Census takes place in the occupied North

Turkish Cypriot authorities have this week carried out a census of the population in the occupied North. The government of RoC has refused in advance to recognize the results of the census ... describing it as unreliable as it aims to legitimize the illegal settlers from Turkey. Preliminary results of the census, according to (the “Prime Minister of TRNC”) Mr. Ferdi Sabit Soyer, indicate a 31% increase of the population in the breakaway Northern statelet, compared to the results of the last census carried out ten years ago. Here is an article from the Cyprus Weekly that delves into the recent census and the issue of Turkish settlers in greater detail:

Legitimising the war crime of ethnic cleansing

Ethnic cleansing and the consequent deliberate changing of the demographic status of a territory under foreign occupation through the introduction of settlers from the occupying power are both war crimes.

This is an undisputed fact of international law. In the case of Cyprus it is also undisputed that Turkey, as the power occupying north Cyprus, and as such responsible for everything that happens there, is guilty of these twin war crimes: the ethnic cleansing of the Greek Cypriot population of the north and its recplacement by settlers from Turkey.

In a move clearly designed to ``legitimise’’ the presence of the illegal settlers, Turkey and the illegal breakaway state staged a census there this week in which the settlers were counted as members of the Turkish Cypriot population of the region.

As expected, Mehmet Ali Talat defended this trickery saying it was wrong to claim this was designed to legitimise the settlers. The leader of the illegal state went as far as to declare that the census was perfectly legal, conducted on the basis of ``internationally recognised norms". ``There was nothing to hide’’ and ``no need to prove anything to anyone,’’ on the issue of the settlers, who are legitimate citizens of the breakaway state he said.

He further assured the settlers that they had nothing to fear as they were equal citizens to the Turkish Cypriots and that there was no attempt to distinguish them in any way.

Myths

Ferdi Sabit Soyer, the ``prime minister’’ of the breakaway state was even more forthright. He said the census would end what he referred to as ``the myths’’ about the north’s demography. ``We have no need to trick anyone,’’ he said.

What is even more astounding about this situation is that Talat, when he was in opposition, made the presence of the settlers one of the main points of criticism of Rauf Denktash, the then leader of the Turkish Cypriots. Talat attended public rallies then that demanded the withdrawal of the settlers, arguing that they were outnumbering the native Turkish Cypriots with whom they were unable to assimilate!

Following his election and his full dependence on Ankara for survival, Talat has now changed his tune completely, maintaining there is nothing wrong with the presence of the settlers.

But this wrong, or guilt, is fully attested by the numerous United Nations General Assembly and Security Council resolutions and judgements of the Human Rights Court of the Council of Europe. The resolutions and the judgements demand an end to this continuous war crime through the withdrawal of the illegal Turkish mainland settlers and the return of the ethnically cleansed Greek Cypriot refugees to their homes and properties that have been usurped by the settlers.

Eternal shame

Turkey contemptuously rejects both the UN resolutions and the Court judgements. What is most regrettable about this situation is that the international community, and more specifically the United States and the European Union, which are in a position to influence, even pressure, Turkey, to end this continuous war crime against Cyprus and the Greek Cypriot population by complying with the UN resolutions and the Court judgements, choose to do nothing, to their eternal shame.

Not only that, the EU is even considering Turkey as a prospective member of the Union without insisting that it should, at the very least, first become law-abiding by complying with the Court judgements and the UN resolutions. The United States at the same time are exerting as much pressure as they can on the EU to accept Turkey as a full member!

It is hardly surprising that Turkey has become so emboldened by this toleration of its continuing war crimes in Cyprus that it brazenly declares it has done nothing wrong.

No squeak

What is hard to understand about this situation is the lack of a dynamic reaction by the Cyprus government. One would have expected a major continuing campaign to inform the world, and to demand concrete action by the international community, about the continuing Turkish war crimes.

Such a campaign would be even more effective if the ethnic cleansing crime was linked to the equally hideous deliberate action by Turkey to wipe out the Hellenistic and Christian cultural heritage of the occupied north. Like the influx of the settlers, this is also continuing unabated through the deliberate desecration and desruction of Christian churces and ancient Greek sites in an attempt to create the impression that north Cyprus has no Greek or Christian links!

This truly abominable, deliberate uncivilised action by Turkey should prove more than enough for the European Union, which is so anxious about the protection of its cultural heritage, to tell Turkey bluntly it has no hope whatever of joining it, unless it acts in a civilised manner in Cyprus by correcting as soon as possible all the wrongs for which it is fully responsible.

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Cypriot journalist fears legal action from Ankara

On Tuesday, i had mentioned that Turkey's chief prosecutor is seeking charges against Mr. Serhat Incirli, a columnist for the Turkish Cypriot daily AFRIKA, for insulting the Turkish Republic. Here is an update to this story from the Cyprus Weekly. Please note: There is a misprint in this article. The article states Kutlu Adali died on July 6, 1006. His real date of death was on July 6, 1996.

