By ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ (GREEK) TÜRKÇE (TURKISH)
Years ago, while watching the Olympics on television with a friend of mine, he told me: ‘We, Turkish Cypriots, will probably not be able to take part in any international sporting events. Part of us will always feel empty, we will always be in longing…’
I suddenly directed my attention from the television to my friend, I stared at his face but I didn’t say anything…
I thought about what he said for a moment before saying ‘You’re right’, yes, not being able to take part in international competitions always seemed to leave a part of us empty.
It is as if we are hungry to become a part of the world, to internationalize…
My friend carried on talking and said, ‘I envy these sportsmen who hug their flags and rejoice’.
I immediately intervened; ‘You have never been sensitive about flags, you were even against the display of flags, what happened now?’ I asked…
The conversation was getting interesting, my friend continued:
‘There is no flag that I can claim, that I can say it is ‘mine’. Which one is really the flag of the Turkish Cypriots? I respect the Turkish flag, but is it really our flag? Is it the unrecognised flag of the unrecognised TRNC? Is the flag of the Republic of Cyprus, whose passport we carry but which even Greek Cypriots cannot truly embrace, our flag? I think it is none of them… Moreover, flags have been misused to such an extent in our country—to cover up so many evil, ugly and fraudulent acts—that many people are unable to embrace flags…’
It was my friend who was saying all these things, but many people in our country think quite the same.
I have heard similar things from so many people…
It may seem like one thing to be isolated from the world and therefore to feel a void inside, and another thing not to find a flag to truly adopt, but in fact they are somehow connected…
This is a bad mood created by the lack of a solution in Cyprus and the situation of the Turkish Cypriots, who suffer greatly from this lack of solution…
There is a void created in us since we have not been able to become a part of the world…
Sometimes this even turns into an inferiority complex that we do not realize and cannot admit to ourselves.
Within the framework of the embargoes arising from the establishment of the TRNC, Turkish Cypriots cannot take part in many international events and competitions…
For example, since Turkish Cypriots cannot take part in popular sports organizations, they always have to support other countries.
By rooting for the athlete, or team of any other country, they try to fill a void inside, but this void is never really filled.
Why did the Turkish Cypriot athlete Buse Savaşkan, who took part in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, receive so much support? Why did so many hearts beat for her?
Why did people who do not even like athletics, even those who do not enjoy any kind of sports, support Buse and pray for her to succeed with their hearts pounding?
Why was there a festive atmosphere in our country when Buse Savaşkan made it to the finals?
Because a person from this land, from our country, a Turkish Cypriot was competing in the Olympics.
Yes, she was competing on behalf of Turkey, we were not there as a country, but we were there as an individual.
Buse created a circle of love…
Buse competed with very famous athletes of great countries, who reached this day thanks to great opportunities they seized…
A Turkish Cypriot was at the Olympics, and even made it to the finals…
The people of this country have waited for many years to experience this kind of a feeling, this kind of joy…
It was the longing for feeling like a citizen of the world…
Buse Savaşkan became a breath of fresh air for Turkish Cypriots who have been trapped, locked up and left to face many challenges.
Like an oxygen mask for someone who is about to die where he is locked up…
The lack of a solution in Cyprus has not only hit us politically or economically, but also emotionally/mentally.
An emotional hunger caused by not having become a citizen of the world…
Many people think, ‘I wish our teams could also take part in European cups. It doesn’t matter if we get defeated, it is important to be there, to be a part of it,’… And they are right…
It is obvious that the order created in the country is not sustainable… Turkish Cypriots are victims in every respect.
Buse Savaşkan, even indirectly, gave Turkish Cypriots the taste of ‘being a world citizen’, took us to the Olympics, somehow we were there with Buse, and perhaps the Olympics we will never forget will be the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
However, this is just an emotional fulfillment; it does not change the fact that ‘we are on Earth but we are valued as nothing’…
Those who do not want to see this reality and those who intend to sustain this enclosed situation should know that a path as such is not right, nothing will ever improve with jingoism.
We thank Buse for the beautiful feelings she gave to us; she has inspired other Buses to come out of their shells… Already, there are many Turkish Cypriots who are successful in sports, art and science, as long as they find support and a smooth path…
I hope that both those who govern this country and our people will realise and truly understand that this captive life is not the right choice, and that they will fight harder to get out of the place where they are locked up…
Source: BUSE SAVAŞKAN GAVE US THE FEELING WE HAVE BEEN LONGING FOR SO MANY YEARS…
