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On 15
November 1983, the part of the territory of the
Republic of Cyprus which has been occupied by
Turkey since the 1974 invasion, unilaterally
declared itself independent.
The "Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus", as it calls itself,
is an unrecognised and illegal entity. It owes
its existence to the military and economic
support it receives from Turkey, the aggressor in
Cyprus. It was condemned by the UN Security
Council (Resolution 541 and 550), which declared
it legally invalid, called for its immediate
withdrawal and urged all states not to recognise
it. No country in the world except Turkey has
recognised it.
The Turkish invasion
and occupation forcibly divided the
internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus, a
sovereign and independent state. The dividing
line which cuts across the country has created a
physical and social barrier between the Greek and
Turkish Cypriot Communities.
Previously the two
communities had lived together harmoniously for
more than 300 years. In a blatant policy of
ethnic cleansing, almost two decades before the
term was coined, the invading troops forced the
Greek Cypriots out of their homes, turning a
third of the population into refugees. The
Turkish army still prevents these people from
returning to their homes. Moreover their houses
have been inhabited by Turkish Cypriots and
Turkish settlers, illegally transferred from
Turkey by the Denktash regime.
Over the years the
regime set up in the occupied area gradually
erased all evidence of Christian or Hellenic
civilisation. Greek place names, that had
survived Ottoman rule, have been given Turkish
substitutes. Churches have been destroyed or
turned into mosques and stables, ancient
monuments were left unprotected and artefacts
have been illegally removed and sold on the
international black art market. Nowadays the
occupied area is reminiscent of a Turkish
province.
As for the Turkish
Cypriots, they are now a minority. Unemployment
and unbearable living conditions have forced many
of them to leave the island. It is estimated that
since 1974 at least a third of the Turkish
Cypriot community has emigrated. With the
importation of over 115.000 settlers from Turkey
and an additional 35.000-strong Turkish army,
Turkish Cypriots are now vastly
outnumbered.
The unilateral
declaration of independence of the occupied part
of Cyprus is part of Turkey's long held
expansionist designs over the island aimed at
establishing a separate Turkish state here and
creating a homogeneous foothold under Turkey's
control.
The Greek and
Turkish Cypriot communities of Cyprus have proved
that they can live peacefully together, as they
have done for centuries. The dividing line
separating the two communities is an artificial
one, imposed by the presence of the Turkish
occupation forces. Urgent and substantive
measures must now be taken to bring an end to the
division of Cyprus, which is a blatant
anachronism and terminate the
occupation. |
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