10th GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Saturday, 7 November, 2009, KTOEOS in Nicosia
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Murat Kanatli’s Speech at the 10th Ordinary Meeting of the General Assembly of the New Cyprus Party (YKP)
Dear friends, comrades,
Dear guests, members of the media,
First of all, I would like to welcome all those friends who are here as our guests…
Friends who brought us the warm solidarity of the peoples of Turkey and Greece, welcome!
Friends from the other half of our motherland with whom we share the same sky and the same land and chant the same slogans be it in different languages “solution in Cyprus, right now” “peace, right now”, welcome!
Friends from this half of our motherland, where we are cornered, with whom we struggle together for solution, for peace, for democracy, for a civil society, and for labour, using the same language, welcome!
Members of the media who work under the most difficult conditions for a living, with no security and under dangerous circumstances, welcome!
Members of our party, sympathizers, friends of the party, and comrades who have continuously supported our party with determination for the last 20 years despite the lack of resources and all kinds of oppression, for freedom, for peace, for reuniting Cyprus and all Cypriots, against occupations and their native collaborators, against their agents, against those who voluntarily surrender to them, and against the civil and military bureaucrats of underground and above-ground organizations of Turkey, welcome!
Friends who have put their hearts into this struggle and dedicated their lives to it, welcome!
We are passing through difficult times for both our party and the country…
Despite this, our struggle, our march towards peace and socialism is continuing…
If we are to say it through the verses of Nazim Hikmet:
To walk;
Leaving behind those who do not walk
Like empty streets,
Tearing the air in two all the way
Looking into the darkness
Like through the eye of a rifle
…to walk!
To walk;
Feeling friendly shoulders
next to yours
putting your life at stake
and your heart inside your fists
…to walk!
To walk;
Knowing that
They set an ambush on the road
Tripping you from behind
…to walk!
To walk;
Smiling
From the heart
…to walk!
Dear friends, the 20-year-old walk of the New Cyprus Party is continuing…
Despite 20 years passing, this struggle has not ended, no matter what;
this struggle will continue until the face of the earth becomes the face of love…
YKP members, who contributed to this struggle, welcome again!
Dear friends,
YKP is continuing its struggle for 20 years now… This struggle is being waged so that future generations would live in a freer and more democratic country… At the same time, this struggle is a promise we gave to future generations…
We do not intend to leave a motherland divided by barbed wires, surrounded by military camps, and where chauvinism and racism is felt everywhere… for this reason, this struggle is continuing and it must continue…
But our promise is not only to the future generations…
We were hundreds when we first embarked on this road… But the bitter reality of life hit us, too. Every death is too soon, it is always someone departing early from among us… The day they departed from among us and after, on the anniversaries of remembrance, we always repeated that we will continue on their behalf, this struggle which we began with them…
Yes, we promise to Mehmet ASI Goze, to Erbil Refik, to Huseyin Onen, to Yuksel Kanatli, to Reha Caner, to Salih Altayli, to Mustafa Ahmetoglulari, to Ahmet Karaman, to Necdet Turgay and many others that their struggle, the struggle for socialism will not end half way, the struggle, their struggle is continuing, we will continue it…
That is, we promise our friends that their struggle is our struggle; we will continue their struggle on the street…
Our load is heavy dear friends, because our promise is not only to them…
Mustafa Ertan, Ozer Elmas, Mehmet Omer, Muharrem Ozdemir, Ercan Turgut and Sadik Cemil who were killed while studying in Turkey in the 1970’s, were not only fighting for Cyprus, but also demonstrating the most wonderful example of internationalism, also fought for the peoples of Turkey where they happened to be, and lost their lives in the process… The struggle they began is continuing within our struggle… Their struggle will not end half way, either, we will carry their dreams and their struggles to tomorrow…
The dreams and struggle of those who did not surrender to oppression and cruelty in the darkest days, when life was at the mercy of the barrel of a gun and were killed as they were fighting for Cyprus also live within our struggle…
Dervis Ali Kavazoglu and Kostas Mishaoulis were killed at the same place, side by side, on 11 April, 1965. On 24 May, 1956, Fazıl Onder and Savvas Menikos were shot on the same day, at different places; but their ideals were the same, and although the religion and the language of those who pulled the trigger or gave the orders to do so were different, the mentality and the dark organizations were the same…
Mihalis Petrou, Ahmet Yahya, Ilias Tofaris, Ahmet Ibrahim, and Andreas Sakkas were progressives and peace-loving Cypriots who were murdered for the “national cause” by the organizations of the time; they were the victims of the same organizations.
Columnists of Cumhuriyet (Republic) newspaper Ayhan Hikmet and Muzaffer Gurkan, and columnist of Yeni Duzen Kutlu Adali were the other victims of the same organizations…
We know that in order to partition Cyprus, to silence progressive and democrat individuals through the use of official and unofficial organizations, through tactics of unconventional warfare that is contra guerrilla tactics, many people were shot at (but not killed), bombed, and beaten, but despite all they resisted…
Similar thoughts continue to live within YKP and for this reason their struggle continues within our struggle and it will continue…
Dear friends,
We are going through a difficult period in the Cyprus problem…
During this period, it is not enough to fight against division and partition, chauvinism and nationalism which are easier to see… We must also struggle against hopelessness, pessimism, and against the attitude of “nothing is possible in this country” whose results are as dangerous as chauvinism, if not more, and their contribution to partition less noticeable…
During this period when hopelessness is being raised the most, it must be known that hopelessness means the continuation of the status quo and the occupation… To say “nothing is possible in this country” means accepting the present situation, that is, accepting 40 thousands Turkish troops, thousands of American, British, Greek, and other soldiers, many bases and military installations…
Hopelessness means accepting the presence and the meddling of Turkey’s civil and military bureaucrats here…
Hopelessness means approving Cyprus to officially become the 82nd province of Turkey…
Hopelessness is paving the road for the process of becoming a province…
It is exactly due to all these reasons that it suits most of all the YKP members to be hopeful…
No matter what, it is appropriate for us to say Cyprus will be united…
No matter what, it is appropriate for us to say this island will be demilitarized…
It is appropriate for YKP members to remind them that even their power has a limit…
If they forget, let us remind them that despite their giant armies and military technologies, the Vietnamese, the Afghan, the Palestinian, the Kurdish, and many other peoples have not been defeated and continue to resist…
We remind them of the Cuban revolution right under the nose of the United States, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary…
We remind them of today’s Latin America…
The only thing that will not change is change itself… So many empires and so many rulers existed; in their day they were saying that nothing will change and that they will exist forever, but they are not around now… Marxists believed in the change itself, to the transformation of change, and to the processes of evolution and revolution and they were seldom mistaken…
We remind them that the conjecture, international diplomacy, and other manoeuvres can provide them some space for movement, but no occupying power could be permanent in the face of peoples who dare to resist; it has never been and for this reason it cannot be in Cyprus either, but a struggle is needed to obtain results, resistance is needed, the road is not through Ankara, but to embrace the thought of gaining power through struggles in the street, to raise the struggle against the regime, and YKP is determined to continue its struggle during the next period, as well…
Struggling for a one-sided yes at a referendum contributes to partition, to permanent division or to becoming a province, just as much, if not more, as hopelessness. For this reason, YKP will also struggle against the thought of “our duty is only to achieve a yes in the north.” In this struggle, the main thinking should be “us Cypriots” and not “us, Turkish Cypriots” and the struggle should continue in all of Cyprus for a yes regardless of religion or language. We emphasize that in the next period we will struggle even more towards this direction…
During the period ahead, we also have the duty to struggle more for demilitarization, against the demographic change, to stop the looting of property, and to organize activities for confidence building between the communities.
It is understood that with our renewed core members we are entering a more active period in our work. For this reason, we tell those who love the status quo to tremble, because YKP is coming more powerful…
During the coming period we will not only be concerned with the Cyprus problem, with our observer membership status at the European Left Party, we will also be party to building a new Europe, a Europe for labour. Among our tasks this coming period is to struggle and be in solidarity with progressive, democrat, and socialist parties and organizations for a Europe against militarism, for peace and ecology, resisting neoliberal policies, and at the same time, to disseminate the views of the European Left in our country, and to make a contribution to the struggle from here…
During this period we also have to intensify our struggle for labour, because the situation for working people in the northern part of Cyprus has become a living hell. Apart from the usurpation of the right for a 40-hour working week and the right to organize and have security, we are witnessing more often the attempts to lower wages where leading a humane life is not possible. Bosses are no longer looking for workers, but slaves and to continue this situation they are supporting the transfer of more population… In order to preserve the profits of a few bosses, past and present governments took certain measures against thousands of workers. To those who are saying that there is the crisis to justify their measures, we will say that the bosses and not the workers should pay the bill of the crisis, intensifying our struggle.
The coming period for us would be to increase our struggle and solidarity with those who are fighting for labour, for working conditions compatible with human dignity as far as wages and working conditions are concerned and the right to have security and to unionize in accordance with international agreements and conventions…
The ecological destruction is continuing in Cyprus at full speed. The policy to make partition and the status quo permanent has also been effective, the mountains and planes of the country were filled with buildings especially after 2004 with the encouragement of the administration of the time so that Greek Cypriots will not find anything to return to, the environment has been irreparably damaged, and they tried to pass this as “contributing to the economy”
With the changing of the demographic structure, especially the problems of water and deforestation have become chronic, and the uncontrolled construction has also destroyed productive agricultural lands. This destruction is continuing even today and with further construction in the near future, it is evident that there will be more irreparable destruction. Future generations will pay a heavy price for the destruction in the ecosystem, for this reason YKP will intensify its struggle for the ecosystem, and join with others who do the same.
In addition to all this, we will intensify our struggle for the complete implementation of human rights and freedoms of women, of those facing discrimination due to their sexual orientation, of the refugees, of those facing discrimination because of their race or other differences…
We are determined to continue these and other similar struggles with our friends… YKP is always in favour of being a party to cooperation and collaboration, but this does not mean veering away from the views of the party for the sake of being together…
Being a party means cooperating and collaborating in any way within the framework of our views and documents of the party… Those who want to take a long walk with us, those who want a long relationship with us, should understand clearly what we mean by us being a party…
This understanding should also be reflected in mutual criticisms… Criticisms that are just coffeehouse gossips, like tens of articles saying that YKP is “Cypriot nationalist”, sees “getting into the EU is liberation”, “immigrants’ enemy”, have been repeatedly coming and hitting us for 20 years… Without basing their arguments on any YKP documents, they depend on coffeehouse politics and say “you seem like that”, “your image is like this”, and “I heard so”. Everything that YKP has written or said is accessible to everyone and it has views on all topics, those who need to criticize should not have the need to resort to coffeehouse type gossips, they should base their arguments on documents, let us raise the level of the argument, because in the past such behaviours harmed cooperation and collaboration, and it will do so again if continued…
YKP had clearly put forward its principles and the reasons for its struggle when it first embarked on the road. It is an unacceptable behaviour that those who were in other places, and even in the Intellectuals’ Movement of Self-determination 20 years ago, should try to test us… We would like to remind these circles that are still continuing to be angry with YKP, that they are the same circles who do just the opposite of YKP whether it participates or boycotts elections… We will continue to remember during the next period the behaviour of those lacking good will who have declared boycott while we were campaigning in the elections of 1998; they put up a rival candidate in 2000, and in 2009 they were attacking us and participating in elections while we were calling for a boycott…
Despite all, by taking risks if need be, we will continue to struggle together and walk as far as possible with those we can against the regime, in the struggle for labour, in the struggle for improving human rights and freedoms…
Like in many other organizations in Cyprus where organizing is a problem, this is also true for YKP… Despite all, many young friends have applied for membership in the party organs, which is very important for us. YKP will become an effective power in politics to the extent that it merges the experience of the older generation with the dynamism of the youth. This aspect will be very important for the coming period… But the active participation of women in politics is just as important as the rejuvenation of the party. The Party has important work before it, towards this goal.
