Reality Behind Greek Cypriot Spoilness Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyanni expressed surprise at a poll showing that 73 percent of the Turks like Greeks

. I wonder what those who wrote about the rise in nationalism and endemic lynching attempts in Turkey said about this poll. In my opinion, that is what matters. The barkings of those who do not know their own nation and culture go beyond borders. Even the independence of Greece came after Europe interfered in the internal affairs of the Ottoman Empire. Greek villagers and gangs had declared war on anything Turkish just like today’s Greek Cypriot leaders are doing. Around 25,000 Turks were killed in Mora. The revolt spread to Romania and thousands of Turks were killed in this religion-based nationalistic uprising. If the Greeks had not been supported by external forces, local revolts would have been enough for the establishment of Greece. The Hellenistic wave dominated the whole of Europe in the wake of the Greek revolts. Blood flowed like water in these revolts, which Europeans condoned for the sake of idealism. And even those who were killed and banished were Muslims. Britain, France and Russia formed an alliance and secretly declared war on the Ottoman Empire. They formally declared their allegiance by destroying the Ottoman fleet at Navarino in 1827. Russia occupied Ottoman lands in Europe and defeated the Ottoman army. The Ottoman Empire was forced to accept the independence of the Greek Kingdom. The Greeks based their revolt against the nation state on the Byzantine Empire. They regarded the Byzantine Empire as the continuation of the Greek religion and culture. And Istanbul was its capital. Thanks to Europe’s unrivalled military power Serbia and Romania were established. Muslims were also massacred in these countries. Like Greece, Serbia became a homogeneous society where nationalistic movements based on emotions could flourish easily. Years later, Serbia proclaimed its long-suppressed hatred by killing Bosnians. And most recently, Muslims were massacred in the Bosnia-Herzegovina war in the heart of Europe. Again Europe was a spectator and Russia’s supporter. Russian Panslavism was also on the rise again. In all these events, Europe was the one that forced and pressured the Ottoman Empire and Turkey. European countries pressured the Ottomans to end the civil war and to grant privileges to rebels. This was the case with the Kurdish issue. What a coincidence! The Ottomans fulfilled what was demanded of them at that time. The Turks were always the compromising and cooperating side. In spite of this, Serbs continued their revolt and it was quashed by force. Also in Bulgaria, nationalists killed over 1,000 Muslims. European newspapers, which did not report this massacre, are continuing the same tradition today. It is difficult to find objective news reports on Islam and Muslims. Islam is good ammunition for a bad image. Schools established by nationalists became very influential both in the Ottoman Empire and in newly-founded countries which seceded from the empire. In order to achieve their goals, nationalists made use of the Ottoman policy that permitted every religious group to teach and study its religion. The Ottomans, abiding steadfastly by their policies, became vulnerable to dissensions. They allowed schools to open. The Bulgarian Church had 700 schools under its control and was propagating nationalism in these schools. Athens University was indoctrinating the Greek Cypriots in Greece and those living abroad in Hellenism. The graduates of these schools, unaware of their identities, were sent abroad to educate the Greek Cypriots on who they really were. In Greece, education was under control of the church. It was allowed to bring books and magazines into the Ottoman country. At those times, Greek agents attempted a revolt in Crete. In 1897, about 1,500 Greek soldiers were deployed in Crete, and European countries were also being incited. The only solution that would please the Greeks was to annex Crete. The Greeks declared war, but were defeated within a month. Naturally, Europeans resolved to intervene. In the peace agreement after the war, Europeans said Ottomans could not annex any land. Who was the winner and who was the loser? Thousands of Muslims were killed and ethnic cleansing started all over again. In short, the Greek Cypriot spoilness is a disease perpetuated by the help of European countries. The best evidence of Turkish people’s pacifism is their “I like Greeks” reply to the poll and the result of Cyprus poll. EU authorities should take into account the Turkish people’s compromising and pacifist attitudes. Should the EU mentality be that of a football fanatic who was wore Medieval clothes and planted a British flag in Germany? No it shouldn’t. June 13, 2006 LET’S SEE LETTERS FROM GREEK UNDERSTANDİNG: ……In short, the Greek Cypriot spoilness is a disease perpetuated by the help of European countries. Drinking and writing can be dangerous! Savio [savio43@gmail.com] Of course, dear Nevval Sevindi, you conveniently forget that your country -on the pre-text of aiming the establishment of the constitutional order in Cyprus after the Junta coup against