Introduction
This year underlines half a century of the lasting Turkish occupation of 37% of the land of the Republic of Cyprus, a member state of the European Union. All efforts to proceed to the resumption of negotiations after the deadlock of July 2017 in Crans-Montana have not as yet reached any result. Turkey insists on its preconditions for the acceptance of a two-state solution or, otherwise expressed as sovereign equality, solution. This lies entirely outside the United Nations framework as well as the founding principles of the European Union.
Ethnic cleansing
50 years after the Turkish invasion, the current status-quo which is quite unacceptable is not static at all. The massive demographic shift on the island, however, resulted primarily from the Turkish invasion, which forced 170,000 Greek Cypriots from their land, turning them into refugees in their own country. Shortly thereafter, Turkish Cypriots were encouraged – and in some cases, even forced by their leadership – to leave their villages in areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus and be given properties of Greek Cypriot refugees. This movement was facilitated by the British through their so-called sovereign base in Akrotiri, further affirming their ongoing role in the island’s division. This process was not legal and was simply another result of the violence of the time, the consequences of which persist to this day. Therefore, it will never be accepted. Ethnic cleansing could not considered as the basis of a solution to the Cyprus problem.
To this end the term “reunification” very often referred to as the task of a peace procedure is not adequate at all! Cypriots used to live in a unified society and this is the only way to ensure respect of human rights of all Cypriots and the European Acquis within European Union. Figure 1 illustrates relevant data for the ethnographic distribution of Cypriots at the time of independence (1960) (source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ commons/3/3c/Ethnographic_distribution_in_ Cyprus_1960.jpg).
Figure 1. The ethnographic distribution of Cypriots at the time of independence (1960)
The demographic change
As time passes, the situation is getting worse. The on-going colonization of the occupied part of the island and the resulting demographic change, the militarization and the islamization tend to change the island in an irreversible way. The problem worsened dramatically during the years, as Turkish Cypriots became a minority due to the mass importation of settlers from Turkey. This is confirmed by a series of demographic and statistical data. This, without question, constitutes a war crime and a crime against humanity, as specified by the Geneva Convention (1949) and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (1998). Meanwhile, all geographical names in the occupied area were changed in a manner that violates relevant UN principles. It is noteworthy to mention that geographical names had not been changed even during the three centuries of ottoman occupation of the island and it happened that even villages with 100% Turkish Cypriots inhabitants had not changed their names, in a number of cases ones of Christian Saints.
At this point it is important to remind all of what the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Hakan Fidan underlined when referring to Gaza last October indicating the need to use the correct terminology: “You invade in a man’s foreign land, you steal their house, you destroy it, you force them out and you put somebody else in their place. The appropriate terms to be used are colonization, theft, robbery, settlers… These are the terms to be used…”. The minister was referring to Gaza but it is obvious that if we are sincere, we need to be consistent.
According to the United Nations’ “Principles on Housing and Property Restitution for Refugees and Displaced Persons” – Pineiro principles, all refugees and displaced persons have the right to be reinstated in any house, land, or property from which they were unlawfully deprived.
Some environmental issues
The on-going destruction of Pentadaktylos mountain
Pentadaktylos is the limestone Mountain Range that separates the Mesaoria plains from the shores of Keryneia. It is engraved in our legends and history, being the natural fortress and observation point from dangers from our northern shores.
Unfortunately this beautiful mountain range is in danger of being irreversibly damaged. Scientists and Environmentalists have warned that if the uncontrolled quarrying of the Pentadaktylos mountain does not stop, soon the five peaks will start to disappear one by one. According to Mr Orhan Aydeniz, chairman of the Cyprus Foundation for Combating Soil Erosion and Reforestation and the Protection of Natural Habitats (“Cyprus Today”, November 2013: “The situation is critical. The … quarries are operating… in an unorganised, unsystematic manner… We can talk for another 20 years but soon we will have no mountain left. There won’t be five or four fingers left on the mountain. There will be nothing”. Photo 1 is quite characteristic.
Photo 1: Pentadaktylos mountain – A sample of the on-going destruction due to illegal quarrying activity
It seems that the number is up to 40 covering a total area of more than 2 million square meters. This brings an irreversible harm to the terrain and many species of flora and fauna included in the European Habitats Directive are at a high risk. There are various species that are included in the Red Codex of endangered endemic species of Cyprus. Οne of the plants is the national plant of Cyprus, the cyclamen. Another is the extremely rare and very beautiful Ophrys Kotschyi or Cyprus Bee-orchid.
The Pentadaktylos mountain range was included in the project for the management and protection of potential “Natura 2000” sites in the occupied part of Cyprus which was financed by the European Commission in the framework of Council Regulation 389/2006, with the consent of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus (see photo 2). 5 types of ecosystems according to the 92/43/EC Directive were identified here. 16 endemic species that are not found anywhere else in the world were identified. There are many fauna species in the area, 30 of which are identified in the Annex of the 79/409/EC Directive. 72 migratory birds have been sighted in the area and in all some 160 species that are internationally protected or endemic or rare or endangered species have been identified in this particular area. Further to the impact on the mountain and the environment as a whole, dust particles from the quarries close to residential areas cause air pollution and other health problems.
It seems that the ecological destruction is irreparable. The tragic consequences of quarrying have already appeared through the loss of vital habitats and rare species of flora and fauna are threatened with complete extinction. Certain species are unique and we get to see them only at the Pentadaktylos mountain range. The repousse of the terrain is irreversibly changing and many species of flora and fauna which can be found in the Pentadaktylos mountain range and which are also included in the European Direction for habitats are totally destroyed. Further to this, existing information refers to a project under study for the contruction of a tunnel of 5 km on the basis of Pentadaktylos.