Dear friends,
As stated before, we are continuing our struggle with determination for the reunification of our country, against the regime, and to end the occupation…
We again call upon those who wish to contribute, to join the struggle…
Under these conditions we once again call upon those who:
- accept the reunification of Cyprus and all Cypriots,
- say a Cyprus with no borders, no weapons, and no guarantors is possible,
- demand a socialism with equality and freedom at the same time, right now,
- looking for a socialist option against agents,
- oppose the hegemony of Turkey’s civil and military bureaucrats by saying “Cyprus belongs to Cypriots” “this country is ours, we shall rule it ourselves”, refuse all false positions and any dealing with loot,
- oppose the policy of population transfer to the northern part of Cyprus in order to turn it into a province of Turkey and to assimilate the Turkish Cypriots with the mentality of a conqueror,
- say that another world is possible; determined to raise the struggle against the attacks of neo-liberalism throughout the world and in Cyprus, together with global resistance by saying that the centre of the world is not Nicosia,
- defend a labour and social Europe and not a capitalist one,
- say all peoples are brothers
Whatever their language, religion, colour, sexual orientation, the women, the youth, the working people, we call upon all to join the New Cyprus Party.
Once again we say, come; join the New Cyprus Party to establish a new Cyprus and a new Europe…
Dear friends,
As we said many times before, we gave a promise to future generations; we will leave them a Cyprus with no borders, no weapons, no guarantors, no soldiers, and a socialist Cyprus. For this reason, there is no other way, the struggle is continuing, we once again thank all those who contribute, those who put their heart into the struggle and dedicate their lives to it…
And dear friends, we are not subject to the status quo, we are not hopeless, we believe that we can overthrow the status quo, and we say we can…
We say, “Solution is possible, right now”…
We say that “Another Cyprus is possible”…
And these are not dreams; we have hope that they can be realized…
We are raising our hope over the darkness…
And we want the future from today, and we will take it! Because the alternatives are either the regime of barbarianism or peace and socialism! We have chosen peace and socialism, we made a deal with the future, we are determined to organize the uprising against annihilation and to win our future…
And we will surely win!
With my wishes for a successful congress, I thank all the participants…
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PARTY COUNCIL REPORT
The New Cyprus Party (YKP), founded in 1989, celebrates its 20th anniversary, 20 years of struggle!
20 years of struggle for the reunification of Cyprus and Cypriots, for a socialism which demands both equality and freedom and for a new Cyprus!
YKP which was founded during difficult times for both the left and the Cyprus problem has continued its struggle under the name the Patriotic Unity Movement between 1998 and 2004.
At its 8th Congress on October 30, 2004, YKP updated its programme, making amendments to its constitution, and decided to resume its activities under the name the New Cyprus Party. As the left and socialist positions were being clarified in the programme, changes were also made in parallel with new developments in the Cyprus problem. Apart from the change in the name of the party, amendments were also adopted making it possible for any Cypriot to become a member.
If we recall the process of establishing the YKP; for some of those who were organised in the Communal Liberation Party (TKP) it was clear that democracy could not be achieved based on the experiences of 1975-1983. Although it had won elections, the TKP was not allowed to form the government. It was forced to approve the declaration of the “TRNC”, and especially with the attempt to break up TKP between 1983 and 1986, the time to leave the party was fast approaching for those who later were to take part in the establishment of the YKP. Denktash, servant of Turkey and the then appointed leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, described that operation in his memoirs as “We activated our cells in the TKP”.
Young people, the majority being from the Halk-Der and members or sympathisers of other similar democratic mass organisations, joined this process at the end of the 1980s. In addition to this, those who did not believe that a democratic state with the rule of law could be established and that Cypriots could not become masters of their fate under the “TRNC” structure were in search of a way out.
The formation of the Association for Solidarity with Cypriots in 1989 contributed to this process.
As a result, with the participation of all these groups, it was decided to establish the YKP and on 30 October, 1989, the formation of the YKP was declared with the following basic aims:
To Struggle for:
- Commitment to universal values, claiming the independence and territorial integrity of Cyprus, together, for peace, democracy, equality, cooperation and social justice in Cyprus, Europe and the world,
- Pulling back and abolishing any continuing interventions of the Turkish Republic army-civil administrations and local collaborators against the existence of Cypriots,
- Supporting international solidarity, basic human rights and freedoms, pushing back chauvinism in Cyprus and the world, taking the side of labour for a just distribution of wealth against exploitation,
- Realisation of the revolutionary transformations which will provide a better future, freedom and justice for all human beings and labour,
- Globalisation of labour, by embracing the working classes and affiliated labour groups (workers, artisans, craftsmen, small producers, civil servants, teachers and all white collar workers living by their labour) of the whole of Cyprus, by cooperating with all left movements worldwide, especially Europe’s, by comprehending that the future of humanity lies in socialism, for a world without wars and exploitation.
The YKP, having a 20 year history of struggle, today is continuing to march forward as a party where any Cypriot is entitled to apply for membership and as a socialist party struggling for the reunification of Cyprus and Cypriots.
A- THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
There have been various political developments since the 9th Congress. The atmosphere of pessimism prevalent during our last convention in May 2007, with the election of Christofias on February, 2008 gave way to an inquisitive “could it be possible?” attitude for many Cypriots… The first round of negotiations, or the pretence of them, was completed in August and the second round began in September.
Although Christofias was elected, the coalition of AKEL with the rejectionist front of DIKO-EDEK continued as before. Despite this negative aspect, the fact that the second largest party, DISY, is continuing to provide support as far as the Cyprus problem is concerned, is creating a positive atmosphere. For this reason, such an optimistic environment is the cause for questions such as “If not them, who?” and “If not now, when?”
Despite this, there is the impression among many circles that the administrators of Turkey, who are the main obstacles to a solution in Cyprus, will not be under pressure for the foreseeable future and will continue to apply delaying tactics due to Turkey’s increased role in the Caucasus and the Middle East, her determining role in accessing energy resources, and the relations between Turkey and EU. And this diminishes, for many, the hopes for a settlement.
There have also been many changes in Europe since May, 2007. In influential countries such as France, Germany, and Italy rightwing governments have been re-elected or came to power. And it is not expected that leftwing governments will come to power in the near future in these countries. Although in Britain the Labour Party is in power, it is thought likely that it will lose the next general elections. This situation was also reflected in the European elections of June 2009 when right wing groups increased their strength considerably in the European Parliament, the extreme right wing parties even succeeding in forming their own group. After such an environment during which the EU constitution was rejected and the Lisbon Treaty implementation delayed, the results of the enlargement in 2003 have not been so positive, and the continuing world economic crisis and similar domestic issues, affects the decisions of European institutions relating to enlargement. This, naturally, reflects on the decisions and attitudes of Turkey towards her relations with the EU, that is, holding Cyprus at ransom to achieve an advantage with the solution of the Cyprus problem, and this is another factor increasing pessimism among the people. The armed conflicts in Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, and many regions of Africa, and humanitarian crises prevent the UN from spending more time for Cyprus.
Despite all the negativities, a lot of optimism about a solution was injected into the situation based on the past relationship between the two leaders, a relationship whose present relevance has not been questioned, between Talat, the appointed leader of the Turkish Cypriots, and Christofias, the elected leader of the Greek Cypriots and President of the Republic of Cyprus. Some circles also inject the hope that the EU, the US, and the UN will do something by the spring of 2010 since there is the general expectation that Talat will not be “re-elected” (reappointed) in April, and this is seen as the end of a “hopeful” process. In such an environment, Cypriots begin each new day with painful news, like unsettled weather, rainy in the morning and sunny in the afternoon, and they continue their political discussions. .
The reality is that expectations are being raised all over Cyprus that a referendum will take place and the fact that the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) tried to argue this in their favour during the early general elections of April 2009, is evidence of this. Especially after May 2009 when CTP found itself in opposition, it began to remember the mass movement and the struggle for a referendum even more and has been trying in different ways for sometime to unite all sections of society in united struggle. The YKP has evaluated these attempts and concluded that the CTP is trying to make people forget that their governments during the period 2003-2009 were undeniable agents of Turkey in both the Cyprus problem as well as on other policies, so that it can seize the leadership again in order to be in the government and that its efforts are not sincere. At this time, under new conditions which developments in the Cyprus problem would bring, and if conditions necessitate to be ont the same platform, YKP would continue to expose CTP for its doings, as it did with TKP in the past, and will voice this at every opportunity..
Many events have taken place on the domestic front since our last congress. The first thing that comes to mind is the formation of the Freedom and Reform Party (OP) with CTP-AKP support which was seen as corrupting political life. Although the money they spent for party purposes and the buildings they rented when in coalition government with CTP was enough to demonstrate their corruption, this corruption was not cleansed, on the contrary, with the last minute intervention of AKP, they were returned to the “assembly” at the elections of April 2009.
The point which they reached in misconduct, corruption, abuse of power, securing interests continues to shock people with every revealed document. The new UBP “government”, although not correct to say that it is new, have already demonstrated that they will continue what they have inherited from the CTP. In such an environment where the population is not known, where the electorate is not clear, where parties can use “government” resources to bribe and extort, where the media is a party to all this decay, and in conditions where it can use media organisations to promote the interests of the media bosses, what elections can one talk about?
The difference between the so-called workers’ party which has turned employing and firing staff into something that can be done arbitrarily and which has employed civil servants under changed rules under the title “work agreement” or “employment under a project”, and a right wing party which sees it as a right to throw out overnight temporary employees, although the conditions for firing even those who have contracts are written in the European Social Charter, has been reduced to zero. Another thing during the ruling period of the so-called workers’ party was that nothing permanent or structural was done in the direction of a minimum wage or the right to form unions in the private sector… For this reason, political life has been polluted both from ordinary and political crime. YKP has called on all social movements to join it in cleansing politics and it is continuing its struggle in that direction.
