Cyprus Politics and their social influence Prologue Occasion and cause The graduation project intervenes in the division zone of Cyprus, the so called buffer zone. This zone is made to prevent intercommunal conflicts and is a neutral area that divides the Cypriots and the country in two. The origin of the buffer zone dates from 1974 but the events of its cause have an older history. The reason this research is made is to analyse chronologically the history that is related with the today s buffer zone from the time of the Ottoman Empire until today. The chronological review focus on the major political events from the past and their connection with the Cyprus of today. The brutalities of the conflicts and the political events are avoided in this research.
Spider s web.
Cyprus Politics and their social influence Chronological review of the major socio political events of Cyprus: from 1878 until today Cyprus throughout the history has been ruled by different civilizations. All civilizations have influenced the island and their traces are still visible on the landscape and the cultural heritage of the island. The part of history that is discribed in this research dates from the end of the 19th century due to its close connection with the current socio political situation of Cyprus today. This chapter offers a chronoogical review of the major socio political events in Cyprus from the end of the Ottoman Empire until today aiming to provide an objective image based on facts about the cause of the buffer zone and the partial occupation that are the main socio political issues of contemporary Cyprus. Alexis Ierides Faculty of Architecture Explore lab graduation studio TU Delft
Europe, Africa, Asia & Middle East Cyprus as crossing point
The island of Cyprus: total surface 9,251 km2
1571-1878 A.C Halla Sultan mosque, Larnaca Ottoman Empire
The influence of the Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire brought two major changes in Cyprus. The first is a change in the demographics of the island. Since the ancient times the majority of the inhabitants of Cyprus has Greek ethnicity but with the arrival of the Ottomans there is another ethnic group that joined the island, the Turks. The significant amount of Turkish population in Cyprus was as result of the policy of the Ottoman Empire to give land grands (the so called timars ) to Ottoman soldiers under the condition that they and their families would stay - in the areas they were missioned - permanently. The second major change is the socio politcal change from the so called millet system. The Ottomans gave the freedom to the natives to have their own administrative system. This system is developed to built the trust between the native population of the island and the Ottoman Empire by ligally protecting the non-islamic groups to have their own autonomy. For the autonomy of the non-islamic groups there was a representative who was allowed to apply his own rules to the autonomous population and in exchange had to be loyal to the Ottoman Empire and taxation. In Cyprus the responsible person for the autonomy of the native population was the archbishop who became from a religious leader to also the political figure of the Christians.
1869 Cyprus Suez Canal The significance of the Suez Canal The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 had a great influence on the perception of Cyprus. The island - due to its location - became important in terms of politics and economy since the Suez Canal offers watercraft a shorter journey between the North Atlantic and northern Indian oceans via the Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea, providing a shorter connection between the East and West.
From 1878 to 1959 1878 1923 1931 1950 s 1959
1878 1923 1931 1950 s 1959 Cyprus coin of the time 1878 In 4 of June 1878 a secret agreement was signed between the United Kingdom and the Ottoman Empire which granted the control of Cyprus to Great Britain in exchange for its support of the Ottomans during the Congress of Berlin that happened on 13 of June 1878. The reason for the Ottomans to exchange the ruling of Cyprus to the British was in return for the protection guarantee against eventual raid of the Ottoman Empire from Russia. Officially Cyprus remained a part of the Ottoman Empire.
Demographics from 1881 onwards. Source: Demographic report of statistical service, Republic of Cyprus
1878 1923 1931 1950 s 1959 Map of the treaty of Lausanne. 1923 The treaty of Lausanne was signed on 24 July 1923 and Cyprus became officially part of the British Empire. Cyprus status as a protectorate of the British Empire ended earlier in 1914 when the Ottoman Empire entered the first world war on the side of the Central Powers.
1878 1923 1931 1950 s 1959 Demonstrations for union of Cyprus and Greece 1931 On the night of 21 of October 1931 Greek Cypriots demonstrated against the British rule demanding union (enosis) with Greece. Britain denies and imposes hard restrictions. Important to mention is that Britain through the whole rule in Cyprus was applying the tactic of divide and conquer to have a better control over the island. This tactic was intensifying the creation of the division and conflicts between the Greek and Turkish community of Cyprus. Aftermath of this attitude is the declined number of mixed villages - of different ethnic groups - from 346 in 1891 to 114 by 1960.
