IS SOUTHERN CYPRUS RACIST? YES!
10 10 2011
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has published its Cyprus report. According to the report, racism and ethnic discrimination in Southern Cyprus have reached worrying levels.
In the ECRI report, Southern Cyprus is openly accused. It is stated that the EU member Southern Cyprus is a place where racism is increasingly experienced and ethnic discrimination is more often practiced.
The report highlights that racism is one the rise in Southern Cyprus. According to the report, racism in Southern Cyprus targets immigrants, asylum seekers, refugees, Turkish Cypriots and Gypsies.
There is a very important detail in the ECRI report which should be underlined in bold. According to the report “racism has become more openly voiced in public space in Southern Cyprus compared to the past.” To put this statement in daily language, racism in Southern Cyprus has become a systematic and common occurrence. It has become part of social reality. Racism in Southern Cyprus can no longer be evaluated as an exception, but as routine.
There are hints in the ECRI report that Greek Cypriots are increasingly supporting racist attitudes. The report documents the rise of far right parties in Southern Cyprus. A more dangerous development is also mentioned in the report, which emphasises that the Greek Cypriot media “reflect the racist arguments of these parties”.
The ECRI report exemplifies its point with the Greek Cypriot media reflecting the opinion of the far right racist ELAM party: “we do not want the Greek race to further intermix with other races.”
Which is more tragic? That such views should still be voiced in the 21st century? Or is it more tragic that this view should be represented within the EU? Or is it that a party which holds such opinions should involve legal status?
In any case it is certain that this group which is inspired and supported by racist groups in Greece will grow through the provocative broadcasting of the Greek and Greek Cypriot media and the suitable circumstances in the country where it is based. According to the ECRI, Turkish Cypriots and the Roma in Southern Cyprus are “threatened groups”. This polite expression by the ECRI does not change the fact that the said groups are open targets.
According to reporting by DW and TAK, every day thousands of Turkish Cypriots cross over to the south for work. The children of Turkish Cypriots who reside in the south experience problems at school due to their national identity. ECRI states that Turkish children experience “racism and ethnic discrimination” in schools in Southern Cyprus. In Southern Cyprus, Turkish and Gypsy children are sometimes categorised by school or classroom.
According to the ECRI report, among the racist practices in Southern Cyprus is the “violation of the right to education in native language” despite a constitutional guarantee. In schools attended by Turkish children, there are no Turkish speaking teachers. The ECRI points out that Southern Cyprus had been warned on this account by the European Council Regional and Minority Languages Charter Experts Committee in 2009. ECRI also criticises the perception of Gypsies, who are not recognised as a national or religious minority, as Turkish Cypriots in Southern Cyprus.