Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman is lashing out at the Greek Cypriot side and the international community, in response to Nicosia’s diplomatic interventions to cancel events and festivals in the occupied territories in which a delegation from Barcelona and a Serbian music production company were to participate.
In a lengthy post on his personal Facebook account, Mr. Erhurman speaks of a two-pronged attack aimed at making “the Turkish Cypriots invisible,” Turkish Cypriots, attributed the actions to pre-election maneuvering, and sent an indirect message to the President of the Republic, Nicos Christodoulides, with whom he has agreed to hold weekly meetings aimed at restarting the dialogue on a solution to the Cyprus problem, stating:
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
“I speak my mind while looking my interlocutors in the eye—and I will continue to do so. Anyone who believes in what they say should say it while looking me in the eye.”
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Read a translation of Erhurman’s message from ChatGPT:
For us, neither “Barcelona,” nor the “festival,” nor the attempts to block the informational meeting held by Mr. Mehmet Dana in the buffer zone for the ambassadors are open issues. These are matters that have occurred, been concluded, and closed. The same applies both to the “legal” initiatives regarding property and to the unilateral and biased decisions of the European Parliament, particularly on the issue of missing persons.
Whatever the reason may have been for the Greek Cypriot leadership’s attempt to prevent the meeting with the ambassadors, if it was indeed argued that the meeting should not have taken place for that specific reason, then the fact that the ambassadors participated sufficiently demonstrates that this reason was considered by the international community to be neither legitimate nor worthy of consideration.
Although the talks are continuing, the Greek Cypriot leadership states that it will continue its efforts to render the Turkish Cypriots invisible. We, too, as long as the talks continue, will continue both to counter these efforts and to work to make our people visible.
These efforts have both visible and invisible aspects—and will continue to do so.
There is a two-pronged effort to force the Turkish Cypriots, who are one of the two equal founding partners of this island, to walk away from the negotiating table and cut off all communication with the international community and international organizations. The two sides, as always, are playing into each other’s hands. In the south, the Turkish Cypriots are seeking to walk away from the table so they can continue to portray themselves as “the wronged side that desires a solution.” In the north, on the other hand, some want “our people to walk away from the table, for the lack of a solution to be considered a solution, for us to remain isolated forever, for our children not to have to meet with the outside world—that way, we’re just fine.”
The common ground on which they agree is to render Turkish Cypriots invisible and prevent their contact with the world. Our people know that, just as we have done until now, we will not submit to either side in the future either.
Turkish Cypriots are equal to Greek Cypriots. Anyone—whether Greek Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot, an international organization, or a representative—who does not accept this should know that our paths cannot cross anywhere. And international organizations must understand that we do not live in the past. “But you, too, did this or that in the past…” No. No one needs to teach us that the world is not fair. We have paid—and continue to pay—the price. But we have not, and will not, surrender to the normalization of injustice.
The backbone is important. But I think everyone knows that the brain and the heart are just as important. And it is well known that where there is no brain and no heart, the spine alone means nothing—it cannot even show a sign of life.
Let no one expect us to unwittingly support efforts to render Turkish Cypriots invisible by cutting off all their international contacts, freezing every process, and declaring “I won’t speak with this or that person, I won’t engage in dialogue, I won’t engage in diplomacy,” and appearing supposedly unwavering, while in reality we remain stuck in our position.
They have mobilized from every direction to undermine the morale and psychology of the Turkish Cypriots. This is to be expected. Because their comfort zones have been disrupted. Now the cards will be reshuffled.
Let everyone use all the means at their disposal. The Turkish Cypriot people have been fighting for their very existence on this island since 1878. Let no one dare to underestimate the experience, accumulated knowledge, and human potential of this people. The struggle is not waged in Sarayonu Square by exchanging sound bites. The struggle is waged on the battlefield—and that is where it is being waged today.
The battlefield has already been set. Those who won’t lift even a finger, who aren’t even aware of their mission, are content to verbally attack others and say “we’re just fine this way”—have no place on the battlefield from the perspective of the Turkish Cypriot people. How could it be any clearer than this?
It’s election season—the winds of election are blowing in both the north and the south. Of course, everyone needs to make a name for themselves, speak out, and be seen. I understand that. But let’s be clear: elections come and go; the Turkish Cypriot people’s struggle for survival does not end.
This people entrusted me with a mission ten months ago. I still have more than four years left in my term. My promise to my people is that I will never abandon their rights, their security, and their equality on this island, nor will I ever allow them to be rendered invisible or cut off from the world. My word is my bond.
I speak my word while looking my interlocutors in the eye—and I will continue to do so. Whoever believes in their word should speak it while looking me in the eye.
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The latest developments, however, have put Mr. Erhurman in the opposition’s crosshairs in the occupied territories, where he is accused of inaction and procrastination, regarding steps he could have taken to prevent the diplomatic successes of the Christodoulides government. A case in point is the article in Kibris Postasi, which poses a host of questions to the Turkish Cypriot leader:
- What actions did the “presidency” take prior to Barcelona’s final decision?
- What will you do to prevent similar cancellations in the future?
- What does your commitment to making Turkish Cypriots more “visible” internationally mean in practice?
- What criteria will you use to assess whether your policy toward the international community is yielding results?