Makarios, illegally invaded Cyprus against the UN Charter provisions and the UN SC resolutions, it swiftly ethnically cleansed 200,000 Greek Cypriots from their ancestral lands in the northern part of Cyprus and send them as refugees in the southern part, occupied ever since the northern part of Cyprus (which of course you now choose to unilaterally call the “Turkish” or the “TRNC” part of Cyprus,) it illegally stole and usurped all the Greek Cypriot properties in the north -that used to constitute the majority of land in that area, it split the people of Cyprus along the artificial dividing line it created by transferring one year later -in 1975- some 50,000 Turkish Cypriots from the south into the occupied north, and furthermore, it allowed its own people from Turkey (some 100,000 settlers) to illegally colonize the northern occupied part of Cyprus and take the place and the properties of the Greek Cypriots it cleansed in 1974, against the Geneva Convention and the UN Charter. All these are not my words or my imagination, but the findings of the UN, the European court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe, which all found your country guilty of all the above illegalities and violations, in various reports, resolutions and court rulings, ever since. Just do a research in the UN documents, reports and resolutions, in the CoE reports and resolutions, and the European Court of Human Rights cases and rulings of Cyprus vs. Turkey, and there you will discover your country’s status and standing visa vie all the above, and how much an outlaw and a human rights violator Turkey is, when it comes to Cyprus and the Cypriot people. Of course I know you will reply with the usual Turkish propaganda which says that the G/Cs have been attempting an annihilation campaign of the T/Cs, and Turkey had to intervene and divide Cyprus in order to save them. Do you wonder though why none of the above mentioned institutions -which found Turkey guilty of all the above, do not buy the Turkish propaganda theories, and instead they ably condemn your country? Hello Mrs. Sevindi I am a Greek citizen who reads your paper daily. I was very surprised and confused when I read your piece “Reality behind Greek Cypriot spoilness” You make it sound as if Ottomans were the victims and not a cruel and barbarian imperialistic empire. You seem to forget the HUNDREDS of thousands of greeks that were slaughtered. You also seem to forget the public hanging of Patriarch Athanasius II in 1453 (by whom?). More recently you seem to forget the massive killings and expatriation of thousands of Greeks in 1922 and 1955. Need I mention the Armenians? When Kemal Attaturk won the war in 1922 who helped him if it wasn’t European powers? If USA and Britain do not support you how do explain occupying a sovereign country to this day? With all due respect please inform yourself and read up on history. It helps to avoid repeating the same mistakes. I would also like to suggest to you to attend the Turkish-Greek journalists’ conference next time it takes place. Maybe then you might realize that nationalistic cries never resolved a crisis or dispute. It is a shame that in the most beautiful region of the world people are still fighting for the better God. My intention was not to offend you in any way but just to voice my disagreement to your article which I CHOOSE not to perceive as propaganda. Good luck to all of us in a better future. Thank you for taking the time to reply, I appreciate it. Once again my intention is not to fight with you. Just one question: is Justin Mc Carthy the only writer you know? From what I have read he strongly denies the Armenian genocide and he is also an advisor to the Turkish government on this issue. Am I wrong? This is just to prove to you that I do read a lot. Once again thank you for your time. Yours truly, Yanni Hinoporos Montreal, Canada Dear Ms. Sevindi, My name is Panayiotis, a Greek Cypriot. At the office in Nicosia we occasionally read outloud articles that appear in the Turkish press. You are one of our favorite because of the ‘blondness’ of your articles. In your latest article you said: EU authorities should take into account the Turkish people’s compromising and pacifist attitudes. Well we have one question to you. Show us one country that shares borders with Turkey and does not accuse Turkey for aggression. Kind regards, It is a shame that a person of your capabilities, sends three links to books written by ONE author who said that Turkey is one of the most important countries in the world (what is the Turkish contribution to civilisation?) and a model country in its region and the survival of some Armenians proves that a genocide did not take place. Therefore, according to McCarthy the survival of some Jews proves that a genocide did not take place. Is that the best you can do? You still did not answer the question. Which country that shares borders with Turkey does not accuse Turkey for aggression? Kind regards Panayiotis Panayiotis PS. Please continue your articles. You are really good. Turks should be glad that they have you to owrite articles like these Dear Nevval Interesting article, however, full of inaccuracies. You seem like a bright girl but I