Photo 2: Natura 2000 Network – the Study for Cyprus (2003)
In view of the above, there is a need for immediate action to protect this unique environmental site. All pressure should be put for an immediate termination of the illegal quarrying of the Pentadaktylos mountain range, in line with European and international environmental principles.
Karpassia peninsula in danger
The northern-eastern peninsula was inhabited by more than 20.000 Greek Cypriots even for some time after the invasion. Unfortunately due to the violence by the occupying regime and other pressure and difficulties imposed on them, their number was soon down to not more than
Photo 3: The front page of Avrupa reports on the environmental damage in Karpassia
200 people. For many years the regime did not allow for schools for the Greek Cypriot children, thus violating their right for education.
With regard to environmental issues, it is noteworthy that in the perspective of a solution and the implementation of the European Acquis all over Cyprus, the area was listed as potentially a Natura 2000 one. The whole area as well as others already mentioned above are under an environmental and ecological damage due to construction works, namely a big road, a marine, a nautical basis and a huge tourist infrastructure. This issue is directly related with the on-going usurpation of the properties of Greek Cypriots in these (and other) areas in the occupied part of the island. Photo 3 is relevant.
The property issue
The property issue is one of the crucial ones that could and should be addressed, even from today, not waiting for the solution. The latter will be negatively affected if the said aspect is not faced now. A catastrophic development took place in 1995; A so called “law” was put in to this is the so called “Settlement, Land Distribution and Equivalent Property (ΙΤΕΜ) Law” was put into force by the regime in the occupied part which opened the window for granting titles of the occupied Greek Cypriot properties to the users including settlers. Unfortunately, even progressive political organizations underestimated the impact this procedure could bring. This impact is not only political but social, economic and even cultural, affecting not only the ownership rights of Greeks Cypriots but also the everyday life of Turkish Cypriots. As time passed and despite a number of confidence building measures being in place, many parcels of land were sold to foreign investors –
Photo 4: The front page of the Turkish Cypriot newspaper “Avrupa” (date 23 April 2024); criticism against usurpation of Greek Cypriot properties in a number of places in the occupied part of Cyprus
Russians, Israelis, Iranians, Turks, and others – who built massive structures in violation of any environmental and town planning codes, and more significantly, the rights of the legal owners. This is how many places e.g. Trikomo, Ayios Ambrossios, Kazivera, Karavas, Kyrenia, Livera are heavily affected with huge constructions with developers, constructors, lawyers and others earning millions of euros as a product of theft and robbery.
Due to its importance, the topic was recently discussed in some of the monthly meetings of representative of Cypriot parties, both Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot, under the auspices of the Slovak Ambassador. In one of them (31 July 2024) the joint communique referred among others that “Any developments on the ground that may affect the solution of the Cyprus problem should be discouraged”. More recently in a meeting addressing the issue of usurpation of Greek Cypriot properties, the parties concluded in a joint communique where they considered that this “as a main issue which, as continued, affects fundamental human rights, tends to eliminate restitution — namely, as one of the agreed remedies for the property issue, thus deteriorating the nature of the solution to the Cyprus problem and the daily life of all Cypriots” (25 September 2024).
We consider that we need to move further on this discussion; not on the property issue in general and as a component of the Cyprus problem but focusing, in particular, on the on-going usurpation of the Greek Cypriot properties. This is a destructive development which tends to negatively and irreversibly predetermine the perspective of a democratic and sustainable solution to the Cyprus problem.
Stop the usurpation of properties
The consequences of the problem are addressed in a number of articles in Turkish Cypriot press throughout the whole political region (Avrupa, Yeni Duzen, Halkin Sesi). Photo 4 is relevant. How realistic is for a young couple to buy a small apartment or house? We
realise that difficulties appear in the areas under the control of the Republic; however, there is a significant difference which could not be forgotten: Ιn this case, this is the result of the so called development without affecting anybody’s property rights and without any impact on the solution of the Cyprus problem.
In short, today, the crime against humanity – the usurpation of Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas – not only remains the greatest fait accompli hindering the resolution of the Cyprus issue, but also serves as a tool for controlling and manipulating the political will of Turkish Cypriots who have become a minority due to demographic engineering. It affects their daily lives, from employment to traffic, from purchasing power to their children’s education, healthcare and other forms of socio-economic oppression.
What we ask from our European friends
The Cyprus Green Party – Citizens Cooperation believes that there is an urgent need for Cypriots to work together to end the usurpation of Greek Cypriot properties. This would serve as a critical confidence-building measure, enhancing the process toward a peaceful and democratic solution to the Cyprus problem. For those of us who support the perspective of a sincere and constructive dialogue between Cypriots underlining the need to be left free to manage for their future in this island.
Following the above comprehensive presentation of the property issue, we expect that our European friends will contribute to the awareness of European citizens and especially those who might be intended or interested in buying a property in the occupied part of Cyprus that, according to the law this may represent a crime and that the legal Greek Cypriot owner still has the right on the said property.
A common struggle towards the vision of a Liberated United Cyprus
Our views are based on the term included in the title: A United Cyprus – an independent country without foreign military troops, military bases and guarantees, with one sovereingty, one international identity, one citizenship, full respect of human and political rights for all Cypriots, a unified economy, a unified society and a unified ecosystem! Against a geographical separation of Cypriots based on their ethnicity and/or religion
Cyprus, our island as a whole is our common heritage. It is where we were born and raised, where our ancestors lived and prospered and worked so that their children could also live and prosper. We need to do the same now. We need to safeguard this island for the generations to come, that will hopefully be born and raised in a unified island, where everybody can reside and work freely and just be. I hope that you can all share this vision with me and will help in saving Cyprus for generations to come.
