www.talkcyprus.org

[ukcypriot]

Check out the full article at www.lgr.co.uk/news/community/10057/cypriot-protest-outside-10-downing-street/

Source: LGR.CO.UK

British Cypriots turned out in considerable force to express their outrage at the recent Britain-Turkey strategic partnership.

The picketing was on Thursday 1 November between 6pm - 8.30pm.

Turn-out
The crowd had numbered 400 who had descended on Whitehall to protest their "utter disgust and outrage" at the strategic "Joint Partnership" agreement between UK and Turkey announced by Prime Minister Gordon Brown which includes British support for Turkey's illegal regime in the northern occupied territories of Cyprus.

The National Federation of Cypriots were the organisers - who voiced their satisfaction at the attendance which was of a significant size for the swiftly organised protest.

Slogans
The vociferous crowd had chanted slogans such as "Turkish troops out of Cyprus", "Justice for Cyprus", "Brown Out!" and "The British bases out of Cyprus".

The wave of Cypriot flags was a common sight at the demonstration. Greek flags had accompanied the proceedings to show Greece's support and solidarity for the plight of the Cypriots.

Student protesters
The mass turn out saw pupils from universities in Luton, Birmingham, Brighton, Southampton and Manchester.

Senior citizens
The senior protester who turned out in considerable force, loyally have supported such demonstrations since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

LGR coverage
The demonstraters who were quizzed by London Greek Radio had reiterated that they were "utterly disgusted and dissapointed with British government policy over Cyprus and especially with the policies of the Labour Government."

Petition to be handed over
The delegation of the National Federation of Cypriots had attempted to hand over a petition to 10 Downing Street - but it was declined because of protocol - no petitions are accepted after 7pm, the petition will be issued on Friday 2 November.

The petition reads as follows:

"Dear Prime Minister, the National Federation of Cypriots in the United Kingdom representing 300,000 Cypriots in this country hearby petitions you to consider carefully the implications of your government's recent strategic partnership agreement with Turkey as this relates to Cyprus.

"Stragetic factors in the region surrounding Iraq appear to be unduly compromising the UK's long-standing and principalled committment to justice and international law."

Signed by Peter Droussiotis and members of the secretariat of the National Federation of Cypriots in the United Kingdom.

[Mete]

You mean Greek Cypriots...not all Cypriots. Turkish Cypriots are Cypriots too in case you haven't realized.

[ukcypriot]

Cyprus is the home to Cypriots.

If for instance a Turkish speaking Cypriot sports person was doing the island proud, I'd also refer to them... as a Cypriot sporting legend.

Cyprus number one Marcos Baghdatis is the sporting hero for Cypriots, for example.

There is no reason to dimish what is a Cypriot.

[Mete]

Quote:
If for instance a Turkish speaking Cypriot sports person was doing the island proud, I'd also refer to them... as a Cypriot sporting legend.

Good. I wish majority of Greek Cypriots thought the same way. Also, as a Cypriot, do you happen to care about your fellow Turkish speaking Cypriots and how they live so isolated in the north? Do you care that your fellow Turkish speaking Cypriots were not allowed to return back to the Republic of Cyprus recently by a court order? Why not protest about those Cypriot issues too?

[Khan]

Quote:

The petition reads as follows:

"Dear Prime Minister, the National Federation of Cypriots in the United Kingdom representing 300,000 Cypriots in this country hearby petitions you to consider carefully the implications of your government's recent strategic partnership agreement with Turkey as this relates to Cyprus.

I dont on what basis this group claims to represent me, or any other Turkish Cypriot.

[stavrizatz]

Khan, obviously the protest could not represent every single Cypriot of the UK but the Cypriots who chose to be represented by the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK. What are you trying to tell us?

[100%cypriot]

Khan wrote: Quote:

The petition reads as follows:

"Dear Prime Minister, the National Federation of Cypriots in the United Kingdom representing 300,000 Cypriots in this country hearby petitions you to consider carefully the implications of your government's recent strategic partnership agreement with Turkey as this relates to Cyprus.

I dont on what basis this group claims to represent me, or any other Turkish Cypriot.

It dosent represent T/C's because the G/C regime has instilled into its people that we have NO right's in Cyprus as we keep seeing and Hearing that Cyprus Is Greek :lol:
They only do what is being Preached to them from the Powers that be , 99% of those present at the Protest probably have NO idea what happend in Cyprus but go along because they are told Cyprus is Greek , and what about the Greek National Flag's ? what was that all about ?
The Dream of Enossis is still alive inside Greek's and Greek Cypriots . Again the Greek Cypriots believe that they can talk on our behalf and we should just go along with what they say , They DON'T Represent ME neither does Mr Talat , they all Play the Games with us all and we are all too weak to stand up for what we believe ! you know why ? because we are the most stupborn people in the world and our Nationalistic Identities do not permit us from seeing the Difference between Right and Wrong :wink:

[pg]

When they write 300,000 Cypriots you complain, if they wrote 300,000 Greeks you complain, ...

