caramel_cy@yahoo.com

Tel: 99 966518

One of my good friends, Mine Yucel who is the owner of Prologue Consultancy, has been doing research about the Turkish Cypriots living in the northern part of Cyprus and one of her reports recently made headlines where she pointed out that Turkish Cypriots are in fact very unhappy… I want to share excerpts from her recent report called `Policy Recommendations for North Cyprus`… I am sharing this so that our readers have a perspective about how Turkish Cypriots are feeling… Here are some highlights from her report:
"… there is a group who believe that Turkish Cypriot identity is under threat. Departing from the conceptual framework we used to define identity as 'a tent which includes all individuals living on a common land', we discovered holes on the Turkish Cypriot identity tent resulted from unrecognition, past and recent traumas and also from not having confidence either on themselves or the institutions to the extent of unhappiness and social depression. Seeing these holes, this common tent now is not adequately covering everyone insomuch that the presence of the tent is now being questioned. Additionally, individuals living inside the tent are suffering from 'unhappiness' in their daily lives for not feeling they 'belong' there.
It is necessary to investigate this finding further and to put forth the reasons why. In Identity report, we referred to mistrust in institutions existing widespread in the country while in Human Rights and Crime reports we emphasized the legal gaps and/or inefficiency of existing regulations resulting from the lack of inspection and insufficient implementation. It is possible to speak of 'hypocrisy' of authorities on this land and also of an increasing gap between legality and 'legitimacy'. This increasing gap also gradually fuels the confusion of Turkish Cypriots about their 'identity'.
If Turkish Cypriot identity is defined as 'people living in this country', it would be expectable to observe pride, happiness and satisfaction of individuals for having such an identity. Individuals want to be proud of the social groups they feel they belong to…
There is an increasing 'distance between legality and legitimacy' in our country. This gradual increase results with new traumas among citizens and excludes them from the democratic structure.
'Gambling is prohibited for Turkish Cypriots…' 'It is illegal to live off prostitution…' 'Human trafficking is a crime and nobody committed to this crime in this country until today…' Individuals are stuck in the difference between these 'facts' and their own 'facts' they face every day. In this sense, 'hypocrisy' became a reality in the governance of the country as a fundamental factor of the identity crisis of Turkish Cypriots.
Human beings are social creatures who seek to be proud of and satisfied from 'belonging' to an identity/group/community. For Turkish Cypriots, there are less and less reasons to be 'proud' and 'satisfied' for living in the northern part of the island and having Turkish Cypriot identity. It is necessary to form a social model in order for individuals to reembrace their identity. Otherwise, it will be highly possible to observe a rise in social activities which aim 'individual satisfaction', a rapid social mobility in the way defined by consumption, differentiated interests and short-term satisfaction…
Additionally, there is a common belief that the decisions taken by the authorities do not prioritise 'democracy and social interest'. In order to re-establish this belief, it is necessary for elected authorities to govern the country with the principles of accountability and transparency. It is a common belief among Turkish Cypriots that these two fundamental components of democracy are lacking in the northern part of Cyprus.
Though violence is increasingly becoming a way of life in this country, individuals cannot perceive the circumstances of this country as a form of violence which signals a lack of consciousness also on this subject…
There is an apparent lack of democratic culture in the country. Citizens believe that their 'impact' on political system could be made through 'partisanship' in an environment where accountability and transparency in implementation practices are lacking, independence of judiciary system from the government is questionable and trust in legislative system is very low. Within such a system, it is possible to argue that, there is a lack of democratic culture and therefore "individual interests" override "social interests"…
We observed that the victims of human rights violations do not demand their rights either from the (authorities) or organizations and even when they do, they cannot timely or fully benefit from these rights due to either the slow pace of the legal process or the legal gaps. Moreover, those who appeal to relevant authorities regarding such violations encounter 'degrading', 're-victimising' treatment of the officials as a result of lack of consciousness in such institutions. Institutions such as the police, medical services, judiciary, social services and the media which are central to complaints about discrimination, violence, human trafficking, drug addiction etc., often 're-victimise' the victims as a result of not knowing their problems, needs and how to communicate with them…
There is a belief that organized crime is on the rise in the country. It can be argued that inefficiency of relevant institutions in tackling such crimes negatively influences the trust in institutions and also increases the visibility and the role of criminals who are members of crime organizations within the society. If organized crime is not prevented, members of the society will gradually feel less secure, committing a crime will become a 'norm' and therefore individual crimes will drastically increase…
