Nationalism – Εθνικισμος – Milliyetçilik

Nationalism – Εθνικισμος – Milliyetçilik

I will say a few bitter words here. I know that some of you will be offended. Some of you might even stop talking to me, and some of you might get angry. But I’ve learned in my life not to hide behind my finger. And to express my opinion openly regardless of the issues. I will use the words, “Motherlands”, “Nation”, “Nationality”, and others , even though I know some of you don’t like them, ( or hate them). So here are my thoughts.

I’ve notice, around, a few people that want to prove that they are more “Cypriots”  than anybody else.  And to do this they attack and accuse their own origins, just to show that they are completely separated and independent from their “motherland”.   Some G/C say that our country is  still separated , because we don’t want to admit that we are a complete different nation from Greece , that we are “Pure Cypriots” and not GreekCypriots, and all the problems originate from anything Greek. Same applies to the T/C . They want to prove that they are not originated from Turkey , but they “appear” suddenly here in Cyprus and they have nothing in common with Turkey’s Turks. And they attack their “motherland” with words that I can not write here.

The situation is simple. NOBODY can falsify history! Nobody can deny , as much as he tries, as much as he shouts , that the G/C are descendants of the Ancient Greeks who colonized the island 1-2 thousands years ago. That’s why we speak Greek , and that’s why we have in our verbal speech remnants of the ancient Greek words. History says so.

Similar things apply for our T/C compatriots. Nobody can deny that they are descendants of the army that conquer the island back in the 16^th century. Including colonists from Asia Minor. History says this.

Of course , during the years our national identity changed. With the interaction between us , and the interaction of other people who conquer or came to the island (Venetians, Francs, Maronites, British) our behavior and our habits and customs changed. Even our language changed. G/C got loans from the Turkish language  and T/C the opposite. Same with our customs. T/C make “Gollifa” , some even eat pork, they make “flaounes”. G/C took the “oriental” behavior from T/C. Pazari is in our blood now. And so on, making us all having more  similarities to each other , than to our original motherlands. This is our “Cypriotism”

Even with all these qualities and similarities, we are NOT a single nation. We are Cypriots coming from two separate ethnic groups. And there is no need to make a new “nationality” to accommodate us.

So how we go from here? The answer is extremely simple. There has to be a MUTUAL respect and understanding between the two communities. There has to be respect for each other’s “sensitivities”. There has to be cooperation. And most of it there has to be TRUST between the people. There is no need to delete our past to make a common future. As long as we accept each other with their faults and their achievements, the future is ours to conquer!

Falsifying our past to keep a few  people satisfied is the greatest mistake. Being proud of our separate pasts  and looking forward to a common future is the key to solution and reunification…

Andreas Soudjis – Electronic Engineer