have a question for you. Do all Turks believe all the dogma you are fed by the Turkish state. You never seem to mention that Turkey has by force, evicted 200.000 Cypriots from their homes and brought in over 100,000 Turkish Anatolian Settlers. This by the way is a war crime. The Turks keep mentioning Annan 5 and its rejection by the people Republic of Cyprus. However, you never seem to mention Annan 1,2,3 or 4. All Annan 5 was a gift to Turkey by the USA for its help for the war in Iraq. Cyprus was the gift. Did you think that the Greek Cypriots would accept such a plan. Do you think that they care what the reaction is in London or Washington. The Turks has already stolen half of our country, we have nothing more to lose. The Cypriots see one thing, how the Hellenic populations of Constantinople, Imbroz and Tenedos have been wiped out during this century. These communities were protected under treaties. Treaties that Turkey of course ignored. Annan 5 was another such treaty where the Turks say one thing but do another. As for Turkeys EU path, well you can’t have all your own way. If it takes a veto to make Turkey see sense, I am all for it. I am sure it is what Austria, Holland, Germany and France are banking on.. If Turkey wants to be European, you need to grow up a lot. Kind regards Andreas Nevval, I read your article with great interest. I do, however, think that your views are one-sided for the following reasons: · The Ottomans did Not become an empire by behaving as tourists. They Killed people (a lot of people). This is not to say that they were bad and the others were good. It is stating a historical fact. Unfortunately, from today’s point of you, that is how the power game was played those days. · People that feel oppressed, when they see an opportunity to get rid of the oppressor, they do so (this is not unique to the Ottoman Empire). What do you think happened to the empires that preceded the Ottoman Empire? If you were to look into your family tree you might discover that some of your ancestors fought against the Ottomans (I hope you are not shocked by the possibility; just remember, according to your history, the Ottoman Empire was started by 300 or so warriors!!) · If you subscribe into this line of reasoning, I am sure you will understand why the Cretans (or the Kurds for that matter; a people with a very long ethnic identity), fought against the Ottomans. · You will find that the Greeks like the Turks a lot , too (on a personal level). I speak on this from my personal experience, and my family’s experience. Unfortunately, while the people relate on a personal level the politics and power games sway them in different directions. The challenge, as I see it, is not to cast one side as good and the other as bad. The challenge is to learn from history (once we read it objectively), and work towards a future with respect for each other. How can Greece and Turkey, or any other country, expect to be completive in this day and age when they still think and act like they are in the middle ages? Sincerely, John Goularas Dear Nevval, I guess that’s true, if however half of it. On the other hand, it’s the half generally omitted in European history writing. It’s, in my view, an important task to make a whole of it in the general public both in Turkey and (the rest of) Europe. I have digged somewhat in my archives and copied some quotation titels related to the issues and easily available in German libraries. I omitted some general works, all of J.McCarthy and most of M.Kiel, as well as Cyprus specials. Dimitri Kitsikis, who was also published in Turkish, thought that the Ottoman Empire was, in a sense, a Turkish-Greek co-dominion. Perhaps you know it. That’s probably the view from Phanar (see also Kitromilides and some others). To understand, on the other hand, the hard core of the picture of the “terrible Turk”, one has to look into the Akinci warfare, which naturally was the “best” first-hand known aspect of the OE in the borderlands with the lands of the infidels. Of course it was used in propaganda, too. But I didn’t look deeply into that issue as it is all-too obvious, especially in Austria. The last quotations are concerned with some religion-historical aspects. I’ll not comment on that. But one point: Both the American and Turkish (and, to some degree, French) discussions are sounding quite exotic in Germany. Here, everybody is a secularist, wether Christian or atheist, agnostic or Jew; and secularism doesn’t mean that religion is excluded from the public sphere, including politics. Nor is it only a matter of the right wing. There may be Christian-Marxist coalitions on this or that issue; and the priest who first teached me some Catholizism had the complete works of Marx/Engels on his bookshelf. He was however not a Marxist. Many (I guess, most) younger priests are somewhat leftist, especially Protestants. The late leader of the German Jews was politically a Social Democrat, other prominent Jews are Liberals, or Christian Democrats, by party membership. But the state is (has to be) neutral and free of specific creeds and world-views because it’s the state of all. Secularism is just the mode and means to live in peace and freedom and meet