The Futility of Political Games in Cypriot Diaspora Politics 

They say the public has a short memory but I remember even as a child reading about Labour supporting the Greek Cypriots while the Conservatives in turn backs the Turkish Cypriots, then from time to time they swap roles and the cycle has kept going for years and years. As a child this political favouritism used to cause me much anger and resentment. Today nothing has changed, like a political game British MPs still say what they have to not so much to achieve anything with regards to the Cyprus problem but at currying favour with local Greek or Turkish Cypriot voters. In fact you would think we were living in Cyprus with the endless lobbying, luncheons and dinners at London Cypriot restaurants where high cholesterol Souvlakis / Kebabs is always on the menu for those all too ‘friendly’ MPs. To book these tables, the competition between Greek and Turkish Cypriots in this political game is often so fierce that it causes some Cypriots to reach boiling point. But what does this game achieve? 

DIASPORA AND POLITICISATION

With the tables turned around, again, this week Greek Cypriots are upset with the Gordon Brown Labour government for an agreement it signed with Turkey, while three Turkish Cypriot community groups are angered y North London Conservative MP Teresa Villiers for what they regard as bias. The events are by no means new developments; rather they have coincided with the increased politicisation of the Cypriot diaspora in the late 20th and early 21st century in the UK. In the past decade alone each community has carried out specific campaigns against MPs they have viewed as bias while trying to lobby other MPs to repeat the process, but this time to irritate the ‘other’ Cypriot community. Names such as Pauline Green, Brian Coleman, and David Amess have appeared on the Turkish Cypriot blacklist, while Ken Maginnis, Ann Winterton and more recently Joan Ryan on the Greek Cypriot blacklist.  

POLITICALLY ACTIVE

Nevertheless while some British MPs who are politically active in the Cyprus problem as well as their own local British politics have good intention and no doubt desire to help bring about a lasting peace in Cyprus, there are those for whom personal gain is the main underlying reason. Often these could be property investments in Northern Cyprus, a large number of Greek or Turkish Cypriot constituents or a Christian Democratic dislike of having Muslim Turkey in the EU. And from a political view point, there is much to gain from lending support for what may seem like a worthwhile campaign supported by ones constituents, particularly if the ethnic minority community numbers 5-10% of the local population; this could prove quite gainful in gaining electoral support.

However, unlike the usual constituency issues in the UK, the Cyprus problem is very emotionally charged. In fact there are few British Cypriots who have not physically suffered the results of ethnic conflict. One would assume in such an emotionally charged issue like Cyprus, that British MPs would exercise some caution and avoid demonstrating any bias lest it risks upsetting real victims of that tragedy. Perhaps selfish to their own needs, this is something few British MPs have grasped. As if forced to choose one of the other, MPs who are politically active on behalf of one community frequently ignore the other.  

TERESA VILLIERS

This week MP Teresa Villiers faces this very charge by a group of Turkish Cypriots for stating on her website: “I was concerned to hear of the stalling of the Gambari process by the Talat administration but pleased to hear of the hard work being done by the President and his government in pressing for progress to be made.  “We also had the opportunity to discuss the continuing failure of Turkey to comply with the commitments it made to the EU to open up access for Cyprus shipping and aircraft to Turkish ports and airspace. “I believe that it is scandalous that Ankara still refuses to comply with the promises it has made.” By blaming Mr. Talat while supporting Mr. Papadopoulos, Ms Villiers may give the impression to some that she is throwing in her lot with the Greek Cypriots; she clearly makes no mention of legitimate Turkish Cypriot concerns.

Convinced that Ms Villiers is biased, the trio of community organisations also condemned her for her attendance of only Greek Cypriot events. The group writes in their letter to her: “The tale of Cyprus is a shared tragedy with both sides suffering enormous pain. “Rather than trying to bring the two sides together, events such as the overtly political and emotionally charged “Morphou rally” you attended deepens the gulf between the two Cypriot communities. “The confrontational atmosphere resonates negatively with the current residents of Morphou – themselves refugees from the South – who become aggrieved that only one side’s rights and needs are championed.”  
 

THE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

But each coin has two sides and meanwhile British Greek Cypriots in London are up in arms about the recent Strategic Partnership Agreement signed by British Prime Minister and Turkey aimed at ending Turkish Cypriot isolation, which they claim amounts to an upgrade of the TRNC. Greek Cypriots many of whom are refugees feel let down by a British government they see is supporting Turkey, the occupying power in Northern Cyprus. Greek Cypriots pose such legitimate questions as “what about the 200,000 Greek Cypriot refugees ‘isolated’ from their land and property in occupied northern Cyprus by the Turkish army?” Like Turkish Cypriots they too are infuriated.

Naturally to save its skin, the British Government tries to trivialize the Agreement by explaining to Greek Cypriots that they only recognise the Republic of Cyprus, which is controlled by Greek Cypriots but this is just another dimension of this political game. Cypriots from both communities now are up in arms but neither side realises that Britain is just protecting her strategic interests as a sovereign state.  
 

A CYPRIOT VOICE

Indeed Cypriots too much protect their strategic interests as a nation. But their failure to do so is neither Britain’s fault nor Turkey’s – this is merely the Blame Game. Rather the failure itself stems from the failure of Cypriots, whatever their language to enter dialogue and resolve their issues. Instead, each community plots and lobbies against each other in Britain as if trying to outflank the other. But can you solve the Cyprus problem a thousand miles away by outflanking the ‘other’ community with whom you aspire to coexist? Is this a panacea for peace or recipe for more war? Surely a strong and united Cypriot voice is more able to assert itself in the anarchical world of states than two communities in competition with another. Besides don’t you think those poor excessively over-lobbied English MPs have had enough of all those freebie high-cholesterol Cypriot Souvlakis / Kebabs? 

FOCUS ON ALL CYPRIOTS

Those British MPs who make the choice of supporting one community rather than supporting a more meaningful dialogue and forgiveness are not helping Cyprus at all but pitting one community against another. Helping to fuel resentment among the diaspora, these MPs are actually achieving very little. Considering how emotionally charged the Cyprus issue is I beg to ask why these British MPs who have can time on their hands to abandon their North London politics to concentrate on the ills of Cyprus cannot be politically active for all Cypriots. Rather than trying to balance Greek and Turkish Cypriot individual complaints why does the British government and opposition Conservative Party work together if they really care about Cyprus to encourage British Greek and Turkish Cypriots into discussions  rather than currying flavor with both simultaneously? Or are their political interests more important?