Last Attacks
Cyprus EU Association has expressed her anxiety on inter communal attacks and called upon the officials of both communities to take serious stand on these matters and find those responsible and punish them at the highest possible manner. Association indicated that individual attacks and hooliganism are possible within every community but in countries like Cyprus where communal problems exist, such behaviour “could turn into ethnic character”; and called on the media and particularly the officials not to provoke the communities. The full text of the press bulletin issued by the Association is as follows.
We followed the aggressive behaviour of some members of a football club in south Cyprus and their attack on Turkish Cypriots; the tearing up of car tyres of those Greek Cypriots who had crossed to the north for entertainment purposes; attack to St. Mamas Church and to the cars belonging to people visiting Morphou, been set on fire; attack on the Turkish Cypriot students of the English School, in anxiety and disgust.
Such attacks, whether it is an individual or organised incidents are not acceptable. It is possible to see similar attacks in every country. In other countries, such attacks can be perceived as individual or hooligan activities. But such incidences in Cyprus, where there are communal problems, carry the potential to turn into “ethnic” character.
Therefore, these attacks should not be over looked, excused and pretend that it had never taken place, by the officials. The seriousness of the matter should be perceived and those responsible are captured and punished. In addition, the officials beginning to blame each other on ethnic grounds and adversely affecting the living together aims of the two communities, is unacceptable.
The media has as much responsibility as the officials. They should not provoke the communities, attributing political hooliganism and individual ill actions to the whole of the communities to create ethnic hatred, in their publications neither in north nor south Cyprus.
Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots have suffered a lot from this type of irresponsible, ill intentioned and opportunist behaviour. Such attacks are terrorism, and those responsible should be treated as terrorists and punished accordingly. Their punishments should be heavier than those given for other crimes. There is no other way to build confidence, to promote respect and co existence of the two communities.Ali Erel
President - Cyprus EU Association