During this period TKP and the Peace and Democracy Movement (BDH), whose reason for splitting was never understood, united under the name Social Democratic Party (TDP)…
During this period there were also positive developments in the social movements. There were important achievements, supported by YKP, in activities concerning the rights of refugees/asylum seekers, rights of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi- and Transsexual), conscientious objectors, struggle against torture, and missing persons. Although there were some hopeful initiatives in the field of the environment, these have not gone very far. The campaign for Karpasia struck a chord, but it was abruptly interrupted. After that there were certain similar sensitivities, but most campaigns remained restricted to certain headings, and those campaigns became weak and forgotten even by the campaigners themselves.
i. MASS ORGANISATIONS WERE MADE INEFFECTIVE
In addition the activities of democratic mass organisations and trade unions in the northern part of our island that have a tendency not to act freely continued during this period. They had been able to act together for a period of time during the early 2000s, but slowly lost this ability after the CTP was brought into government, and especially lately they have become completely ineffective.
There is no doubt that the most important reason why these organisations lost their ability to act freely is the result of interventions in their administration by the CTP leadership. To prevent these organisations from putting up any opposition, the CTP has divided them according to the principle “those who are for me and those who are against me”, putting some under their control and labelling those they couldn’t, to be enemies.
The fact that CTP members who are on the governing bodies of democratic mass organisations and trade unions admit contacting their party’s headquarters before taking a stand during decision making processes of the governing bodies of their respective organisations, demonstrates the seriousness of the matter.
The problems of this part of our country have become even more serious, because many such organisations which are supposed to be the most active force of society have fallen under the influence of political parties, acting according to their directives. These organizations who lost their ability to act together, have not been able to make the necessary contribution to the solution of the Cyprus problem and they have become mere spectators to the increase of social problems in the northern part of the island and to the role of CTP in undermining the rights of working people which have gone backwards recently. The fact that some administrators of mass organisations have entered into election bargains in order to remain in their positions, has created another form of dependence. This state of affairs in mass organisations curtailed their ability to contribute to the political struggle and lost their weight in influencing the economic struggle.
Although it is not sufficient, there are a few of the many trade unions and mass organisations who are trying to remain active and get their voices heard. Their stand helps some political parties who are supporting peace and an agreement not to surrender to the regime, thus keeping hope alive for the future.
YKP has always been in favour of mass organisations and trade unions acting freely and has urged them in that direction. YKP has warned political parties not to interfere in the internal affairs of organisations.
YKP has presented a report to all the trade unions and mass organisations with “democratic demands”, including the issue of elections in order to start organising a resistance against the situation in the northern part of Cyprus, but there has been no positive reaction from any of them.
ii. THE INCREASE OF POPULATION IS CONTINUING
The population transfer, which is one of the most important reasons of our increasing problems in the northern part of our island, has not only continued but accelerated. The plan to increase the population of the north of our island to 400 thousand, put into action in 1978, is continuing unabated. The population, determined as 400 thousand then, is obvious from just looking at the street that it has long ago reached 600 or 700 thousand. With the increase in population, all infrastructures built for a population of 200-250 thousand has collapsed. Schools, hospitals and existing roads are not able to serve this population. The increased population has resulted in the formation of unhealthy settlement areas with incomplete infrastructure.
YKP has for many years been waging a struggle against the transfer of population from Turkey, a serious issue in the process of finding a solution to the political problem.
Turkey has been successful in creating an administration in the northern part of Cyprus in order to protect and promote her interests in the region rather than the interests of Turkish Cypriots. But in order to be able to continue this state of affairs, Turkey saw that it was necessary for the Turkish Cypriots to be turned into a minority. That was to serve Turkey’s interests. Turkish Cypriots would never be sovereign. Therefore, the transfer of population from Turkey to the northern part of Cyprus has been done consciously according to this plan and this process is continuing.
YKP has opposed this situation from the day it begun, took the matter to the European Court of Human Rights in 2001, and has boycotted the elections following that. All this has been done to bring the matter to the attention of Cypriots, to world public opinion, and international organisations; to alert them and to ask them to take measures against it.
It is clear that it is against international law and the Geneva conventions for an occupying power to transfer its population to the country it occupies; and this makes it is clear that the aim is to destroy the existence of the Turkish Cypriots as a community. And with the Turkish Cypriot Community a culture of ten thousand years old is being destroyed.
Although the issue of population and citizenship is a matter of vital importance for all Cypriots in general, the issue has not received sufficient attention from either domestic Cypriot or international public opinion. Many Cypriots are aware that the continuation of this state of affairs will be the end of the Turkish Cypriot Community, but due to daily personal interests they are not opposing it, opting to remain silent instead. Although we say that this is not only a problem for Turkish Cypriots, but for all Cypriots, our Greek Cypriot friends have not given us a meaningful support, on this issue either.
Institutions governing Europe and the world are not giving sufficient importance to the matter. The interests of these powers in Turkey make them turn a blind eye to this international war crime.
YKP’s struggle regarding this matter, has, in the past, become political material for many political acrobats. We are seeing that lately some individuals and circles are also joining this bandwagon.
They are prolonging their existence by copying policies that we have developed and struggled for in the past but they are not even good at copying, because they are trying to present the population being transferred here as refugees who emigrate to another country, and causing confusion by bringing forth the human rights relating to citizenship of those who have been born or lived here for a long time. Nothing can justify the change of the demographic structure and the destruction of culture in an occupied area after a war. This is an international war crime. No matter how they came or were brought here, their human rights cannot be denied; however, one group of people’s human rights should not be a reason for another group of people’s violation of human rights. Evaluating the situation as such has nothing to do with “racism” or “Cyprus nationalism” of which we are accused by some copycat individuals and circles YKP is a political movement which has adopted internationalism and has shaped its policies according to that. If we look at it in this way, people from any country can come here not only from Turkey. If there is the need they can work and live here according to rules and regulations… These people should benefit from all human rights and that is what YKP is upholding.
But when it comes to citizenship it is a completely different matter. Citizenships given after 1974 are against international law. Therefore, YKP is saying that apart from the citizenships given in 1974 and those who are married with them and their children, the rest should be cancelled. An amount of population which the land can sustain can be kept. Which country would permit a foreign population 4 or 5 times bigger than her own?
YKP is determined to continue its struggle as it has done for years, to “protect the existence of the Turkish Cypriot Community and all the Cypriots” as it is stated in its founding goals.
iii. NATURAL AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS HAVE DETERIORATED
The deterioration of the natural environment brought with it important social developments. After the CTP was brought into government in 2003, the destruction in the northern part of the island has also affected the ecology and social environment. As a result of calls such as “Let the Greeks not find a span of land if they return” by those circles not wanting peace, the destruction of the natural environment was started. The building frenzy affected mountains and hills and riverbeds, and a lot of half finished buildings are left standing. Besides the characteristic olive and carob trees, the shinia bush which Ferdi Sabit Soyer loves to mention in rallies have been uprooted causing an environmental destruction. Those governing Turkey with their local collaborators have destroyed the country’s natural beauty under the pretext of investment in tourism. They have turned the northern part of Cyprus into a centre for brothels, casinos and money laundering.
Another institution which has recently increased its destruction of the environment is the Civil Defence Organisation. Abandoning its real duty which is civil defence, it seems that it is trying to prove that it is the real owner of this “country”, although even children know the real role of a civil defence organisation. This institution has also begun a campaign to Turkify Turkish Cypriots. To assist these policies, they erect monuments or flags wherever they see an empty space. This, not only instigates chauvinism, but also pollutes the environment.
YKP has always been and is very sensitive towards the ecosystem and its problems. It always publishes warnings and proposals concerning such issues. YKP is saying that the interventions of Turkey in this “country” have brought Cypriots with everything they have, with their people, their land, and their trees, to the threshold of destruction; and is continuing its struggle to stop this.
B- THE SITUATION OF THE LEFT
If we take a glance at the situation of the left we see that things are not at all encouraging. This is true all over the world and attempts to find a way out are continuing. The left is not renewing itself in the face of technological developments and is not developing new proposals on the basis of left principles; we see that there is only “leftwing sloganeering” among certain social democratic groups.
In the northern part of Cyprus, we see that most of those on the left have departed from the independent mindedness of not receiving orders from anyone and they all have become the agent of somebody. They have preferred to become agents of other organisations rather than being in solidarity with other left wing groups. CTP has proven that with the programmes its leadership has adopted and were implemented by its organs, it is not even a social democratic party, let alone a left wing one. The mask of CTP has fallen, but it has created havoc, a great disappointment in the community and especially among the left and among working people. The values of the left have been trampled upon. CTP has become the representative of bosses and casinos. No one believes that it is a party defending peace. The number of those who believe that CTP wants an agreement and that it is on the side of working people has decreased considerably.
We see that the ones, other than CTP, who call themselves left wing, are either trying to hoodwink people to become MPs or to increase their chances of doing business. The left is productive and it makes policies. The ones we mentioned above do not produce anything. They are only using worn out slogans and are imitating the policies and slogans that we have produced. When the originals are available can the copycats get anywhere? It is not possible and it has not been possible.
At the same time, YKP, whose goal is to reunite Cyprus and Cypriots within this framework, shares the policies it produces based on left values and attitudes deriving from its left wing identity with public opinion in Cyprus and abroad. YKP has continued during this period its solidarity and joint struggle with other left wing forces that are on the side of labour, militantly defending peace, opposing all kinds of discrimination, and demanding a Europe of labour and socialism.
YKP has also continued and is continuing its struggle against militarism.
Another condition for being on the left is to oppose militarism and military guardianship and to struggle for their removal.
It is necessary to defend internationalism and to believe in it. One cannot at the same time be an internationalist and a Turkish nationalist or be hand in hand with the military and yet at the same time be against it.
C- DEMOCRACY AND ELECTIONS
Individuals of a democratic society are free, independent, and with human rights. There is the rule of law and not the rule of an individual. It is the basic principle of a state to establish the rule of law and not the law of individuals or dynasties. Without law, there can be no democracy. YKP deems it necessary to do away with the deep state and to clean the underground according to the principles of rule of law.
YKP has fallen out with all the parties, because the other parties, instead of struggling for the destruction of the deep state which is under the control of Turkey’s military and its political power, have compromised with it so that they get into government and parliament. The parties in the northern part of Cyprus, even today when there is a rift between the deep state and the political power in Turkey, instead of utilising this, they pursue their own interests. YKP has not therefore chosen the path of conflict with these parties. To the contrary, YKP has tried to start a struggle together for the achievement of a free, independent individual with immunity up to the elections, and when the elections come and if the conditions were not ready to hold them, it wanted them to announce that they would not participate in the elections. YKP has announced that when the time for the elections comes, it is up to the parties to decide whether the conditions are right or not and that their decision would be respected. But the parties could not struggle until the elections, and propose on election day to YKP that we participate in the elections with claims of a partnership, struggle, unity of the left and the like.