Generally, public institutions are surrounded with the problems caused by bribe, corruption, lack of transparency and accountability. Similarly, within the context of the 'right to access information' there exist complaints of citizens who cannot obtain information from public institutions…
Human trafficking is not recognised as a crime in this country. However, there is a strong grounding to prove that this crime is being committed. The lack of required legal regulations and legal gaps within existing laws which allow the government to be indirectly involved in human trafficking and legitimise such activities found to be the most important issues in this subject…
Based on the studies carried out for a hundred years, Gallup Company prepared a 'well-being' book for a good quality of life. This book provides a prescription for personal happiness under 5 complementary titles: Career, Social, Financial, Physical and Societal Happiness.
When applied to Turkish Cypriots, the results of Gallup study are remarkable. Based on the concerns they voiced for each title, it can be argued that Turkish Cypriots need to create an environment in which primarily they feel happy in their individual lives and then in a society they feel they 'belong' to…
According to the studies we carried out, it was observed that Turkish Cypriots are trying to hold on to an identity and a sense of belonging which is constructed upon unrecognition. Such an identity structure is too fragile to hold the society together. Common values should be re-established.
Turkish Cypriots deem increasing crime rates as the most important problem of the society. This view gradually reduces the sense of security of the society and the level of trust in related institutions.
Clearly current economic structure is dysfunctional and soon public and private sectors will also become utterly dysfunctional. At this stage there is a necessity to plan a comprehensive economical development model. The economy of the country is based on sectors like college education, gambling and tourism; however, the infrastructure is not sufficient enough for these sectors. Besides the economic structure, education and health sectors are also impaired, as well as internal and external transportation and road safety issues all of which indicate the necessity for serious investment on country's infrastructure.
Turkish Cypriots are facing a sense of uncertainty and 'being in-between' caused by the deadlock of Cyprus issue. Through being at the central focus of country's agenda, Cyprus issue distracts attention from and therefore prevents the solution of all other problems present in the country. For a society of which expectations for the future are beclouded with uncertainty and hopelessness, it is inevitable to have low self-confidence level as well…
Departing from the problems presented above, it is clear that Turkish Cypriots are in need to start a social awakening movement to find solutions to these problems. This movement would start with the search of individuals, sectors, organizations and institutions for an answer to the question 'what type of society you want to live in?' through which they would determine their visions and aims for the society.
Turkish Cypriots require such a movement to fulfil their need for living in a society they feel 'proud to be a part of' again.
It is Turkish Cypriots who can establish such a movement. It can be suggested in this regard to form a committee/advisory board consisting of experts, professionals and people who know about the world order and to take steps towards and make reforms on points listed below.
1) Woman's role in society
The lack of consciousness amongst women should be dealt with in order for them to reach to that point. Raising awareness could be possible through creating an 'education and awareness package' country-wide which would provide education on several subjects such as sexuality, child care, social values, citizenship and human rights. In this awareness raising and empowerment movement, primarily Civil Society Organizations, Psychologists and the Media have crucial responsibilities.
2) Treating Past Traumas
It is necessary to initiate 'social therapy' studies in order to wash away past traumas and to treat social identity and happiness issues. In light of a model suggested by social psychology experts and with active contributions of civil society, a 'social treatment' process should be started.
3) Improving Economic Structure
North Cyprus is in need of a vision for both the solution of the Cyprus issue and also for a development model. It is necessary to carefully analyse, evaluate and if needed, re-regulate the socio-economical effects of university and gambling tourism on which the country's economy is based.
Current infrastructure regarding services/transportation/communications/education/health is insufficient to meet the requirements of the current population structure and thus requires improvement.
4) Happiness
A small country nearby India called Bhutan, based its development model on happiness. As to this model, the level of individual happiness is positively correlated with the level of development of the country. It is possible to consider such examples to define a similar development model for the northern part of Cyprus which is based on improving the level of individual happiness and quality of life.
5) Civil Society Organizations
Civil society organizations should be empowered and 'independent'. They should get rid of the 'just a sign organization' image, free themselves from 'fund addiction' and political party affiliations, establish their autonomous structures with the aim of working for society's benefit."
The report goes further to make policy recommendations on different areas… I thank Mine Yucel for sharing her report with us…

9.1.2016

Photo: Painting by Turkish Cypriot artist Nilgun Guney called "I love you…"

(*) Article published in POLITIS newspaper on the 31st of January 2016, Sunday.