on common ground. That’s why the Islamists, leaving or ignoring that ground, exclude themselves. Fortunately this is a relatively small part, as far as the Turks are concerned. the best, Hans-Peter KITSIKIS, Dimitri (1985): L’Empire Ottoman. – 127 S. Paris (Presses Universitaires de France) Hi Nevval I am an Australian of Greek background and like reading Zaman since I have discovered it. I think you would find amongst Greek people that the same would apply. I think the ordinary person has concerns with the policies of the governments of Greece and Turkey. With all due respect, as I tell my elders digging up the past does not help in building bridges between the two nations, including Cyprus. Atrocities have happened on both sides, the current generation cannot be held responsible for the sins committed by their ancestors. With respect Evan Binos Dear Nevval, thank you for your answer. In fact, Greeks are no less likely to be nationalists than Turks or Germans, but rather more. To quite some degree it depends on school historical education. There is a new approach in modern history writing that has not yet influenced teaching in schools, all the less it was able as yet to correct the remnants of historic nationalist propagandas. So it depends on how much one is able and willing to search for recent insights in history. For instance, that of the Ottoman Empire and the reasons and events. For instance, the ethnic cleansing of what today is Greece. It may be worth an attempt to look into some of the books I quoted, for a Greek as well as a Turk, and others no less. So I beg you to forward a copy of my message to your reader. Tomorrow I’ll add another list which will contain some more works especially recommendable for a Greek reader. the best, Hans-Peter ps And by the way, Dimitri Kitsikis was a professor in Montreal, Canada, at the time the book I quoted was publishedin France. hpg Hi Nevval Thank you for your reply But I also see Turks that do the same thing as well. Was your article not a little bit like that?….with all due respect I have read Erdogan saying that the ancient mosques in Athens should be converted from a museum to an operating mosque. That’s fine. His position would be greatly enhanced with “moderates” such as myself if the Chalki school was reopened. In my opinion bridges need to be built. Going back to what has happened in the past (on both sides) does not help anyone Have a pleasant day Evan First of all I did not push anyone. Second of all I have been very nice and polite to you. Something you do not seem to realize when you say I have no shame. I hope when I read all the books you suggested history will magically change and I will realize how good of a people the ottoman rulers were!!! Keep up the good work!!! Yanni Hinoporos Hi Nevval I agree with you on one thing. We don’t need to be an enemies With all due respect I think you are wrong in relation to the past. As I see both sides are still trapped with what has happened in the past. Your article in my opinion does not build bridges you refer back to the massacres of the Turks in the Peloponesse during the Greek war of independence in 1821; is that not stirring up hatred for your neighbours. And at the same time I can tell you that My Grandfather lost a brother and sister when they had to leave Aiyvalik. Both killed by the Turkish regular army. How can I blame what has happened back in 1922 to the current generation of Turks? And we are off into a vicious cycle again…You did this and you did that………… You can only build brides Nevval by looking into the future; what has happened in the past no matter how tragic cannot be undone Evan Unbelievable for its narrow-mindedness and one-sidedness. Would you have the world believe that the Turks are capable of nothing but good, and everybody else evil? It’s amazing just how low-quality some material can be nowadays and still get published. Shame on _The New Anatolian_ for lowering its standards so… An astounding article (“Reality Behind Greek Cypriot Spoilness”)Lionel Jones [outerconcept@yahoo.com The land ocupied by Turkey was called Anatolia. What was the ethnicity of the people of Anatolia? Was it Greek? Where did the Turkmen who now occupy the land of Turkey come from? Was it in a land west of China? And when the Turkmen conquered Anatolia and change it to become Turkey where did the Greek Anatolian people go. Or did the Anatolian people stay in Turkey under the control of the Turkmen? They stayed. What I find amazing is that the Anatolian Greeks can no longer think of themselves as Greek or as European. What I also find amazing is that Turkey looks so much to Arabia for their philosphy. The Arabs who have never invented or made anything over the last 1000 years, who only produce oil (found and pumped by Americans). Yes Turkey had a great history, but that time is finished. Get used to it and start living for the future. Europe and the USA are reaching for the stars and fltying to other planets; even the Chinese are now flying in space and building a huge economy. What is Turkey and the rest of the middle east doing? Where are you eyes looking? where is your mind searching? where have you set you horizons. M. Hoogesteger Australia