The YKP did not hesitate to participate in elections and took part in two “parliamentary” elections before 2000. But it participated to explain that a meaningful election could not be held unless the dependence on the military and financial power of a foreign power, namely, that of Turkey, who controls everything in this country, is broken. Of course, there were legislative amendments to prevent the use of election resources. But this did not stop YKP from struggling for an election boycott.
D- ELECTIONS AND THE BOYCOTT CAMPAIGN
YKP continued this struggle until its last congress. At this meeting it called on the people not to take part in the elections. Apart from this, since no one took part in the struggle to create an environment where elections could be called elections as stated in the ordinary and extraordinary congresses of YKP, it decided not to cooperate with anyone and to boycott the elections.
The elections proved the validity of what YKP was saying. Those who saw the result of the previous elections as a defeat and unjust were not even able to complain. They viewed UBP’s victory as a lesson to CTP and merely said that people can overthrow those they don’t like. It is not possible to understand how useful it would be to overthrow CTP and bring in UBP. To say that CTP is a continuation of UBP and then say that people achieved something after UBP came back is not learning a lesson at all.
CTP was lying when it said that UBP will come and peace negotiations will suffer, thus receiving more votes than it deserved by scaring people. CTP itself was not conducting peace, but rather it was bargaining, and now UBP, by supporting Talat, is doing the same thing. UBP’s strongest criticism of Talat was that he said “we are in need of a solution”. What was important for them was the fact that he said it and not whether he really needs a solution. They know that Talat has not received an order from Turkey to try to solve the problem.
UBP is trying to demonstrate that it has independent and separate policies and that it has separate views from AKP and Talat, but despite its constitutional authority, as an agent’s government, it could only express support to Talat.
The reason why CTP asked UBP to explain what it meant by the will of 19 April, is that it believes the latter has no alternative but to support Talat. Of course, this obligation to support Talat can be removed when it is time for Turkey to get rid of him. When the time comes to cut a new role for UBP “so as to scare the Greek Cypriots”, Talat will be pulled within his constitutional authority and the showing of teeth will begin with “the will of the parliament.” (!). But all this will happen if Turkey’s other interests allow it.
E- YKP IN UNIVERSAL RELATIONS
Although YKP is a party founded by leftists, giving importance to international solidarity, it is also open to those who may not be on the left, but want a solution of the Cyprus problem. YKP’s priority is the solution of the Cyprus problem, but it has also given support to all the struggles for world peace.
YKP who has taken its place in the struggle for women’s human rights, against social and gender discrimination, against the trafficking of women and children, against abuse of refugees, asylum seekers, and workers, against the globalisation of capitalist monetarism, and against international exploitation, has become a recognised and influential party internationally.
However, our party is against the increase of population which began with the aim of changing the demography of Cyprus and with an illogical view of achieving equilibrium with Greek Cypriots, continuing with the reasoning that “a Turk who visits Cyprus should not feel as if visiting a foreign country”, and finally turning into controlling the will of the Turkish Cypriots or more correctly of those people living in the northern part of Cyprus. However, the cries that a blind eye is being turned to the emigration of Cypriots are being interpreted against Cypriots themselves. Especially, they have come across the interrogation of leftists who are struggling in Europe against increasing chauvinist reactions towards refugees, although our party is party to the joint struggle for the free movement of labour throughout the world to counteract the free movement of capital. YKP is an active participant in the European and Turkish Social Forum.
F- FREE MOVEMENT OF LABOUR
The free movement of labour throughout the world is firstly being opposed by racists and then by other working people who are afraid that they will lose their jobs because of unemployment, or think their wages will go down. Since without the free movement of labour social justice cannot be achieved, this issue also concerns world peace. Free movement of labour also carries the danger of receiving support for international terror from less developed countries. For this reason, under normal conditions, YKP is not opposed to people from Turkey living in Cyprus. It only wants the situation of foreigners regulated according to the principles of free movement of labour and it also asks that this does not present an obstacle to the solution of the Cyprus problem. The foreigners should not be the reason for falling wages, it should not open the door to the emigration of Cypriots, foreign working people should not be allowed to live under unhealthy conditions, and the change in demography should not be an obstacle to the solution of the Cyprus problem.
G- THE CYPRUS PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED IF WE BECOME CYPRIOT
The Cyprus problem is still seen as a difficult international problem. The solution is being supported at great expense and the very much needed scarce international resources are being wasted. But the two sides are not behaving as if some day they will rule this country together. The Greek Cypriot leader is trying to explain to the people the necessity to learn how to live under a federal solution and he is promoting the idea of finding a solution among Cypriots. However, he is doing this by opposing international assistance focusing on strict deadlines, mediation, and arbitration; something that it is hard to understand if he is trying to prepare the country for ruling it together or if it is because he is afraid of the international community being effective in achieving a solution. For this reason, YKP is telling both sides to think of the country and leave aside the fight for who is going to get what, but to think of establishing the rule of law and not dividing people according to their ethnicity.
They are still talking about how many Greek Cypriots and how many Turkish Cypriots will serve on the Public Services Commission or other government departments, but they are not talking about how to establish meritocracy, because for them what is important is the rule of people and not the rule of law. If there is the rule of law, then the ethnicity of an individual civil servant loses its importance, and an agreement becomes easy. Lately we have watched the quarrel of political parties in the south over how they would be represented on the boards of public institutions. And after the elections in the northern part of the island there was the quarrel about how high ranking CTP civil servants would be sacked full salary and people from UBP be appointed in their place. To give the administration to people who are already in conflict will mean giving them the possibility of continuing their quarrel in different ways.
H- IDENTITY BECOMES SUPERIOR TO RULE OF LAW
The Turkish Cypriot leader cannot swallow the fact that he is a Cypriot and because he claims to be only a Turkish Cypriot, restricts his leftist-ness to being a Cypriot “Turkish worker” and as a result implements Turkey’s orders within this framework. Hence, he opposes Cyprus having the right to “a continental shelf and the right to an economic zone in the seas”. Someone who does not see Cyprus as his country should not be allowed to become an equal partner to Cyprus’ joint interests.
I- PRISONERS EVEN AFTER AN AGREEMENT
The demography of the country is changing in front of everyone’s eyes and after the workers, the northern part of Cyprus is being occupied by government paid so-called businessmen carrying James Bond briefcases. The financial accumulation acquired from loans given by Turkey and millions of dollars are being distributed as credit through the Development Bank or through the Development Bank of Turkey. With these resources, gambling complexes are being established with no trade unions and no Cypriots involved. Through projects chosen by Turkey, they are establishing a structure where Turkish Cypriots will never be able to find their feet again and they are continuing the fight not to allow even one square kilometre for peace. At the same time, they are nurturing a public opinion in Turkey which hates Talat for supporting the Annan Plan. Never mind about believing that they are negotiating for peace, to the contrary, they are taking all measures to leave their soldiers here and to keep a population here to control the Turkish Cypriots even after the agreement and to keep the Turkish Cypriots in need forever, in case there is an agreement and the Greek Cypriots accept it.
J- THE CRISIS IS CHRONIC, IT HAS BEEN IMPOSED
The world is in a chaos because of neo-liberalism, monetarism, and the unequal growth of profiteering economies. YKP has analysed these, but it is determined not to allow it to be used as a reason for our problems. Turkey which sees our country as a conquered land and keeps an eye on it with the help of an undersecretary has turned Cyprus into an economy which can survive only through Turkey’s own permission and assistance, and by making it compulsory to use her sick money she has closed the avenue for remedy. For this reason the crisis is permanent and local. Even tourism is the same as last year, because the northern part of the island which is cut of from the rest of the world experiences the crisis as a result of Turkish assistance which must be increased one fold every five years.
K- YKP’S GOALS ON ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY
YKP is feeling the pain of having to shoulder the responsibility of defending the country, world peace, the community against assimilation and against destruction due to economic conditions, but it is also proud of the gains its founding brings to the community and of having to do its duty.
The negotiations are again taking place under the auspices of the United Nations between the quarrelling leaders of the two communities. We do not know what they are discussing; we only hear them saying that they have or are informing people. Although it is announced that the minutes are open to almost everyone, we hear that parties who are represented in the parliament are complaining about the lack of information. Even MPs from the leader’s party are complaining, because the situation has not changed. The negotiations are continuously being monitored by Turkey and even the leader does not know what will happen next. With his announcement when pressured that “if Turkey did not want it, I wouldn’t even be able go to the negotiating table” he has made it public that he is not a leader, but someone who has been elected with the full support of Turkey, a civil servant of Turkey, or to put it colloquially, an agent of Turkey. YKP did not try to hide this fact from the people; to the contrary, we made it possible for everyone to see.
YKP has done important things during this period:
YKP has been involved in important activities both in Cyprus and in Europe during this period. An application was made for observer status at the European Left Party; participated in the meeting and in the preparatory work of the European Social Forum; and important initiatives were undertaken in Turkey.
During this period, the first extraordinary congress was held in April 2009 with the early elections in mind.
Campaigns continued during this period. Within the framework of the campaigns “Demilitarized Nicosia”, “Let’s unite Famagusta”, and “Let the Maronites return to their homes right now” many activities and meetings were organised.
Our struggles for and solidarity with labour: During this period, we organised campaigns not only for a Cyprus settlement, but also relating to labour. Under the title “Implement the European Social Charter” we organised a campaign to let our views on the matter be known. At the news conference we said this following:
“As the New Cyprus Party our call to those who turn to the EU when trimming rights, they should also turn to the EU for labour rights and implement without any reservations the European Revised Charter adopted on 1 July, 1999 with needed additional rights, together with the Collective Complaint Protocol, which was first adopted by the European Council in 1961, making it workable.”
On 1 June, we visited Sonay Adem, the person responsible for this matter and conveyed our demand to him. After this, labour and other democratic mass organisations were visited to convey to them this demand and the final declaration of our congress. During these visits YKP also conveyed its views on the elections and asked for the views of those organisations. But there was no response to our demands. And our party structures have not been insistent on our unanswered demands. But in 2009 when the elections came, the need for YKP to share its views more systematically with the public was understood and party structures in their meetings decided to take up this matter since the impression was given that YKP has not done anything in this regard.
In its struggle for labour, YKP has also been active in opposition to the social security act passed in the summer of 2007, worked for proper public debate of the matter, and it has shown that this act was part of the neoliberal policies and of Ankara’s package of destruction. In relation to this, YKP has given support to various actions by taking part in them together with labour organizations.
In addition, YKP has actively supported the union struggle to organise at the Lefka European University in 2008 and has been in solidarity with it in various ways.
