www.talkcyprus.org

[cannedmoose]

Given the discussion by those favouring a cantonal solution in Cyprus, I thought I'd go back to the 1960s and create a map based on population distribution in 1960 and how a federal cantonal Cyprus could have looked back then if it had been attempted. It's based on the existing map of population distribution and I based my 'cantons' on the following principles:

- A canton is constituted by 3 or more neighbouring municipalities in which one ethnic group is predominant.
- In areas where there is a mixed population in 3 or more neighbouring municipalities, or where a minority Turkish Cypriot community exists in a Greek Cypriot-dominated municipality, these areas are considered to form Federal Cantons, controlled by a joint federal administration.
- In municipalities where the Greek Cypriot population is exclusive, these constitute part of the Greek Cypriot cantons (please note that I have not subdivided these areas, so the Greek Cypriot areas appear as just four cantons including one 'mega-canton', which could be sub-divided.

It's a pointless, but nonetheless interesting exercise anyway. Take a look at the map here:



Turkish Cypriot cantons in Green, Federal Cantons in Purple, Greek Cypriot cantons in Light Blue

[magikthrill]

interesting but wouldnt this proposal require mass re-migration of peoples?

[cannedmoose]

magikthrill wrote: interesting but wouldnt this proposal require mass re-migration of peoples?

Hence why I didn't suggest that this particular map would work nowadays. It was simply to demonstrate how a cantonal system could have looked back in 1960.

The issue that I have with this kind of 'pure' cantonalism is that today in Cyprus we effectively have two ethnic cantons in place. Any settlement has got to begin by recognising that mass resettlement cannot take place within a short timescale. Also, any system based on cantons will ultimately reflect a two-state system.

Hence, why a federal structure based on larger districts - working along many of the existing district boundaries - would work better ;)

P.S. Welcome back Thrill... again... :D

[Dhavlos]

well, maybe in the future...or as part of a settlement, maybe the canotns could be redrawn every few years, like constituencyies in britain, especially until the property problem has been solved...as that is the time most migration will happen imo.

Basically...maybe have a 20year period where the cantons would constantly be redrawn?

[repulsewarrior]

I see cantons from their future advantages, once areas are thrivng, having been resettled, and polpulated.

It is the service they will provide and the diversity that they will cultivate for both cultures, that is so attractive. They can be serviced by the government as satelites, and their growth will depend on the respective policy, set by each community, in a bi-communal state, while the legisltion on immigration, from the central government, could be equal and identical for both to follow.

I really believe that the possibility for settlement, and resettlement, goes in hand with the physical evidence, supported by your map, and it is a valueable starting point, if the resettlement's aim were to capture as much as possible of what was lost to us, as a people, without restricting the creation of cantons for settlement, with future considerations in mind. Even if as few as 30,000 Turkophones are obliged to settle, they will be part of a bigger group who would want to return for resettlement. Obviously numbers for the Greek Cypriots would be even higher.

What will be instantaneous in this resettlement, will be the realisation that legislation which would allow for immediate possesion of the rightful owner has taken effect, but a period of grace and a means to lease for a reasonable period should be not much longer than the government itself can take, in its efforts to provide relief, a period of about seven to ten years.

Too bad the imbroglio for freedom, from Britain, was messed up by the fancy notion of Lord Byron, and its modern unification of Greeks. But our opportunity and mankind's objective remain the same, for the first time, sovereignty for the island; Cypriots, as a people.