1959 1878 1923 1931 1950 s 1950 s Student demonstrations for union of Greece and Cyprus The Greek Cypriots demand for union (enosis) with Greece emerged with new force with the support of the Greek government during the 1950 s. This attempt alerted Turkey and alarmed the Turkish Cypriots who respond to the union demand by calling partition (taksim).
1923 1931 1950 s 1959 Enosis (Union) 1950 s Taksim (Partition) 1878 Both union and partition were one of the main cause of the conflicts between the Greek and Turkish communities of Cyprus.
1878 1923 1931 1950 s 1959 Newspaper map of Cyprus in 1956, indicating the British forces. 1950 s From mid-1956 onwards there were constant discussions in NATO for creating an independent Cyprus which would be a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Despite all the efforts the British rule was unchanged.
1878 1923 1931 1950 s 1959 1955-1959 British military in action: arresting students and any other Cypriot considered involved with the liberation fights In 1955 a new wave of liberation fights began against the British rule for the independence of Cyprus. These fights were organised by EOKA (National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters) that strived for the liberation of Cyprus from the British rule. EOKA was active from the 1 April 1955 until the agreement for the independence of Cyprus in 1959.
1878 1923 1931 1950 s 1959 Emblem of the TMT (Turkish Resistance Organisation). 1957 During the years of the liberation fights against the British a small number of Turkish Cypriots formed the TMT to counter the liberation fights. In order to achieve more support TMT contacted Turkey with the aim to raise their awareness about the current situation of Cyprus and their desire for the partition of the island. With the secret support from Turkey with military supplies TMT became active in 1958.
1878 1923 1931 1950 s 1959 British prime minister (1957-1963) Harold Macmillan. 1958 The British prime minister Harold Macmillan introduced a form of partition as a new proposal for Cyprus. The plan stated that the United Kingdom, Greece and Turkey would jointly administer Cyprus. This plan was rejected by the Archbishop Makarios who declared that only a proposal which guaranteed independence, excluding both union and partition, would be acceptable.
1878 1923 1931 1950 s 1959 1956 Photo of Hermes street and the transactions over the berbed wire after the seperation between the north and south of Nicosia, 1956. British soldiers stand guard. The first intercommunal conflicts between Greek- and Turkish Cypriots started in Nicosia in 1956. This led to the first hard division of the walled city between the Greek and Turkish area and was guarded by the British soldiers. Hermes street - the most commercial street of that time where Greeks, Turks and Armenian were working together was decided by the British to be the reference point for the division and the position barbed wire.
1878 1923 1931 1950 s 1959 1959 Archbischop Makarios on the left, representing the Greek Cypriots, and Fazil Kucuk on the right representing the Turkish Cypriots. UK outlines a Cypriot constitution to the representatives of Greek- and Turkish- Cypriots, without the presence of either the Greek or Turkish sides. These negotiations were accepted by both Cypriot representatives and marked the independence of Cyprus. In 1959 the liberation fights end with the Treaty of a) Zurich-London, b) Alliance, c) Security: In this last Treaty an agreement is signed in which Britain, Greece and Turkey could take action if any of the treaties violated.
The major points of the London-Zürich aggreement Cyprus is to become an independent state. Both taksim and enosis are to be prohibited. Greek and Turkish military forces, at a ratio of approximately 3:2, are to be present at all time in Cyprus. Both forces are to answer to all three Foreign Ministers: of Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus. The President is to be a Greek Cypriot, elected by the Greek Cypriots population, and the Vice President a Turkish Cypriot, elected by the Turkish Cypriots population. The Cabinet is to include seven Greek Cypriots, chosen by the President, and three Turkish Cypriots, chosen by the Vice President. Decisions will need an absolute majority but both the President and the Vice President have the right of veto. The United Kingdom is to remain a guarantor and keep both of its military bases.