1 May and 1 September : YKP has continued its participation in 1 May and 1 September activities with its own banner and cortege. Especially in the past two years the 1 May and 1 September activities have been celebrated enthusiastically with the call of the Cyprus Peace Platform due to insistence of the CTP leadership and its organisations to reduce the meaning of those events and that no slogans against CTP should be chanted because of their hegemonic attitude. YKP drew attention with its cortege during the events of 2007 and 2008.
The campaign for a demilitarised Nicosia: YKP is for an agreement in Cyprus and the demilitarisation of the whole island. On the path to total demilitarisation, confidence building measures among Cypriots must be taken. Even before the opening of the checkpoints, YKP began the struggle in March 2003 for the opening of the Ledra Palace checkpoint and the dismantlement of the wall there. Those in power must have not liked this, because they renewed their usual attacks on the YKP and they burnt the entrance door to its headquarters.
As a step forward for demilitarisation, YKP began its campaign “demilitarized Nicosia” in February, 2006. The campaign for “demilitarised Nicosia” has been continuing since February 2006.
On 21 February, 2009, at 15:00 hours YKP members, friends, and sympathisers met at Saray Square and walked towards Arasta, then turned from a side street and read their news release at the military post situated on the road cutting through Ermou Street. In their news release they referred to their past activities and pointed out that if the military pulled back 1Km, Nicosia, the Maronite villages, and Varosia could be demilitarised and those people who used to live there could return. It was also stated that the settlement process is at a serious stage and it was demanded that the Turkish proposal in the 1980’s to pull out 10 thousand troops should be considered and in the spring, this number of troops should return home. After the news release was read out, it was stated that YKP has been continuing this campaign for three years and that in order to express their determination in a symbolic manner it was decided to keep a vigil at that location until morning. After this statement, a youth group of YKP members began to prepare for the vigil. The group was mostly made up of young people and party assembly members; board members of the Nicosia party organisation members and friends of the party joined the group and expressed support by bringing refreshments…. On Sunday morning, 22 February, the group ended its action and after cleaning the area, they left without any incident.
On Saturday, February 9, 2008, a march was organised under the slogan “demilitarised Nicosia.” A group of YKP members, party sympathisers, and friends, walked from Caglayan Park to Famagusta Gate and they reiterated their demand for a demilitarised Cyprus.
In 2007 YKP, together with the Green Party, visited the representatives in Cyprus of the five Security Council members and asked for their support for their campaign. Within this framework, meetings took place at the Russian Embassy on 20 August, at the American Embassy on 29 August, at the Chinese Embassy on 13 September, at the UK High Commission on 17 September, and at the French Embassy on 26 September.
The campaign for uniting Famagusta and the return of Varosia to its legal owners: We began our second campaign in 2007, within the framework of confidence building measures to help the solution process.
The news conference held on 27 July, 2007, at the beach of the Palm Beach hotel alongside the barbed wire fence was organised within the framework of a joint declaration signed by the New Cyprus Party (YKP), the German-Cyprus Forum, the women’s organisation Hands Across the Divide, the Cyprus Turkish Teachers’ Trade Union (KTOS), the Cyprus Art Association, the Association for Rights and Freedoms, the Cyprus Friends of Nature, the Cyprus EU Association (KAB), and the Cyprus Indymedia.
The YKP visited the mayor of Famagusta, Alexis Galanos, on 11 July, 2007, in order to evaluate the Cyprus problem and the campaign for Varosha which began with some other organisations.
On 17 October, 2007, at the conference hall of the Famagusta Municipality, a mass meeting was held with speakers Murat Kanatli, YKP Executive Board Secretary and Serdar Atay from the German-Cyprus Forum, to discuss “the effect of uniting Famagusta on the Cyprus problem.”
At a mass meeting on 16 October, 2008, held at the conference hall of Famagusta Municipality, with speakers Murat Kanatli, YKP Executive Board Secretary, and Alpay Durduran, YKP Foreign Relations Secretary “the return to Varosia as a confidence building measure” was reemphasised.
“Let Maronites return to their homes, right now!”: We began the campaign “Let Maronites return to their homes, right now!” on Sunday, 6 July, at Asomatos village in front of the barbed wire of the military camp there…
We underlined certain issues during our news conference as we were stating our reasons:
“As the two dominant communities of the island, the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots have been negotiating for years to solve their problems and through various meetings they have been implementing some confidence building measures.
But without forgetting that Cypriot minorities, that is Cypriot Armenians, Maronites, and Latins will continue to live on this island, we must also produce policies for solutions without ignoring their demands, or else the multicultural Cypriot identity of this island will lose its meaning and value.
By demilitarising the area and by making the necessary arrangements for the return of Maronites to their pre-1974 regions will create a new momentum for the solution of the Cyprus problem and it will also revitalise the fading colour of Cyprus.
And as Cypriots, if we understand that when we talk about multiculturalism we mean all the colours on the island, then, it is our duty to preserve them.”
Opening of more checkpoints: In order to provide for more contacts between Cypriots, YKP participated in many actions to provide support for the opening of more checkpoints. During this period, YKP expressed support for providing passage to Lefka-Aplic, Magus-Dherinia, Lourajina – Athienou, in addition to Ledra and Limnitis-Pyrgos-Tylliria, and considering the excess vehicle traffic in Nicosia, arrangements should be made to have a car passage point at Caglayan and other areas depending on need.
During this period, after struggles and despite being an eventful development, permission was granted for a passage point at Ledra Street. But despites statements that the Limnitis-Pyrgos passage would be opened, uncertainty still continues. It is known that the reason for uncertainty are the peculiar demands of the Turkish military which delayed matters and now they want a new road to be built destroying the environment using military pretexts. YKP took a stand on this matter warning about protecting the environment and it was the first Cypriot party bringing these matters to the attention of the public.
YKP is determined to continue with its policies of reaching complete freedom of movement throughout Cyprus, because more open checkpoints would bring Cypriots together, providing more trust between the two communities and is necessary to make any settlement work.
Relations with the European Left: The European Left Party (EL) organised a meeting on 29 November, 2008, with the participation of all left wing parties in Europe with their members and observers to prepare for the European elections to be held in June, 2009, under the slogan “Make use of your chance, change in Europe right now”. YKP also attended this meeting as an observer.
The conference on the Middle East jointly organised by the European Left Party (EL) and the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ODP) and also attended by YKP, took place on 19-20 December, in Istanbul. In the session on Cyprus, the speakers were Murat Kanatli from the YKP, Aristos Damianou from AKEL, Panos Trigazis from SYN, and Masis Kurkcugil from ODP.
The Movement of the Left and the Ecology Coalition Synaspismos (SYN) and the European Left Party (EL) hosted a conference for the progressive and left wing parties of countries that are at the threshold of conflict in Thessaloniki on 7-8 June, 2008, under the title “Developments in Southeast Europe and the Balkans: proposals of the European left”.
YKP also participated as a guest at a preparatory meeting for the congress of the European Left Party held in Prague on 23-25 November, 2007. YKP Party Council during its meeting on 4 December, 2007, approved the decisions of the European Left Party taken at its 2nd congress under the title “Building alternatives” and decided to continue its struggle according to the framework established in the final declaration.
International meetings: The Coalition of Left Movements and Ecology Synaspismos (SYN) who visited Cyprus as a guest of AKEL, had various contacts with different organisations, one of them being with YKP on 3 July, 2008. On behalf of SYN, its new president Alexis Tsipras, Member of the Secretariat Yiannis Balafas, and Member of the Central Political Committee Rena Dourou; from YKP, Executive Board Secretary Murat Kanatli and Foreign Relations Secretary Alpay Durduran were present at the meeting. The two hour meeting took place at the Holiday Inn Hotel and apart from the latest developments on the Cyprus problem, YKP’s thoughts on confidence building measures were taken up and joint activities of political parties from Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus were evaluated.
The GUE/NGL group at the European Parliament and AKEL organised a conference on 3 December under the title “The Cyprus and Efforts to Reach a Comprehensive Solution” during which the negotiations to find a settlement to the Cyprus problem were discussed. The GUE/NGL Group Speaker Francis Wurtz, AKEL Parliamentary Group Spokesman Nicos Katsourides, YKP Foreign Relations Secretary Alpay Durduran, BKP’s Youth Secretary General Abdullah Korkmazhan, and EDON’s secretary general Christos Christophides participated as speakers at the conference.
Initiatives in Turkey: YKP met with ODP, DTP, the Socialist Party, EMEP, and SDP in Istanbul between 5 and 7 June. During the meetings, the Cyprus problem, the occupation, and the change in demography were discussed. An eleven-member delegation made up of Murat Kanatli, Salih Uyguroglu, and Kemal Aktunc from the Executive Board, Party Assembly Members Halil Pasa and Remzi Yektaoglu, Nevzat Hami from the YKP Youth, and members of the District Organisation Committee of Nicosia and Famagusta Gulay Kaser, Sezer Kaser, and Eda Yektaoglu had various contacts while in Istanbul.
On 5 June a meeting was held with ODP at the Chamber of Mechanical Engineers. ODP President Hayri Kozanoglu, Vice President responsible for international relations and foreign policies, Nermin Kaplanoglu and Sema Solakli, members of the Central Executive Board, and Masis Kurkcugil member of the International Relations Office were present at the meeting. The same day there was a meeting with the DISK Secretary General Tayfun Gorgun was held at the DISK headquarters. The last meeting of the day was between the delegations of the Global Peace and Justice Coalition and the YKP. Murat Kanatli, YKP Secretary of the Executive Board and Nevzat Hami, General Secretary of YKP Youth, and Tayfun Mater, Bulent Aydın, Filiz Ulgut and Yildiz Onen, representatives of the Global Peace and Justice Coalition participated at the meeting. On 6 June a meeting with the EMEP delegation took place at the EMEP headquarters. The Vice President of EMEP responsible for international relations, Kamil Tekin Surek and Memet Ozer from the International Relations Bureau participated in the meeting. The DTP MP responsible for foreign relations, Sabahat Tuncel and her assistant Serra Bucak, Member of Foreign Relations Bureau and Emine Ayna’s assistant Evren Cevik and Member of Foreign Relations Bureau plus Member of the Party Assembly, Medeni Kirici participated at the meeting held the same day at DTP’s Istanbul branch office. The meeting with the Green Party delegation took place at the Green House on the Saturday. The meeting was attended by Murat Kanatli, YKP Secretary of the Executive Board and Nevzat Hami, General Secretary of YKP Youth, on one hand, and Aysen Ataseven, Secretary General of the Green Party, Ahmet Atil Asici International Relations Coordinator, and Selda Arzuman, Co-coordinator of Istanbul Beyoglu District Organisation, on the other and its purpose was to get acquainted and to exchange views. The meeting with the SDP held on 7 June, at the building of Istanbul Province organisation of SDP was attended by Dilay Inkaya, Vice President, Ridvan Turan, Member of the Party Assembly, and Gunay Kubilay, former member of the Central Executive Board. The second meeting of the same day was with the Workers’ Socialist Party at their building of Istanbul Province Organisation. Gulseren Pusatoglu, Vice President of the Workers’ Socialist Party and members of the Central Executive Board Hayrettin Belli, also Foreign Relations Bureau Coordinator, Selahattin Gumus, Gokhan Tasyakan, Kadir Akin, President of the Istanbul Branch, and Ekren Ekinci, Member of the Foreign Relations Bureau were present.
