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The ‘president-like’ Ersin Tatar’s statement, following his meeting with Maria Angela Holguín Cuellar, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ Special Envoy for Cyprus, which went along the lines of, “There is no need for a tripartite meeting, as it will not be of any use without resolving the property issue,” and his refusal to convene with Christodoulis, actually signify the closure of the door to diplomacy in Cyprus negotiations. This escape is not only a political regression, but also a disregard for the will of Turkish Cypriots to become active and equal participants of the solution process.
Tatar, who previously encouraged investors in the construction sector with a bizarre approach that was far from reality, is now running away from the negotiation table in the face of the current anxiety and detentions that surround property issues. This attitude is a concrete manifestation of his disrespect for the Turkish Cypriots’ quest for rights and justice.
The property issue has been the most complex and painful of all issues in Cyprus for years. However, currently, the real culprit who has deepened the property issue, turned deviation from international standards into a habit, and exhausted hopes for a solution is the kind of politics pursued by Ersin Tatar. This politics, which is far from a solution and disconnected from international law, is both darkening the future of Turkish Cypriots and rendering a solution to the Cyprus problem impossible. It is scoring an own goal by passing the ball to the Greek Cypriot leadership, without the need for them to make any counter-moves.
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Ours is not the only unresolved problem in the world. Bilateral and multilateral problems are shaping the new world order since forever. Even in places where armed conflicts continue, diplomacy and political solutions are sought with determination. Decades of negotiations in Northern Ireland, efforts to reduce tensions in Colombia, and the ending of apartheid in South Africa are the most concrete examples of this.
All these processes show us that peace and human rights can only be achieved through diplomacy and dialogue, no matter where in the world. However, it is impossible to make any progress on this path with a president who has sworn to destroy the will of the Turkish Cypriot community and who is unable to remove the attire that has been forced upon him, even though it is harming his body.
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On a small island, riddled with deepening poverty, our ability to build our own future is gradually being eroded under the shadow of incompetent, rent-seeking policies. Every action taken by the ‘government-like’ structure is putting our economic and social rights on hold, and the uncalculated steps taken are plunging our future into a spiral of debt.
What is more, I cannot recall any other period when manipulative and misleading propaganda was used so intensively. A perception management campaign has been underway for some time for the ‘prime minister-like’ Üstel, in particular, and it is clear that this is being done professionally. If you do not live in this country and only follow certain media outlets and the prime minister’s official social media accounts, you could easily get the impression that we are living in ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ However, after reading those news stories and then visiting the supermarket to shop, the spell is instantly broken. When you get to the checkout, reality hits you like a slap in the face.
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This mentality of the presidency and the government, which is in the mood of “I am cross with you, I won’t play this game”, and “I’ll do as necessary, and the circles close to me will be satisfied”, disregards the rights, hopes and future of the people. We are unable to show presence either nationally, or internationally. We are unable to connect with the world, and are moving away from human rights standards.
The solution to the Cyprus problem will not eliminate all of our problems at once. Yet, continuing with this mentality and this administration will drag the future, rights and freedoms of Turkish Cypriots into an even deeper impasse. We have now reached the end.
Everyone who wants peace and justice must see this reality. True peace in Cyprus will only be possible with a determined leadership that stands by its people. Today’s ‘leadership’ is shying away from diplomacy and laying the solution aside. We, the Turkish Cypriot people, will not give up on our demand for peace, justice, and the humane life we deserve.
This article was originally published on 27.05.2025