1960 Republic of Cyprus [National flag] The colours of the flag are neutral in order to have no connection with either Greece nor Turkey. The crossing leafs represent the coexistence of both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots
1960 Republic of Cyprus [Emblem]
Population distribution 1960 Greek Cypriots Greek Cypriots British military base Maronites Greek Cypriots 441.656 77% Turkish Cypriots 104.942 18.3% Armenian Cypriots 3.378 0.6% Latin Cypriots 4.505 0.8% Maronites 2.752 0.5% others 16.333 2.8%
historical review Cyprus From 1960 to 1974 1963 1964 1967 1963 1974
historical review Cyprus 1964 1967 1968 1974 20 November 1963 The first government and the first conflicts: On the left the Turkish-Cypriot vice-president Fazil Kucuk and on the right the president Arbishop Makarios 1963 Three years after the independence of Cyprus and due to constitutional deadlocks the president of Cyprus stated the 13 points of changes in the constitution. These changes were not accepted by the Turkish Cypriot vice president and community. This political event marked the beginning of a series of new conflicts between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
1964 1967 1968 1974 January 1964 1963 British general Peter Young (left) with Sir Dennis Barnett and Michael Carver As result of a series of conflicts between the Greek- and Turkish- Cypriots the United Nations peacekeeping force established the first division line between the two communities. The line was applied only in Nicosia and it was called the Green line because the general who drew it had a green pencil in his hands.
1964 1967 1968 1974 January 1964 1963 British soldiers marking the Green line. UN peacekeeping soldiers executing the orders for delineating the division between Greek- and Turkish- Cypriots of the walled city of Nicosia.
1964 1967 1968 1974 January 1964 1963 Plan of the walled city of Nicosia with the division of the Green Line Green line : 1.5 km of division of the old city of Nicosia, dividing the Greek- and the Turkish- Cypriots of Nicosia in north and south.
1964 1967 1968 1974 1964 1963 Map of Cyprus indicating the enclaves of the Turkish-Cypriots The conflicts between the two communities escalate more and create a greater schism. This situation caused the Turkish enclaves: the division and isolation of the Turkish Cypriots outside the Green line of Nicosia.
1964 1967 1968 1974 April 1967 1963 Poster of the Athenian Hounta In 1967 Greece suffers from the coup of the dictatorial military organisation, the (Athenian) Hounta. This situation in Greece will cause later changes in the state of Cyprus.
1964 1967 1968 1974 1968 1963 Plan of the walled city of Nicosia with the division of the Green Line and the new passages The tension between the Greek- and Turkish- Cypriots reduced with the start of intercommunal political dialogues and with this chance the main commercial streets of Ledra and Ermou (Hermes) opened to serve only the Turkish Cypriots that worked on the Greek Cypriot sector.
1964 1967 1968 1974 15 July 1974 1963 Illustration of the civil disaster from the coup of Cyprus from the artist Hambis Tsaggaris. In 1974 the Athenian Hounta in collaboration with the Cypriot National Guard took over the government of Cyprus by force, this coup lasted 5 days.
1964 1967 1968 1974 Turkish military forces 20 July 1974 1963 Illustration of the plans of Turkish military mission Attila 1 for their first invasion in Cyprus. Attila 1 is the name of the Turkish military mission for invading Cyprus. The coup becomes the cause of the (first) invasion of Turkey in Cyprus, claiming to protect the Turkish Cypriot community. The aftermath of the Attila 1 is that 7% of the island was controlled by the Turkish forces and they connected the Turkish Cypriot enclave of the North of Nicosia with the harbour of Kyrenia which enabled them to increase the rate of reinforcements arriving from Turkey.
1964 1967 1968 1974 15 August 1974 1963 Illustration of the plans of Turkish military mission Attila 2 for their second invasion in Cyprus. Attila 2 is the name of the Turkish military mission for the second invasion of Turkey in Cyprus. The aftermath of the Attila 2 is that 37% of the island is controlled by the Turkish forces (until today), 200.000 Greek Cypriots flee to the south and 51.000 Turkish Cypriots flee to the north, 4.000 Cypriots lost their lives and 2.000 are missing.