The Workers’ Socialist Party (the Socialist Party) approved the declaration submitted during the meeting, decided to organise a conference on the Cyprus problem, and on 20 July released a statement calling for the end of the occupation.
YKP participated as a guest at the congress of the ODP on 20 and 21 June.
YKP participated as a guest in the meeting in Ankara for the formation of the Umbrella Party Initiative that took place on 27-28 June, 2009.
YKP participated as a guest at the extraordinary congress of DTP which took place on 4 October, 2009.
Cyprus Peace Platform: The Cyprus Peace Platform was formed in December 2007. A joint declaration was published during the formation process. The following organisations signed the joint declaration in February 2008: the Cyprus Turkish Teachers Union (KTOS), the Cyprus Turkish Secondary Education Teachers’ Union (KTOEOS), the Medical Workers’ Union (Tip-Is), the Eastern Mediterranean University Employees’ Union (DAU-Bir-Sen), the Cyprus EU Association (KAB), the Socialist Democracy Party (TDP), the United Cyprus Party (BKP), the New Cyprus Party (YKP), the Cyprus Publishers’ Union (Kib-Yay), and The Contemporary Workers’ Union (Cag-Sen). Later the Customs Workers’ Union (Guc-Sen) and the Iskele Citizens’ Initiative joined the Platform and the Cyprus EU Association withdrew.
Our party acted as the interim spokesperson of the Platform in August, 2008, and contributed to the joint celebrations of 1 September World Peace Day by Cypriots.
The Cyprus Peace Platform had contacts in Brussels in 9 and 11 December, 2008…
While in Brussels, the Cyprus Peace Platform delegation met on 10 December with Andrew Rasbash, Head of the European Commission’s Task Force for the Turkish Cypriot Community, Mechtild Rothe, vice speaker of the European Parliament, vice president of the high level contact group with the Turkish Cypriot Community, member of the socialist group, and the high level contact group, and Sean O´ NEACHTAIN of the nationalist group (UEN). On 11December, the delegation met with Fransoise Grossetete head of the high level contact group with the Turkish Cypriot Community, member of the European People’s Party – Christian Democrats (EPP-ED) group, Ria Oomen-Ruijten, Turkey’s rapporteur for the European Parliament, member of the European People’s Party – Christian Democrats (EPP-ED) group, Graham Watson, Head of the European Liberals and Democrats Alliance (ALDE) group, Andrew Duff, Member of the ALDE group, and Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Member of the Confederated European United Left/Northern Green Left (GUE/NGL) group. During their contacts in Brussels, the Platform’s delegation, also had an exchange of views with Cypriot European parliamentarians, Ioannis Kasoulides and Panayiotis Demetriou, members of the European Peoples’ Party – Christian Democrats (EPP-ED) group, and Marios MATSAKIS, Member of the European Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) group.
Ledra Palace meetings: We have been attending the meetings of political parties from all of Cyprus organised by the Slovak Embassy (previously Czechoslovakian) since 1989 and held at Ledra Palace. We have always said that the parties who come together should always take the initiative in many important issues and as the real owners of the problem should produce solutions. However, apart from exchanging views and organising a few social activities, nothing has been achieved at these meetings. The Ledra Palace meetings have been useful in finding out the real intentions of the parties attending these meetings. We have continued attending these meetings and we will continue to do so and we will try to influence the political parties.
The agenda of the meeting hosted by the YKP, held on 16 April, 2008, was, as requested by the host, “the role of non-governmental organisations in the process of negotiations and the importance of confidence building measures (demilitarisation, the reciprocal withdrawal of soldiers (deconfrontation), disarmament, the Maronite villages and the opening of Varosha to resettlement)… The text submitted at the meeting was widely distributed to the media and to various political circles. The issues brought to the meeting by YKP received wide coverage in the media in the southern part of the island, whereas in the northern part they were censored. Fileleftheros, Politis, and Haravgi published news and comments on YKP’s confidence building proposal giving the full text. Alithia, Simerini and Mahi especially drew attention on the issue of Varosha, but they also emphasised the importance of confidence building measures.
At the meeting on 23 September, hosted by YKP, “the rights of Cyprus on the sea, the law of the sea, and the relation of these to Cyprus” were discussed. This topic also received wide coverage.
Anti-War Movement: During this period Cypriots united their voices for Gaza. The march to protest against Israel’s operation in Gaza took place on 3 January, 2009, at Eleftheria Square. AKEL, POGO, EDON, Cyprus Peace Platform, Stop the War Coalition – Cyprus, Cyprus Unity of Palestinians, YKP, Cyprus Turkish Teachers’ Union, United Cyprus Party, Cyprus Socialist Party, Workers’ Democracy, Cyprus-Kurdish Friendship Association, Baraka Cultural Centre, Autonomous Movement for Opposition to Power, AN.A.Tropi Cypriot University Students Movement, Cypriot Youth Platform, Hands Across the Divide, Cyprus IndyMedia, Justice for Palestinians, San Hose, CA. USA, Youth Against Nationalism, and Cypriot Activists, many Palestinians, Arabs, Kurds, and refugees from other countries supported this action…
After the call of Global Peace and Justice Coalition, Cypriot, Greek, and Turkish anti-war activists met in Adana on Saturday, 14 June, 2008, under the slogan, “No to war – close down Incirlik.” In the morning a news conference took place at the entrance of Incirlik base and in the afternoon a conference at the Adana Pharmacists Chamber was organised under the title “International Forum against Military Bases”. Murat Kanatli, YKP Executive Board Secretary, spoke at the forum and news conference as the Cyprus representative of Stop the War Coalition.
Hundreds of people who met at Eleftheria Square on the call of Stop the War Coalition – Cyprus, on 22 March, on the occasion of the 15-22 March week of Opposition to War and Occupations, marched to the American Embassy. Representatives of organisations and activists from both sides of the Green Line, tens of Palestinians, Syrians, and Iraqis participated in the demonstration.
European Social Forum: The preparatory meeting for the European Social Forum which will take place in 2010 in Istanbul took place at the Panteion University in Athens on March 13-15, 2009. YKP representatives also participated in the meeting…
The 5th European Social Forum took place on 20 September in the Swiss town of Malmoe. YKP representatives also participated in the Forum.
YKP Youth: The YKP Youth Camp took place as a coming together of left wing young people at the Golden Sand, Karpasia, on 3-5 August, 2007 and 28-30 August, 2009, under the title “sea, sand, sun, and socialism”.
The YKP Youth called upon all individuals, civil society and youth organisations; to “come let us keep a vigil for peace and not for non-solution, let us come together at the KTOS premises on Saturday, 8 December, 2007, to discuss “our duty to our homeland” compulsory military service”. After the participation of other activists who answered the call, the formation of “Initiative for Conscientious Objection in Cyprus” was announced.
General information: YKP has continued to let its views on almost all issues during the past two years to be known through news releases and news conferences. Also through TV and radio programs, when possible, the views of the party were conveyed to the people. But an important section of our news releases were as usual not published by the press and broadcasting establishments. The policy to hide our party from the public continues. Although there has been some improvement, the negative attitudes of the past have continued.
The most significant failure of the party was in the field of organising. We are obliged to announce that although we kept a number of members active, we have not been able to register new members. Of course, the conditions in our country have made it rather more difficult to participate actively in YKP and to continue the struggle. Despite this, work should continue to enable the participation of those who genuinely and clearly want peace and a united Cyprus to join the party. The most positive development in the field of organising is that party membership registration has been renewed successfully.
Although we do not have a separate women’s organization, YKP women, continue to regularly participate in the activities of the National Mechanism for Women’s Rights formed under the Ministry of Justice and Public Order of the Republic of Cyprus.
Activities of political education within the party and Greek lessons have continued.
Yeniçağ Newspaper:
The situation concerning Yenicag newspaper has not improved, but on the contrary, it has got slightly worse. At this time, the document of the 9th congress about the newspaper is still relevant:
“We made and continue to make a great effort to regularly publish the party’s Yenicag newspaper which is our voice. The need of Yenicag newspaper showed itself again in this period. In these days shaped with the imposition of an embargo of our releases in the media or making them incomprehensible, Yenicag newspaper should come into more demand. However, it is obvious that our party members or sympathisers’ interest in and support for Yenicag newspaper are very low. Struggling against the regime, it is a necessity for our party to continue publishing its newspaper and it is very important to enable this continuity. Therefore, our newspaper should be made into a better, more readable and more supportable form by serious efforts in the forthcoming period.”
BILBAN: YKP’s Nicosia District Organisation initiated a panel discussion about the structure of the population of the northern part of Cyprus at Arabahmet Cultural Centre on Tuesday evening, 6 May, 2008. The Vice President of the Publishers and Booksellers Union and interim spokesman for the Cyprus Peace Platform, Halil Paşa, moderated the panel discussion. Alpay Durduran, YKP’s Foreign Relations Secretary, Mehmet Hasguler, academician and investigative author, Mete Hatay, Oslo International Peace Studies Institute Researcher (PRIO), and Muharrem Faiz, Sociologist/researcher, were speakers on the panel. After editing the panel’s presentations and discussion were published in the form of a book in English, Greek, and Turkish under the title “The demographic structure in the northern part of Cyprus” and as a joint publication of BILBAN-IKME with the support of FES.
During this period, TOKKA, a monthly bilingual publication, is published as a joint publication by BILBAN-IKME with the support of FES.
Social activities: YKP organised solidarity dinners on 3 November, 2007 and 14November, 2008.
The YKP Famagusta branch organised picnics at Aysimeon (Avvtepe) on 20 April, 2008, and at Komi Kebir (Buyukkonuk) on 5 July, 2009, with the attendance of all party members.
Boycott Campaign: YKP started discussing from January 2009, both inside and outside the party about the early elections; convened its 1st extraordinary congress in February; and as a result of a unanimous decision, organised various activities until the elections.
The actions and announcements during this period were organised by the Boycott Action Committee.
The Boycott Action Committee was made up of Murat Kanatli, Alpay Durduran, Emir Tascıoglu, Salih Uyguroglu, Erdinc Selasiye, Celal Devrim Onen, Kemal Aktunc, Damla Ozhan, Rasih Keskiner, Cagla Konuloglu, Halil Pasa, Yilmaz Parlan, Halil Sayin and Serhan Gazioglu. In addition to the Boycott Action Committee, these activities were supported by the organising secretariat made up from Salih Uyguroglu, Gulay Kaser, Mustafa Noyan, Nevzat Hami, and Remzi Yektaoglu.
