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Cyprus: Existence in a Divided Island of Contrasts
The past and present of Cyprus interwoven with personal memories and anecdotes of the poet and writer Neşe Yaşın
by Luise Meerheim
"My father says: Do you love your fatherland? My fatherland has been split in half, which part must I love?" – Neşe Yaşın
Cyprus, often touted as the European island paradise, is paradoxically one of the most militarized places on Earth. This article explores the intricate history and current state of the island, highlighting the deep-rooted division between its Greek-speaking Orthodox majority and the Turkish-speaking Muslim minority. As we explore this complex history, the article intertwines historical insights with the poignant personal narratives of Neşe Yaşın, a poet and writer who lived through the tumultuous events that shaped Cyprus and has been the first Turkish Cypriot to run for the parliament of the Republic of Cyprus in 2006.
A History of Coexistence, Colonial Intervention and Escalating Conflicts
After 400 years of peaceful coexistence between Turks and Greeks, Great Britain colonised the island in 1925. The British colonial dominion used a divide et impera strategy to fuel conflicts among the two communities, positioning themselves as mediators. This tactic aimed to create dependency and prevent a united front against foreign domination. The consequences of this plan manifested dramatically after Cyprus regained its independence and had to face several socio political crises, some of them still not solved. Makarios, the first President of Cyprus after the end of colonial rule, pursued an independent policy, while many Greeks on the island preferred the union with Greece. Simultaneously, there were different positions within the Turkish population, with some advocating for cooperation and an independent Cyprus, and others supporting separation. Tensions between the two ethnic groups escalated, leading to an intra-Cypriot civil war between 1963 and 1964. A climax of these disputes was the Bloody Christmas, during which Greek nationalists killed many Turkish Cypriots and imposed blockades around Turkish Cypriot enclaves, cutting off residents from vital resources.
I clearly remember the Bloody Christmas events. I remember the day all the villagers gathered in our house. Everybody was terrified. We did not have much food. When I wanted to go upstairs to pick my dolls, I saw men with guns in their hands.” ~ Neşe Yaşın
The Explosive Year of 1974
The tensions did not diminish and in 1974, the powder keg exploded with a coup by Greek nationalists against President Makarios, triggering Turkey’s occupation of the north. This event led to the founding of the Turkish Federate State of Cyprus and later to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, that is just recognized as a sovereign state by Turkey itself.
“ My beautiful island has become a place of crimes and illusions. I started writing poems about the war in Cyprus.” - Neşe Yaşın
The residents that lived in ethnical mixed villages were forced to leave. Greek Cypriots fled to the southern part of the island, Turkish Cypriots to the north - an ethnic segregation occurred, leading to an enduring social and cultural isolation between the two communities.
Neşe Yaşın and her family were also forced to move from the once mixed village they lived in, Peristerona. They relocated to Katakopia and received the house of Greek Cypriots who had been resettled to the southern part of the island.
“ I will never forget the moment we entered this house. The owners of the house were staring at us. I felt we were like thieves. What I experienced was a big shock. The idea in my mind that we were the victims and Greek Cypriots the perpetrators had changed. Then I realised that the other side of the island was not accessible anymore. Peristerona was now a village further than the stars. The invasion in 1974 changed the whole paradigm for Cyprus in my mind. I realised that evil does not have a nationality.” - Neşe Yaşın
Two Realities of Life: North vs. South
In 1964, the United Nations deployed peacekeeping troops along the Green Line that divides the island. The border crossing remained impassable until April 23, 2003.
No permission to cross
in reality it is the traces of hope which disappear
days spent in longing have turned to grief
Don’t wait for me
in the other cell of sorrow
~ Neşe Yaşın
Since then, that conflict has not been resolved, in fact only a ceasefire exists between the northern and southern parts of the island. While the southern part of the island is still advertised as a holiday paradise in tourism magazines, the capital of Cyprus, Nicosia, paints a completely different picture of reality: it is the last divided capital in the world. Barriers, barbed wire, and a UN-established buffer zone still exist. Within this demilitarised zone, time has stood still since 1974: abandoned houses where people who had to flee left behind all their possessions, without the premonition of never being able to return. A popular example of this is the city Varosha. Before 1974 it was a thriving holiday paradise that invited tourists from all over the world to swim and relax. What’s left of it today? Cement ruins, empty cafes, hotels without holidaymakers, restaurants without guests. A ghost town that has never recovered from 1974.
The division transcends physical barriers. The north, occupied by Turkey and unrecognised internationally, operates as a separate entity with its language, government, military, time zone, currency, and school system. Although the northern part of the island is not recognized under international law as a sovereign state, Turkey is in control of the area: it provides the mobile phone network for almost the entire population, is responsible for water supply and infrastructure. Settlement policy and economic investment have turned the northern part of Cyprus into a kind of Turkish province.
Challenges to Reconciliation
Intergenerational trauma stemming from massacres and hostilities after 1960 hinders reconciliation. Many still mourn loved ones lost in the conflict, with people on both sides still missing. The strategic importance of Cyprus, both historically as a trading hub and presently with significant natural gas deposits, adds complexity to the prospect of reconciliation. Despite these obstacles, lots of people still engage in reconciliation attempts.
“ I believe that the most important hope is the human potential in Cyprus. On both sides we have an important number of people who believe in a United Cyprus and to a mutual existence on the island.” ~ Neşe Yaşın
