Dragan and I ( Percin ) attended the breakfast policy meeting that was organised by European Policy Center. Turkish Cypriot Leader Mehmet Ali Talat was invited as the speaker for this briefing.
The topics discussed by Mr. Talat were civic dialogue, womens role, the relationship between the two sides, trade, the EU, human migration, his point of view in two sides in Cyprus in general, civil society, Turkish & British troops and religious contacts.
I have asked Mr Talat the question about how he sees the contribution of youth and youth associations in that matter and how he supports this work by organisations. After a long answer, his most memorable sentence was ' Cyprus needs youth '
After the conference, me and Dragan had the chance to approach Mr. Talat and inform him about the Spring AGORA 2009 in Magusa and the general works of AEGEE.
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Q: 'contribution of youth'?
ReplyDeleteA: 'Cyprus needs youth'!
How courageous was it to ask this question and how surprising the answer.
Nobody indeed questions why Cyprus should be ethnically segregated, and will remain so. No vision is brought forward that sees anything other than the continuation of "community" separation and Turkish occupation of this island, just that the name of the status quo might be changed to "confederation" in order to cash in from the past slaughters.
I don't really blame you being careful in a political minefield, but I do find it disgusting that there is not even the attempt to do something else than pandering to the powerful.
Ah, well. The Agora will be held in 'Mağusa'not in Αμμόχωστος, in English Famagusta, which stopped to exist with the expulsion of its vast majority Greek Cypriot population. Who cares about past atrocities, human rights abuses, or a vision for the future that does not include nationalist delusions.
Arrange yourself with the current powers of the "TRNC" and help them legalising their racket, the ethnic cleansing and Anatolian settlements, the Turkish Generals will be thankful.
But don't expect people to believe that you take "One Europe" serious when you advance nationalism and tribalism.
Cyprus is in Europe and AEGEE did and should address a problem which is now in the political sphere of Europe.
ReplyDeleteAEGEE can do it in wide variety of ways. They can keep their hands away, turn their head away and watch Turks/Greeks/Cypriots continue blaming each other. They can hope and pray that politicans solve the problem so that AEGEE can enjoy its "clean and safe" game in a clean and safe environment.
OR, they can play their role, support the Mağusa students who have been in AEGEE network for more than 10 years now. Students who have actively been advocating European integration and reconciliation on the island.
Yes, I used Mağusa. And I have nothing against Ammochostos or Famagusta. Traditionally, major towns in Cyprus have three names. One English, one Greek and one Turkish. Even the officially recognized Republic of Cyprus issue official documents that use "Mağusa" in Turkish.
I feel sorry for the people who had to flee their homes during the war. Turkish Cypriots were forced to do this three times before 1974 and Greek Cypriots once, in 1974. I feel sorry for all of them.
I'm utterly convinced that you can present me a long list of attocrities committed by the Turks in the mid 1970s and then I could use the abundant sources to slam you with another long list that includes attocrities committed by the Greek Cypriots in the 1960s and 70s. And this will take us nowhere.
Honestly, I am really fed up with people who "are against everything" and have no progressive vision other than rejecting everything in a one-sided, biased, nationalistic or romantic way. I am equally (may I borrow your terminology?) "disgusted" by Greeks/Turks/Cypriots who flood inboxes with flames and gives no credit to people who are brave enough to take steps.
Yes, I agree that we need relevant people, communities and nations to accept their mistakes, acknowledge their wrong-doings, apologize for the crimes committed against each other and start healing the wounds. But, hey, this will not happen automatically by itself. We need visionary, idealistic and progressive people to take steps.
And believe me, we don't need short-sided history experts to attack those idealists.
AEGEE can be and should be blamed for many things that it has and hasn't done since its estabishment. And if there are few things that all AEGEEas should be proud of, its achievement and vision in Cyprus is on the top of the list.
I don't know what you understand from "One Europe". But for me it means people with different cultures coexisting together and addressing their common problems in empathy.
So if you expect some empathy - you better start showing some.