After the extraordinary congress, democratic mass organisations, trade unions, and some political parties were visited to explain the reasons for boycotting the elections and to ask for support. In addition to this, a news conference was organised at the Classic Hotel in the southern part of Nicosia to explain to Greek speaking Cypriots the reasons for boycotting the elections. It was interesting that other parties did not have any activities directed to Greek Cypriots during the election campaign.
Apart from distributing leaflets and organising meetings in larger cities during this period, meetings were also organised in various villages, and every fortnight gatherings were organised at Kugulu Park.
All these activities led up to the important meeting at Saracoglu Square in Nicosia, on 14 April, 2009, under the slogans “no to the rule by directives, this country is ours we shall administer it”.
During this period, annnouncements were broadcasted over Radio Mayis and published in Havadis Newspaper in order to increase participation in activities.
During the Boycott campaign Afrika’s attitude especially was catching attention. It continually published demeaning remarks about the boycott and smears such as “the deep voice of YKP” during the election campaign. Afrika which has published activities and announcements of all other parties, and especially those of UBP, starting in March 2009, has not published any activity or announcement of YKP. It has hidden the names of organisations taking part in activities if YKP was present so that its name would not appear. YKP’s demonstration in front of the Turkish Embassy right after the elections under the slogan “enjoy your new agent” was reported by all newspapers, because of police violence, but Afrika turned a blind eye to it although its offices are only 100 meters away. Another attack on the boycott campaign came from the Baraka Cultural Centre. In the pre-election issue of their quarterly magazine, Argasdi, they especially attacked the boycott campaign and went beyond the limits of criticism in using YKP’s name. The Baraka people forgot that the boycott was a political campaign, ignored our announcement in front of the Turkish Embassy and in their article published on their internet site, blamed YKP for not making any announcement after the elections and claimed that the boycott campaign was a failure, supporting their claim by saying that participation in the elections increased by 1%.
Despite everything, YKP’s boycott campaign waged with limited resources was successful. The participation to elections was challenged, especially those in authority were very worried about the fall of participation, and they have reflected their concern by continually calling on people to definitely take part in the elections.
The attacks on a campaign with limited resources by those who claim to be close the YKP, has forced the party to do extra work for resources and for the General Assembly to review the party’s relations with such organisations. The party also reached a consensus in emphasising that there is no close relationship with such structures.
On a suggestion of the organising secretariat, constitutional action according to the relevant article was taken against those who are members of other parties or were candidates for other parties, despite their claims that they are members or friends of the party, although there were no ties between them and the party. The party decided that all ties with Arif Hasan Tahsin who is well known and with other members or sympathisers are severed.
ONE MORE WORD… (CONCLUSION)
Twenty years have passed since 29 October, 1989. On its first day of establishment and before the founding of the YKP was heard in Cyprus, it faced the attack of Turkey’s Foreign Ministry with the announcement that “in Cyprus an anti-Turkey party is formed, but they will receive the necessary lesson from the people”.
This political party which was born under such an attack is here today through struggle, among pressures and threats, among bullets and bombs, by raising issues which other parties are not prepared to confront.
YKP which has now existed for 20 years has continued and is continuing its struggle towards the goals specified at its establishment. This struggle is the struggle for reuniting Cyprus and Cypriots, for pushing back and removing the interventions of the military and civil administrations of Turkey to destroy the Turkish Cypriots and everything they have. The future is the struggle of coming generations.
The YKP will continue this struggle. This task is on the shoulders of the YKP in the northern part of our country.
As the YKP fulfils this duty, it will succeed in getting new and resolute allies on its side.
YKP is the honour of this country.
YKP is the symbol of revolt against the regime in the northern part of the island,
YKP is the only organisation of those who have not surrendered to the regime
YKP is the future. We call upon those who have decided to revolt, to join the future and give their support. Victory, sooner or later, today or tomorrow, but definitely some day, has always been to those who have raised their heads, to those who have not surrendered to the regime.
The road is long and full of bends. But we have become used to walking along these long roads.
May our road, your road be open.
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General Assembly Resolution 1:
Is it reform or is it change of regime?
YKP’S GOALS AT ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY
In its history of 20-year struggle, YKP, without changing course from its main principles since its foundation, is continuing its struggle today with the same determination.
YKP as it embarked on its road in 1989 had clearly emphasised that the northern part of Cyprus is occupied by Turkey and that a Turkish official appears under every stone. Yeniçağ newspaper, in its first issue on 2 September, 1990, by putting a headline about the struggle against turning the northern part of Cyprus into a province of Turkey, has demonstrated the importance it gave to the issue.
For YKP, the 20-year struggle for reuniting Cyprus and Cypriots was very important, but this was not sufficient…
The struggle for socialism was also established as the main axis in political work. However, the socialism of YKP is based on both equality and freedom, giving importance to participative democracy and not giving in to dogmas in any way. YKP has been a proponent of global justice that shares world wealth equally among all the people of the world. For this reason, internationalism has been an integral component of YKP. In this regard, since YKP has adopted the slogan “all people are brothers and sisters” not only in theory, but also in practice, the struggle for the rights of working people without any discrimination on the basis of religion, language, colour, ethnic origin, or gender, has become a matter of principle.
YKP also struggles against military bases and foreign armies on the island. On this basis, the demand to dismantle the bases and the return of all foreign armies to their homes is not only for the island, but also it is an international demand for the security and future of the people in the region. This was nurtured by the anti-imperialist ideology of YKP. But in today’s world where nation states are withering away, and since those who defend nation states also claim to be anti-imperialist, and with the fact that the national bourgeoisie is no less exploitative than international monopolies; taking into account our stand against national states, we emphasise once again today that YKP’s is both anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist…
YKP wants another Europe. Despite those who govern the EU today, without rejecting the rights and freedoms that bring to the people of the region, we are raising our struggle together with the other progressive and socialists of Europe to establish the EU of labour with a stronger social structure.
These 20-year struggles of ours have not stopped, they are continuing. At a place where fake opponents of the regime and fake dissidents are rampant, at a place where politics are polluted both ideologically and in other ways, YKP is continuing to choose a difficult road.
For instance, in 1989, during the days when YKP was being formed, those who took part in the formation of organisations and initiatives that. directly or indirectly supported the regime in the northern part of Cyprus, the Intellectuals’ Movement of Self-determination and the like, took part in criticising YKP’s thoughts, those who described YKP’s views in those days as utopia, those who made diminutive comments about YKP’s slogans, today are defending YKP’s views and slogans that it put forward then and are claiming to be ahead of the YKP. To see that these individuals and groups are trying to make us forget the past and to see that they are trying to teach these views to YKP is mind boggling. These self-determinationists who in the past had come to the point of sometimes making politics with the Denktashites and the fact that today they are in the CTP’s Central Executive Committee, give us something to think about. The fact that those who in 1998 were demanding changes in YKP’s programme and were waging a struggle for it and that those words they wanted changed have today become their main reason for their struggle is another matter to be noted. The sincerity of those mentioned above who now claim to subscribe to these views is another matter to think about. Despite all the changes and tides taking place, YKP is continuing its struggle today with the long-term and short-term goals it put forward 20 years ago without losing its main axis.
In 1989, in addition to activities within the Association for Solidarity with Cypriots, there were also the discussions on the formation of a party. After the go-ahead for the formation of the party, with the participation of people from different groups, the difficult process of forming YKP was completed in October. Many of the people from different circles were people who waged struggles in different times within the Halk-Der and the TKP. But apart from these, there were also those who came from different organisations, intellectuals, and individuals sensitive to the Cyprus problem, who participated in the process of forming YKP. Everyone taking part in this process came with their particular thoughts and ideologies. As a result of discussions with the participation of all the founding elements, the views making up the first party programme took shape. For this reason, these views carry the ideological inheritance of the founding members of YKP, that is, of Halk-Der, of the Revolutionary Group, of TKP, and other groups. However, YKP’s living views of today came into being by evaluating this ideological inheritance in such a way that divisions would not reoccur with a simple repetition of the past and by building on these and re-editing the common points of different thoughts according to time and place.
(The discussion about today’s ideological inheritance becomes meaningless when evaluated on this basis, because excluding the mainstream left wing party with its ideological centre as the Soviet Union, a great majority of active members of groups on the island whose political life was continuing, had taken part in the process as founding members of the YKP. Denying all these and seeing oneself as a continuation of those structures today is in fact a rejection of history and has no political basis. It is meaningless to develop politics contrary to time and place especially by repeating the past and by implementing today the terminology of that day. No slogan or phraseology can be reproduced independent of the conditions of that day… Making politics by ignoring the political and socio-economic conditions of the 1970’s and 1980’s by using the words and slogans of that day, is nothing else but a pretence by those who have no ideological background or the courage to put into words and enable them to say something about today and to make politics by copying yesterday. Also, YKP’s founding members are the ones who lived through the past and are creators of those thoughts said to belong to others and they have continued their political life with their thoughts inside YKP. Even this simple reality is enough to make the discussion on ideological inheritance meaningless…)
YKP has accepted from the beginning the idea of multiple ideologies. By accepting that and by writing it into its constitution, it has given permission for the establishment of political groups in the party. YKP has also given importance to the members rather than to a system of delegates. When YKP wrote these into its constitution, no political organisation had yet accepted these views. And today the delegate system is being seriously questioned.
YKP has faced criticisms about these since its foundation. YKP, from the day it was founded, expressed its demand for a federal system and clearly stated that it would struggle for the reunification of Cyprus and Cypriots and for the removal of the regime. To put it more clearly, this was to oppose making the northern part of Cyprus a province of Turkey and to struggle against Turkey controlling everything. YKP has always opposed the transfer of population stemming from the mentality of conquest and occupation, the presence of a military regime, the presence of foreign troops, the existence of the system of guarantees and a separate state. And it has repeatedly emphasised that struggling against these are among its short-term goals.
SOCIALISM
The YKP has many times let it be known that its long-term goal is socialism. These thoughts have been criticised many times and even came under attack by both the right and by those who call themselves the left. There have always been those who tried to sticknew and sometimes old labels on to YKP. YKP is standing upright with its thoughts for the last 20 years, it is continuing its struggle, and many of those who were criticising it are no longer in political life…
Despite this, it would be useful to remind others of the views of YKP once again; YKP members first of all believe that they are human beings; that is, free and independent individuals with human rights… Despite different comments, YKP people describe themselves first as socialist and because they live in Cyprus they define themselves as Cypriot socialists…
Due to their internationalist approach, they do not discriminate on the basis of religion, language, or race. They give importance to solidarity among socialist and revolutionaries struggling for a better future. Global solidarity has always occupied the most important place in YKP’s policies. Such solidarity, especially at a time when global attacks continue with full speed, should not only be anti-imperialist, but also it should be on the basis of anti-capitalism. Being conscious of this fact, YKP is today waging an anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist and an internationalist struggle…
When YKP members define themselves in Cyprus their first choice is Cypriotness and the belief that everyone living on the island are brothers and sisters. YKP respects Cypriots who because of differences in religion, language, and culture define themselves in different ways. YKP refers to these current definitions in conformity with reality, time, and place, so that when defining existing conditions they would be better understood by the masses. However, YKP members, view themselves as Cypriot socialists, superseding current definitions… As we stated before, the long-term goal of the YKP is a SOCIALIST CYPRUS.