1964 1967 1968 1974 Occupied Cyprus / the so called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Border line (UN territory) British military base from 1974 until today British military base 1963 Map of Cyprus and the aftermath of the Turkish invasion. Since the August of 1974 no further actions occurred and 37% of the island is occupied by Turkey. The occupied area declares itself as Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognised only by Turkey. The so called Northern Cyprus is considered by the International Community to be part of the Republic of Cyprus, Turkey denies and controls the occupied area until today. With the cease of fire on 16 August 1974 the buffer zone between the Cypriots is created and divides the whole island in two.
Population distribution 1960 Greek Cypriots Greek Cypriots British military base Maronites In 1960 the different ethnic groups were spread through the whole island. Some areas were in majority inhabited by Greek Cypriots, other by Turkish Cypriots and other areas had a mixed population.
Population distribution since 1974 Greek Cypriots Turkish Cypriots... British military base Maronites In 1974 as aftermath of the escalation of the ethnic conflicts and the Turkish occupation the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots are separated with what is called the buffer zone. This zone is made to prevent intercommunal conflicts and is a neutral area guarded by the United Nations, dividing the Cypriots and the country as a land in two.
1975 Cypriots migrating to somewhere that might be safe, no one knows. After the Turkish invasion on Cyprus and the division of the island in two there was a population exchange agreement between the Greek- and Turkish- Cypriots under auspices of the United Nations on 2 August 1975. Both ethnic groups were allowed to either stay or to either be transferred across the line, either to the north or to the south. No matter the choice the Cypriots become twice a stranger either by arriving to something different or by experiencing the known differently.
Cypriots migrating in their own country.
1975 Occupied Cyprus / the so called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Border line (UN territory) British military base British military base Map of Cyprus and the aftermath of the Turkish invasion. As a result of the Turkish occupation, the demographic structure of the island has been continuously modified. Following the occupation of Northern Cyprus, civilian settlers from Turkey started arriving on the island. Despite the lack of consensus on the exact figures, all parties concerned admitted that Turkish nationals began arriving in the northern part of the island in 1975. United Nations expressed that the implantation of settlers in the occupied territories of Cyprus constitute a form of colonialism and attempt to change illegally the demographic structure of Cyprus.
From 1974 until today crossroads referendum europe
crossroads referendum europe Border crossing Occupied Cyprus / the so called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Border line (UN territory) British military base Map of Cyprus and the access points through the buffer zone. 2003 British military base From 1974 until 2003 crossings from the Republic of Cyprus to the so called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus were banned. In 2003 the on the travel restrictions between north and south have been eased followed by the opening of the Ledra Palace Crossing (23 of April) that functions as a crossing point through the buffer zone. This was the first time the border is accessible since 1974. After 2003 the buffer zone has been punctured in another 6 places to provide accessibility, including the access point of Ledras street (3 April of 2008) inside the walled city.
crossroads referendum europe UN secretary-general (1997-2006) Kofi Annan. 2004 The Annan Plan was a United Nations proposal to resolve the Cyprus dispute. The proposal suggested to restructure the Republic of Cyprus as a United Republic of Cyprus, which would be a federation of two states. The plan - that was revised several times - was put to the people of Cyprus in a referendum on 24 April 2004. The plan was rejected since the Greek Cypriot population voted against the plan (75.38%) in contrast with the Turkish Cypriot population that supported the plan (64.91%). The political leaders of both sides had campaigned for a no vote.
crossroads referendum europe Occupied Cyprus / the so called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Border line (UN territory) British military base Map of Cyprus as aftermath of the Turkish occupation. 2004 British military base The Republic of Cyprus enters the EU on 1 May 2004 still divided, although the EU acquis communautaire the body of common rights and obligations applies only to the areas under direct government control of the Republic of Cyprus, and is suspended in the areas occupied by the Turkish military and administered by Turkish Cypriots. Citizens with a Cyprus passport are EU citizens which exclude the Turkish settlers after 1974 that are not considered recognised Cypriots.
Epilogue The key to The way a society is structured is depended on many events, fortunate and unfortunate. This research is an attempt to present the facts of the major political and social events that influence the society of Cyprus today with special attention on the issue of the division. The graduation project addresses this division and this research becomes part of the framework for the design intervention by providing information about the current location and the origin of the events that led to its today s status. Abandoned house inside the walled city.