Update: The Cyprus Weekly misprint has been corrected. Below is the full article in its entirety.

Turkey riled over columnists criticism of double standards over Cyprus and the Kurds

By Menelaos Hadjicostis

Ankara is set to drag a Turkish Cypriot columnist before a Turkish court in unprecedented legal action that may signal a “dangerous” escalation in the persecution of dissenting voices in the occupied north.

No formal charges have yet been laid against London-based columnist Serhat Incirli, 38, who writes for independent daily Afrika.

But Turkish Cypriot police have questioned Incirli’s parents at their home in the north, seeking the columnist’s London address and telephone numbers.

Turkish Cypriot ‘prime minister’ Ferdi Sabit Soyer confirmed to reporters Turkey’s Attorney General is preparing a case against Incirli.

He said Ankara wants to file charges against Incirli for two of his articles published in Afrika that were deemed as a “direct insult” to the Republic of Turkey.

If the trial does go ahead, it would be the first time that a Turkish Cypriot journalist is tried in a Turkish court – a development Incirli said would mark a “dangerous” turn in how Ankara suppresses dissent in the north.

Numerous Turkish Cypriot journalists charged in the past with insulting the Turkish state have had their case tried in Turkish proxy courts in the north.

Incirli implied Turkey’s return to hardball tactics in stifling domestic dissent could embolden extremist elements both on the mainland and occupied Cyprus to revert to targeted killings.

“Turkish Cypriots could be targetted for assassination,” Incirli told The Cyprus Weekly from his London office.

The most infamous case of a Turkish Cypriot journalist assassinated for his political views was that of Yeni Duzen columnist Kutlu Adali who was gunned down in front of his house in occupied Nicosia on July 6, 1996.

Moreover, Incirli suggested a precedent-setting trial would make Turkish Cypriots easier scapegoats for Ankara to vent its mounting frustration over Turkey’s increasingly troubled EU entry bid as it reaches boiling point.

Incirli said the trial would also lay bare a burgeoning rift between Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot community over Turkish policy as regards Cyprus reunification efforts.

“I always believed that Turkey wants to opposite of what the Turkish Cypriots want…A trial would show that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots have no common interests,” said Incirli.

Incirli said he “had no idea” why Ankara is preparing to sue him, but he suspects it pertains to his harsh criticism of Turkey’s double standards over Cyprus and its own long-standing Kurdish problem.

He said Ankara openly favours the partition of Cyprus, but it quashes any discussion over Kurdish demands for heightened autonomy within its own borders.

“Turkey wants the division of Cyprus - they like it. But it’s hypocritical to want that and not talk about the rights of Kurds,” said occupied Pentayia-born Incirli.

Ankara’s legal backlash is likely owed to a hard swing to the right by the embattled administration of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan who’s under increasing pressure amid growing unrest among he country’s Kurdish minority and his Cyprus woes with the EU.

In a recent article, Newsweek International noted Erdogan’s “sharp lurch toward old-fashioned Turkish nationalism” in a bid to woo back young voters ahead of elections set for as early as this November.

The news magazine said Erdogan recently instructed senior officials from his Islamic Justice and Development Party (AKP) “to play up nationalism” to get back voters increasingly disaffected with what they perceive EU meddling in Turkish domestic affairs.

Incirli said: “Nationalism is the worst illness in the world.”

Incirli – who said he has been “harassed” by Turkish officials through his entire 15-year professional career as a journalist – said he has learned Ankara is upset over two of his articles, but doesn’t know exactly which ones.

He said he faces his trip to the north this week for professional reasons with plenty of trepidation because he doesn’t know how he’s going to be treated by Turkish Cypriot ‘police’.

Incirli, who holds a Republic of Cyprus passport, pondered the legal ramifications of Turkey trying a citizen of an EU-member country it doesn’t recognise.

In an editorial, Afrika Editor-in-Chief Sener Levent asked whether Turkey would treat Incirli the same as it did famed Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk who was sued for insulting the state.

The Cyprus Journalists’ Union has dispatched protest letters to international journalists’ organisations demanding action to thwart the legal action against Incirli.

Levent, long a magnet for official persecution over his writings, was arrested in 2001 for allegedly spying for Greek Cypriots. He was set free following a global outcry.

Extremists have also targeted Afrika, with the paper’s printing press having been bombed twice. No one has ever been charged in connection with those bombings.

The extremist paramilitary group “Grey Wolves” has in the past issued numerous death threats against the paper’s writers.

Χριστός Ανέστη!

Orthdodox Christian Cypriots light candles in Panagia Fanromeni church located in the divided capital of Nicosia, Cyprus.




Greek Orthodox pilgrims hold candles with the holy light after an Easter eve mass at the Great Meteoron monastery in Meteora, central Greece April 23, 2006.