A cry of anguish from Doğuş Derya:
‘We are losing the northern part of Cyprus’
25 August 2022, ‘Dialogos’ portal
Without a federal solution, in five years, the Greek Cypriots will not be able to find a Turkish Cypriot interlocutor to negotiate the solution of the Cyprus problem with.
Ankara is intensifying its efforts to change the demographic character of the occupied territories. The Turkish Cypriot politician, activist and member of the Turkish Cypriot Republican Turkish Party, Doğuş Derya, gave an insight into the current situation in an interview she gave to ‘Astra’ radio.
– An effort is underway to change the demographic character of the occupied territories by Turkey.
DD: The so-called government of the National Unity Party is now attempting to change the way local government operates. The so-called Prime Minister from the National Unity Party has been appointed by Turkey; he is not the elected president of his party. In Turkey, there is a specific structure in local government. After the constitutional revision in Turkey, all powers concerning municipalities were placed in the hands of Tayyip Erdogan. They are trying to do the same in the north, with fast-track procedures, something which is illegal.
– What is the goal of Turkey and Ersin Tatar with all these changes? Are they trying to turn the occupied territories into another province of Turkey?
DD: They cannot do this openly, but nevertheless they are interfering in many areas, interfering in the economy, in the alteration of the demographic character in the north, in education, in everything. And now they are trying to change the autonomous structure of the municipalities because it is difficult to interfere in local government. Until now Turkey has found it difficult to intervene in local government and they are trying to change that.
– Do you think that the resistance put up by the Turkish Cypriots confronting Turkey is enough to reverse the plans of Tayyip Erdogan and Ankara for the occupied territories?
DD: The Turkish Cypriots are tired because they are facing an economic crisis due to the use of the Turkish lira in the occupied territories. All economic decisions affecting the Turkish Cypriot economy are made by Turkey. Most Turkish Cypriot young people leave Cyprus and others are coming from other countries, but only from Turkey and within 3-5 years they get citizenship of the so-called ‘Trnc’. In actual fact we are losing northern Cyprus. It is difficult to assert your property rights, your economic rights and to assert to live in your country as a human being with honor and dignity.
– It is disheartening that you said that we are losing the northern occupied part of Cyprus.
DD: Cyprus itself is losing. The northern part of Cyprus is part of our common homeland and the Greek Cypriots are losing half of their homeland, but I don’t think they realise it. The population is changing, everything is changing in the north. Without a federal solution, in five years the Greek Cypriots will not be able to find a Turkish Cypriot interlocutor to negotiate a solution of the Cyprus problem with.
– Are there any statistics in relation to the settlers [from Turkey]?
DD: It is not only Turkish citizens who come to the occupied territories now. They come from various countries, such as Pakistan, India, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Israelis, African students who come to work in the north. The Turkish Cypriots are now selling their properties to live, to cope with the economic crisis. Various foreigners, such as Israelis, are buying our properties. We have started to lose our country piece by piece. And it’s not only Turkey that is buying up the properties, it’s from other countries as well.
The message I want to send to our fellow Greek friends, brothers and sisters, is that they need to put pressure for a federal solution because time is passing and things are getting worse and worse.
– So federation is the only solution that could reunite the island.
Yes, that’s what I believe.