Press Releases

Greek Cypriots deny Racism Allegation - 14 October 2008

UK based Human rights group Embargoed! together with representatives of the Turkish Cypriot Human Rights Foundation (TCHRF) attended HDIM, an international human rights convention in Warsaw, Poland last week, where the Greek Cypriot authorities made insensitive and crude remarks when challenged about embargoes placed on North Cyprus and the existence of extreme racist elements in South Cyprus.

Fevzi Hussein, Embargoed!’s chairperson gave a presentation to the working session on tolerance and non-discrimination, highlighting the ongoing isolations imposed on Turkish Cypriots living in North Cyprus and the daily denial of their basic human rights to trade and travel freely, and to participate in sporting, social and cultural events. Ergin Balli, Embargoed!’s Campaigns Officer, also made a separate presentation to the session on behalf of the TCHRF to highlight the dangers posed to the settlement process by the neo-Nazi group based in the South, Hrisi Avgi, which translates into Golden Dawn.

Both submissions fell on deaf ears when the Greek Cypriot representative at HDIM was ‘rocked’ into exercising a right of reply, one of only two nations to do so during the session. Rather than constructively comment on the recommendations suggested, the Greek Cypriot representative provocatively indicated to the conference that Turkish Cypriots were isolated because they “illegally occupied” their own homeland and that Hrisi Avgi did not pose a “big” problem.

Such inflammatory and dismissive rhetoric only serves to polarise the two sides, rather than move the decades old conflict towards a new phase of developing respect, trust and confidence between all Cypriots. We are clearly still waiting to see North-South Cyprus relations, move towards a situation where mutual respect and benefit is the norm. Ergin Balli indicated “it was disheartening to see the Greek Cypriot regime’s failure to make positive remarks aimed at building bridges between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Instead, such issues were addressed by the issuing of blanket statements of denial against NGOs representing ‘ordinary’ civil society in North Cyprus”.

The Greek Cypriot’s statement was yet another missed opportunity for their authorities to stand up to racism, and promote the equality of the Turkish Cypriot people to live on the Island with their neighbours with dignity and respect. The Greek Cypriot representative did the exact opposite instead and gave a clear message that, despite the present settlement talks, it is ‘business as usual’ in Cyprus for Greek Cypriots, as they continue a state of denial about the severe injustices faced by Turkish Cypriots living in North Cyprus.

Fevzi Hussein described the Greek Cypriots right of reply as “a denial of the situation faced on the ground by Turkish Cypriots every day of their lives” and he called upon the Greek Cypriots in the spirit of goodwill “to take immediate and effective action to implement confidence building measures between the two sides and to ease the sanctions applied to North Cyprus.”

Fevzi Hussein, also felt “disappointed the Greek Cypriot authorities continue to deny the ongoing racism and intolerance faced by Turkish Cypriots living in North Cyprus” and he renewed his plea “for all sides to stand up to racism, celebrate ethnic and cultural diversity, and promote universal human rights”.

Ergin Balli, also urged the Greek Cypriot authorities “to take the strictest measures against all racist organisations and conduct”, and “to introduce severe legal sanctions against all people responsible for spreading intolerance and racial hatred, including official bodies and organisations”. He added “we will continue to participate in high profile events like this to ensure our voices are heard and the embargo issue continues to be of international concern”.

Part of the Organisation for the Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the annual Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM) is the largest human rights conference in Europe. Taking place over 10 days, it aims to eradicate injustice and promote world peace and stability. Member countries and organisations review human rights policies and consider ways to promote tolerance, anti-discrimination and anti-nationalism to combat xenophobia and human rights abuses. The conference attracts hundreds of delegates from governments, international experts and some 300 NGOs.


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