[Mete]

Quote:
When they write 300,000 Cypriots you complain, if they wrote 300,000 Greeks you complain, ...

For many Greek Cypriots, in Cyprus, there are either Greeks or Turks. Or there are Cypriots (meaning Greek Cypriots) and Turks.

[repulsewarrior]

Mete wrote: Quote:
When they write 300,000 Cypriots you complain, if they wrote 300,000 Greeks you complain, ...

For many Greek Cypriots, in Cyprus, there are either Greeks or Turks. Or there are Cypriots (meaning Greek Cypriots) and Turks.

Mete, can you say this; do you see yourself as a Greek Cypriot, and this is the critisism you can admit of yourself. Speak to your own failings, and be ware.

It gets my guile to see the slinging, because you are right, right along with all of "them", but in my "slinging" nothing is proved, except that I am right too. I don't want to be an "Us" or a "Them". You understand that, therefore don't sling. Choose, and act accordingly.

What can be said is that it appears as though Greek Cypriots have more to lose than Turkish Cypriots, since a strong Turkish Cypriot contingent was not present. There was no immediate Government response to the Agreement, but the foreign minister is quoted as saying, what is the point now, to the cancelation of important upcoming talks. Naturally, if Turkish Cypriots had something to loose, they would have been in force as well.

[Dream_Merchant]

Khan wrote: Quote:

The petition reads as follows:

"Dear Prime Minister, the National Federation of Cypriots in the United Kingdom representing 300,000 Cypriots in this country hearby petitions you to consider carefully the implications of your government's recent strategic partnership agreement with Turkey as this relates to Cyprus.

I dont on what basis this group claims to represent me, or any other Turkish Cypriot.

The group does not say it represents all Cypriots in that country, neither does it claim that it represents you. It represents those 300,000 Cypriots, as it claims, that seem to share its views and feel that they are being represented by it. Furthermore the claim is not on Greek Cypriots or Turkish Cypriots exclusively. Even if it so happens that all of the 300,000 it represents are Greek Cypriots, that does not disqualify them from being Cypriots and the statement holding true.

I could explain you this in mathematical set theory, but I have instead preferred to use layman's terms to convey my message. If you think it is insufficient, I could do it though.

[Mete]

repulsewarrior wrote:
Mete, can you say this; do you see yourself as a Greek Cypriot, and this is the critisism you can admit of yourself. Speak to your own failings, and be ware.

I always have difficulty understanding you but I think here you are saying that I shouldn't criticize Greek Cypriots as a Turkish Cypriot, correct? My answer is that as a Cypriot, I care about wrongs on both sides.
repulsewarrior wrote:
It gets my guile to see the slinging, because you are right, right along with all of "them", but in my "slinging" nothing is proved, except that I am right too. I don't want to be an "Us" or a "Them".

But then, here you say you don't want "us" vs. "them" which contradicts with what you were telling me before?

[repulsewarrior]

...close Mete, i am saying: don't sling mud,

because you become an "Us" or a "Them", by being "right"; having an audience who supports you... I choose to act for myself, not against the "Us" or "Them", but unlike them. As a Human Being first, and through my acts, I choose to have grace, I work for our condition's betterment, without compromise, expecting nothing less from anyone who reads or writes; even if, in my thinking I must stand entirely alone.

Mete, i don't want to get personal, in front of this forum, but i want to say i like you, very much. i got pissed off at you in particular, because for some reason i care for you, it's tough you believe that my writing is hard to understand, (it isn't easy), because i know you to be very inteligent, and astute, so thank-you for your patience, and i want to say i have high hopes for you as a writer (and a thinker), you see i really do believe that with kifeas and eric d., there is a small contingent, who could probably change our lives forever, but they/we don't know it yet.

i say
let go of the hatred, it never is the bind that finds freedom
, seek better.

...yes, both sides, so the failing in this thread is that Cypriots haven't the PR to find a good excuse to demonstrate at 10 downing together. Moreso, it can be said, they were there like gripers, like anybody else, they are their for some "injustice" rather than, for "justice". Although, I might add, peacefully, taking a position which is simple to accomadate and easy to understand.

[repulsewarrior]

For a measurable number of Greek Cypriots, in Cyprus, there are either Greeks or Turks. Or there are Cypriots (meaning Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots) and Turks

[Khan]

pg wrote: When they write 300,000 Cypriots you complain, if they wrote 300,000 Greeks you complain, ...

The point is they hijack the term "Cypriot" as if to represent the interests of all Cypriot communities. If they are going to protests against the establishment of relations with Turkish Cypriots, the least they can do is not claim to be doing it with our approval.