Democracy was suspended in 1963
(archive article - Sunday, August 2, 2009)
I was interested to read the opinion by a scribe called HajiMike, (Cyprus Mail, July 19).
In his opening paragraph he states, Yes, there was a coup which overthrew the democratically elected government.
Let me point out to HajiMike that there was no democratically elected government of Cyprus in 1974. The legal government under the Constitution of 1960 was overthrown by Makarios in 1963 and replaced with an all-Greek Cypriot government that gained international support thanks to Makarios being able to persuade the UN and the Secretary General U Thant that he had acted legally.
There was a coup and although the Greek Junta initiated it, it would never have happened without the support of a great number of Greek Cypriots. Were any of these people brought to trial for the murder of their fellow citizens?
Later, he says no one had ever told me about the 1960s. Really? HajiMike writes on a complex and controversial subject yet claims that he knows little of the 1960s.
Greek Cypriots may consider that their problem began in 1974, Turkish Cypriots know that theirs began in 1963.
As HajiMike says, Thats why we have never moved forward, particularly as Geek Cypriots, because no one has ever publicly admitted they committed wrong.
If a settlement is ever reached, the compensation payable to Turkish Cypriots for the years 1963-1974 will far outweigh any compensation for land acquired by both Greek and Turkish Cypriots after 1974.
Harry Blackley,
Author, Love and Death in Cyprus (Kibrista Ask ve Olum)
