{"id":11433,"date":"2023-08-25T12:34:32","date_gmt":"2023-08-25T09:34:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/penna.cydialogue.org\/?p=11433"},"modified":"2023-09-04T14:19:35","modified_gmt":"2023-09-04T11:19:35","slug":"take-your-hands-off-our-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/penna.cydialogue.org\/take-your-hands-off-our-books\/","title":{"rendered":"TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF OUR BOOKS!"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

\u201cWe make the decisions, not you.”<\/b>
\nThis is what is being imposed on the Turkish Cypriots!
\nBoth from the south, unfortunately and from the north…
\n“This is above your head.”<\/b><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

They took the primary school textbooks and changed them in Ankara.
\nThese are the books to be taught in Cyprus!
\nBecause they want to shake the foundations of society…<\/p>\n

We have very good educators; in the past, they researched, worked, and drafted these books.
\nWe should say “Why are you meddling with our books?”<\/b>
\nWe can write our own books.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The \u201cteacher<\/strong>\u201d portrayed in the new books that come from Ankara is wearing a headscarf\u2026
\nWe\u2019ve never had a veiled class teacher…<\/p>\n

The family is depicted through Palestine and India; what’s the relevance…<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Do you understand [now<\/i>] how the individual tarnishing the title of “Minister of Education” is preserving his seat?
\nBy undermining secular and modern education!
\nYou are a teacher, an educator, you should be ashamed of yourself!
\nResign, leave, don\u2019t be complicit in such disgrace!<\/b><\/p>\n

He is permitting imams to teach, allowing the formation of tribal practices, and empowering mosques to operate like schools.
\nHe remains silent as the commission in Ankara handles primary school books.
\nWhat a pity…<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

They are openly saying \u201cYou don\u2019t exist\u201d<\/b>!
\nThey\u2019re telling us \u201cYour living space is as much as we allow it to be.\u201d<\/b>
\nThey\u2019re telling us \u201cWe decide.\u201d<\/b>
\nAnd then they go on with their lies, deceit and nonsense on equality and sovereignty!<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Even in the International Education Index, which is a component of the Human Development Index, Turkey ranks 80th<\/sup>…
\nCyprus ranks 37th<\/sup>!<\/p>\n

Why should our children have to study books written in Ankara?
\nWhy are you deciding everything?
\nThis society has the intelligence to write books!
\nIt has both the experience and the knowledge to do so!
\nIt also possesses the human resources and the capacity to do so!<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

I’m not even discussing the international aspect of the matter, but how far will this disrespect go?
\nThe life you’re trying to impose doesn’t fit here!
\nNeither does the politics, nor the education…
\nThe identity doesn’t fit, the culture doesn’t fit…<\/p>\n

A little respect, a little courtesy!<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Intervention in education, intervention in culture, intervention in population, intervention in elections!
\nAre you a “guarantor” or a meddler?
\nWhere is this relationship heading?<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Cyprus is a different country, and you want to eliminate that.
\nFor years, you’ve been imposing religion and nationalism on these lands.
\nYou’re imposing population, imposing politics, imposing a way of life.
\nBy force!<\/p>\n

You’re committing a crime against humanity, by ignoring…<\/p>\n

[Photo insert: A page from the primary school book with the picture of a teacher wearing a headscarf<\/i>]<\/p>\n

\n

“No need for a strike, just don\u2019t use these books in schools, that’s enough”<\/b><\/h3>\n

Ahmet G\u00fcneyli, one of our prominent educators\u2026
\nHe says, “Updates and changes in the textbooks have taken place without my knowledge and approval as an academic consultant and textbook author”<\/b>.<\/p>\n

Moreover, he requested to see and review the books!\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 His request went unanswered.<\/p>\n

“The content of the books have been arbitrarily altered, with additions and omissions made. The changes in the updated books are not limited to a few religious symbols in the visuals reported by the press,<\/b>” says Ahmet G\u00fcneyli…<\/p>\n

He makes an important suggestion:
\n“There is no need to stage protests or go on strike about this matter. Just don\u2019t send the textbooks to schools, and if they are sent, just don\u2019t use them. This is the best response that can be given to the ‘I did it, it’s done’ mentality!”<\/b><\/p>\n

He says there is no need for a strike, and he’s right…
\nBecause the “loss of lessons”<\/b> due to strikes is driving families away from public schools and undermining the ground for collective struggle.<\/p>\n

The best form of resistance will be to render these books ineffective…
\nJust like how the people and educators of this country are being rendered ineffective…<\/p>\n

[Photo insert: A section from the book in question giving examples from Palestine and India<\/i>]<\/p>\n

\n

If no one gave the order…<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u00a0<\/b>The “Foreign” Minister Tahsin Ertu\u011frulo\u011flu said, “No one gave any orders<\/strong>“.
\nThis means there is a complete lack of order in this country, no administration, no authority.<\/p>\n

It seems that the construction company exceeded its authority at the most critical point!<\/p>\n

Since no one gave any instructions, whoever is responsible for carrying out the road construction work, whether it’s the company, the foreman, or the contractor, should be held accountable…
\nBecause the Turkish Cypriots were humiliated…<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

For example, if a contract was awarded for the road in front of parliament…
\nIf someone came up during its construction and said “stop”…
\nAnd the person operating the bulldozer drove his vehicle on the police…
\nInto the Turkish Embassy…
\nInto the Parliament… [Translator\u2019s note: The two buildings are located opposite each other<\/i>]
\nWouldn’t the driver be arrested?
\nWouldn’t the driver be booked?<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

During the debate in Parliament, MP Biray Hamzao\u011fullar\u0131 from the Karpaz [Karpasia<\/i>] area stood up and said, “I reached where I am today from being a driver, and no bulldozer operator would drive their vehicle onto another person without receiving orders from their superior.”<\/b><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

If the Minister is telling the truth by saying “No one gave any orders<\/b>,” then it means there is serious negligence, a crime, and irresponsibility at play.<\/p>\n

I would say “necessary action should be taken<\/b>” but it’s not as if they have a say\u2026<\/p>\n

They couldn’t even handle the tender properly…<\/p>\n

[Photo insert: A bulldozer pushing a UN vehicle in the buffer zone near Pile<\/i> (Pyla)<\/em>]<\/p>\n

\n

Who is considered a foreigner?<\/b><\/h3>\n

In many countries around the world, there are limitations about the property that can be owned by foreigners.
\nCountries have policies regarding population and property…<\/p>\n

There is a significant trend towards “spoils<\/b>” in the northern part of Cyprus.
\nProperty ownership is changing hands, anew…
\nIt’s becoming a gateway for profiteering!
\nWhen we look at similar places around the world, the figures are extremely attractive…
\nJust like in all cases of “stolen<\/b>” goods (!)<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

“L<\/strong>imiting property sales to foreigners<\/b>” is now on the agenda!
\nBut I believe the first question we need to answer is this: “Who is considered a foreigner?<\/b>”<\/p>\n

I had previously shared the 2022 data I officially requested from the Immovable Property Commission [IPC<\/i>].
\nThe number of applications made by “foreign nationals” to purchase property in the northern part of the island in a year was 5,194.<\/p>\n