In 21st century Britain, where diasporic Turkish Cypriots live in their hundreds of thousands, enjoying the many freedoms that Britain grants us, there are some marginalised Turkish Cypriot groups who have yet to comprehend debate and freedom of expression, pillars of British society. But pluralistic debate and open discussion is key to the development of each and every community, and this applies as much to Turkish Cypriots as other communities. How else can we as a community resolve our problems both here and in Cyprus unless we can at the very least talk about it? And faced with coercision, threats and campaigns how can each of us voice our own concerns in such an undemocratic climate? 

EXPECTATION

There is an expectation by some in the Turkish Cypriot community that if you are a Turkish Cypriot then you must act like a Turkish Cypriots at every level and support the community political position. Whether you subscribe to the view being taken or not, your birth as a Turkish Cypriot is all that is considered. Doubtless this expectation exists in the Greek Cypriot community too. But in how many global communities is there absolute consensus on any issue. And is it acceptable nowadays to summon members of a community to act or speak in a certain way; we are not living in the Middle Ages of witch hunts or in a Totalitarian state – we are living in a Western liberal democracy.

This expectation was a common element of Italian fascism in the 1930s where it was commonplace for the Italian Black Shirts led by Benito Mussolini to try to silence opposition, through intimidation or coercion. Shops were punished by having their windows broken if they supported the wrong political party. Individuals would be personally attacked for their views and their properties destroyed. Fascist Militia would routinely ‘teach a lesson’ to the ‘Red menace’ and in fact anybody who deviates from the way of thinking they expect of you.  If you did not know what position hat was, they would soon remind you in their own way. 

NO SUCH THING AS NEUTRALITY

N accordance with the above way of thinking it is believed that there is no such position as neutrality. Individuals are regarded as secondary with the interests of the state coming first. In some people’s eyes this state is not the Republic of Cyprus but the TRNC entity. To be a Turkish Cypriot by birth in their eyes means that you are a citizen of the TRNC. It is as if the two are synonymous. Is this way of thinking not why young third generation British Turkish Cypriot men must do military service? It burdens young British Turkish Cypriots with a false responsibility that by virtue of birth they must defend the TRNC.

But this narrow vision does not sit well with young university educated, free thinking Turkish Cypriots either here or in Cyprus. Livings in a multi cultural society in the UK, where the press is generally free (freer than in Northern Cyprus) Turkish Cypriots have been educated to question everything around them. For them now it is entirely normal to discuss issues as transparently as possible. This is a development in our community that we ought not to hinder but one which we must be proud of. Moreover, for the further development of ideas is it not correct that looking at issues with a cold objective eye is far more meaningful than towing the official line? 
 
 

LABELLING

As you would expect with such a rigid argument, when an individual deviates from the official or pre-defined way of behaving and thinking he or she is then labeled accordingly with the intention to discredit the individual.

For example, when Turkish Cypriot Trade Unionist Ali Erel and Mustafa Damdelen take the Republic of Cyprus to court to regain Turkish Cypriot voting right in that state to empower our community, they are faced with charges of treachery for recognising the Republic of Cyprus, a state recognised by over 193 countries in the world. The charges are astonishing considering that most Turkish Cypriots are citizens of this state and hold passports for this state, are they all traitors as well?

Renowned Turkish Cypriot poet Neshe Yashin too faced the charge of treachery for standing as a candidate for EDI, a political party in the Republic during the last legislative election, her accusers failed to mention that Neshe marshalled thousands of votes from Greek Cypriots Nicosians. According to a Cyprus Mail report: “Yasin became the subject of abuse by ultra-nationalist media in the north and Turkey, mainly the far-right wing newspaper Volkan and Rauf Denktash’s circle, which accused her of being a ‘traitor and a prostitute.” 
 

CREATING A POLITICALLY TENSE SITUATION

A further way to silence free speech is to set a false ‘accepted terminology,’ with its application by ordinary community members strictly ensured by self-styled political militarists. Often the person targeted is led to believe that there is politically tense situation because of his or her writing, when in fact there is not.

To give you a clearer idea, according to this ‘acceptable’ terminology, a Turkish Cypriot must not call Tassos Papadopoulos, the President of Cyprus. It’s acceptable if 193 countries in the world recognise him as such but not acceptable for a Turkish Cypriot.

The classical argument is that as a Turkish Cypriot you are demoting the TRNC and therefore political equality by referring o the Republic of Cyprus as such. But in fact, by doing so you are not necessary undermining Mehmet Ali Talat who is the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community nor are you disrupting a collective political stance; there is no collective opinion in our community – there is diverse opinion. And how can you demote a state that does not exist? If anything by acknowledging the Republic of Cyprus, by recognising its institutions and its head of state, this puts you in a position to reform this state from within.

Still recognition of the Republic of Cyprus is an issue for some members of our community, it need not be, sometimes Turkey herself is forced to de recognise the TRNC in order to recognise to some degree the Republic, Customs Union Agreement anyone?  

COERCISION, CAMPAIGNS AND THREATS

Attacks on freedom of expression and association are sadly but alarmingly as commonplace in our community. Regressive for any community, writers, journalists, trade unionists and intellectuals in Northern Cyprus have been put under both psychological pressure and systematic intimidation by small groups of extremists. Recently, the printing offices of Afrika Newspaper in Nicosia were bombed while its journalists who do not toe the official line face repeated threats to their lives as do progressive intellectuals and politicians outside Afrika. International award-winning Journalist Sevgul Uludag has also been the target of extremists in recent times. Not so long ago too, my colleague Serhat Incirli too was targeted by  extremists who put pressure on the TRNC administration, which in turn applied pressure on his employers to try to fire him. Unaware of UK legislation and laws regarding unfair dismissal, one TRNC official who had probably been harassed by extremists barked: “sack this dog.”  
 
 

NEED FOR A DEMOCRATIC CLIMATE

Our intolerance of diverse opinions within our own community is our handicap and will only isolate us further. Freedom loving honest people, with their integrity in tact have no need to fear the opinions of others. Debates and free discussion enables community’s to construct ideas and policies with the will to and provide a bright future for community members.  On a personal level, debating can also add to the person you are. It can make you think about issues that you might not have ever thought of before, reinforce or challenge your opinions and help you practice skills that you will need in life. Leaving Cyprus and our close knit community aside, how do we cope in life in Britain if we cannot even debate and discuss issues among ourselves?