REVOLUTION AGAINST THE STATE
As a Marxist Party, YKP approaches the state from this angle. By accepting the Marxist approach to the “state”, YKP determines its position to it in a way that the question of legality or not is secondary. From this point of view YKP is revolutionary and it promotes the revolution against the state. The Marxist view of the state is that it is an administrative device based on force. There is no way to reform it as a whole, because it is contrary to its founding nature. One of the duties of socialists is to destroy the state; that is revolution. They struggle for this. With the experience of so many years, it is apparent that the social state, purported to be more humane, is not a solution. For this reason liberation is through revolution.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REVOLUTION AND REFORM
At the same time, YKP does not deny the process of evolution-revolution. From this angle, it has an eye on the relationship between reform-revolution. It is aware that reforms are temporary and they do not bring real liberation, but it also believes that reforms on the road to revolution should be supported and struggled for. At the same time, it utilises the reform processes to expose the regime, for the development of social movements, and for organising. With these thoughts, it struggles for the purpose of making life more democratic and liveable, collaborates with those who struggle for the same purpose, it is in solidarity with them, but always keeps in mind its long-term goal.
YKP views the parliamentary struggle within the framework of reforms. It does not restrict the parliamentary struggle to elections. It does not understand the election processes only from the angle of participation. It considers the parliamentary struggle in a wider scope, but it is aware that it is not the solution for everything. Despite this, it accepts the processes of parliamentary struggle as a political means to convey its thoughts to the masses. It determines its political activities with concrete analysis of the current conditions in order to utilise this tool without putting restrictions on itself…
With the fact that YKP has clearly stated that it does not accept the separatist structure in the northern part of Cyprus, decisions to be taken concerning this period will be valid only for the relevant period. The fact that in the past YKP took part in the elections and was twice represented in the parliament has not made any changes to its main views; in the same way, the boycott campaigns implemented for a period of time do not change its thoughts. So long as the present conditions prevail in Cyprus, until conditions for elections to be called elections are established, YKP will continue to make use of the parliamentary struggles and processes as a tool for political campaigns and actions by methods to be determined after analysing the current conditions.
With these thoughts, YKP is determined to intensify and continue its activities in the coming period. It would also be useful, under these conditions, to update and remind people of the views of the YKP members present in decisions previously taken at party congresses, party council, and at meetings of the secretariat.
LABOUR STRUGGLES
The working conditions in the northern part of Cyprus and especially in the private sector are well below the accepted norms in the world. Although the eight-hour working day is implemented even in the least developed countries of the world, and even when in Europe the working week is being brought under 40 hours, in the northern part of Cyprus there is no regulation concerning working hours. Since the extra working hours in the private sector are paid like normal working hours and not according to overtime rules, this practice can only be seen as increasing working hours. Although in EU countries the working week is restricted to 48 hours, overtime included, in the northern part of Cyprus there is not any restriction or control on this matter. Some work places are implementing some kind of shift system, but this has no relation to the shift system present in the documents of the European Social Charter or in EU documents pertaining to working standards. The most important element that catches the eye in shift systems is the unavailability of enough rest and personal time between the beginning of two working days. Although this problem appeared especially in the supermarket sector, due to the violation of another right in the private sector, namely the right to organise, this problem has not been sufficiently dealt with and a partial struggle failed due to this reason. Despite the regulations in the ILO and the European Social Charter concerning the right to organise, unions in the private sector of the northern part of Cyprus are practically nonexistent. There are unions in the banking sector, but these are not effective organisations.
There are also serious problems in the area of salaries and social rights… The minimum wage which can only have meaning as a starting salary is being widely implemented in the private sector, and although there are some establishments who give salaries somewhat higher than the minimum wage, the fact that these establishments deposit social security payments on the basis of a minimum wage, working people’s rights are still usurped.
YKP has organised campaigns and contacted other organisations for the implementation of ILO regulations which are law in the northern part of Cyprus, but not implemented, and the acceptance of the European Social Charter and its implementation. YKP is determined to continue and increase its struggle in this direction.
Two honourable struggles to organise at the Cyprus International University and the Lefka European University have unfortunately failed. As a result of these two initiatives we have learned that a union by itself cannot succeed in organising in the private sector. An organising initiative of this sort requires a labour platform or a similar organisation. YKP is determined to play its part in this matter.
In the public sector yellow trade unions, some of which are actually satellites of political parties, are widespread. The ratio of unionised staff is low. The negative effect of the trade union law is another factor in this process. There should also be struggle to change a structure where there is no life for smaller unions and no life for unions with few members by naming one as the union with authority to represent them.
YKP has always been in solidarity with the struggles of the teachers’ unions and has come together with them on joint platforms. This close cooperation will continue.
It is a fact that there are serious anomalies in the public sector. Especially the change in demography of the northern part of Cyprus has affected and is continuing to affect many sectors.
The health and education systems can no longer support the existing population. And this situation brings anomalies to working conditions. Due to the increase in population and the increasing crime rate as a result, continuous hiring of teachers and policemen in the public sector is required. The working conditions in prisons are affected from this process.
The anomalies stemming from the Cyprus problem affect most of all the customs workers and other public sectors.
For this reason, stopping immediately the flow of population and the return of the demographic structure to its natural one is within the labour struggle under today’s conditions… In addition to this, the repatriation of criminals without any delay, putting an end to the practice of entering into Cyprus with an identity card, handing over immigration procedures to civilians so that they can become transparent and verifiable, cancelling protocols with Turkey and not signing new ones is part of this struggle. Of course, the reality is that the Cyprus problem has to be solved for all these to materialise.
In addition to this, the partisan and irregular ways of hiring public servants, the existence of an unqualified workforce or not possessing the qualifications needed for the position, creates a public sector which is inflated and not efficient. In order to remove all these negative factors, public sector reform is necessary.
HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
Many human rights or freedoms in the northern part of Cyprus are either not implemented at all or implemented in a restrictive way.
It is a fact that women’s human rights, especially in the area of representation, are experiencing serious problems. YKP is in favour of women being represented in political life in the full sense of the word, complete equality in working hours and wages in working life, and doing something right now about violence against women. In order to share responsibility for child care and raising children between the partners, it is necessary to make arrangements in maternity and paternity leave and wages, so that men can assume more responsibilities. There should be legislative arrangements in social rights taking into account all aspects for the protection of women who work in two jobs, at home as mothers and housewives and at work, beginning with social security legislation.
Although many people are in agreement with passing legislation to prevent discrimination against sexual orientation, no one has taken any steps in that direction. People are still under the threat of being prosecuted for “engaging in unnatural sexual intercourse” facing discrimination on account of their sexual identity and sexual orientation… The legislation to this effect which is claimed to be no longer implemented in the northern part of Cyprus, was handed down from the colonial times, and then became part of the penal code of the Republic of Cyprus. It is now well known that the implementation of this legislation in the Republic of Cyprus was brought to the European Court of Human Rights paving the way for the removal of the relevant article. However, the exact wording of this piece of legislation is still in effect in the northern part of Cyprus. As in the case of no one being discriminated on account of the religion, language or colour, YKP will struggle and be in solidarity with those who are struggling so that there will be no discrimination on account of sexual identity and sexual orientation.
It is a known fact that torture is being widely applied in the northern part of Cyprus. Necessary arrangements are needed in order to take effective measures against this and to enable civil society to keep an eye on it. The 5th article of the UN Declaration of Human Rights to the effect that “No one should be exposed to torture, no one should be treated cruelly, inhumanely or in a degrading manner” is clearly being violated in various ways in the northern part of Cyprus. YKP will continue its struggle against this.
The northern part of Cyprus continues to be the only region in the EU where the right to conscientious objection is not recognised. YKP continues to demand a demilitarised Cyprus. Until demilitarisation is achieved, the demand that no one should be forcefully conscripted and together with the right of total rejection, the right to conscientious objection should be recognised is being voiced for sometime now. YKP will continue to struggle for the implementation of this demand. Professional military service cannot be a substitute for forcible military service. To the contrary, the road chosen by YKP is the militant struggle to reduce solutions based on the use of force to the minimum and to end all conflicts. For this reason, YKP stands for doing away with weapons not only in Cyprus, but throughout the world. As this process continues, YKP demands that the right to conscientious objection should be recognised in Cyprus, as well, so that people will not be forced to take up arms and the freedom of conscience should be respected for everyone. Such a right should be implemented fully. YKP also believes in struggling against arrangements where military institutions can test and measure the demand for conscientious objection.
Regulations for religious and language freedoms are also subject to arbitrariness in the northern part of Cyprus. It is unacceptable that the central authority can choose to impose a religion and language and bring restrictions to other religions and languages. YKP cannot accept that the administration can choose a religion and impose it on others. Freedom of religion requires that there should be legislation to provide full protection to the individual against any kind of oppression and the rights of atheists and non-believers should be taken into consideration by having independent structures to coordinate such activities. Everyone has the right to education in their mother tongue without any restrictions and YKP will continue its struggle for this right to be implemented…
The restrictions on the implementation of these and other similar rights and freedoms can be imposed as natural in the occupied northern part of Cyprus, but YKP does not accept this and emphasises that it will continue its struggle for everyone’s rights and freedoms.
YKP, aware that violations of rights and freedoms cover not only today, but also the past, continues its struggle in the knowledge that Cypriots have been forced out of their property, their right to use their property has been taken, and their freedom of movement is being restricted. In 1974, many human rights and freedoms have been violated using war as a pretext and many war crimes were committed. YKP struggled in the past and is struggling today for the punishment of the perpetrators and for compensation to the victims.
MORE STRUGGLE FOR DEMILITARIZATION
As we stated earlier, during the process for a solution, demilitarisation and opening demilitarised areas to resettlement, would be important in the short-term from the point of view of relations between the two communities. The return of the Maronites and the people of Varosha to their places, and bringing life to the buffer zone would bring a momentum to the process for a solution in the short-term. For this reason, it will be important to continue developing short-term proposals like that of demilitarised Nicosia started by YKP.
Despite this, the procurement of arms in Cyprus, the ceasefire, and the situation of armed units on the island necessitates urgent ‘contra–military’ arrangements. In addition, the demands of Cypriots for security, for a civil society, and democratisation on one hand, and military solution, and needs, on the other, contradict each other.
The military occupation in Cyprus and its results cause serious problems in our daily life. Military areas inside the city create serious problems to the plans for modernising Nicosia. Buildings in the buffer zone of Nicosia have cultural and historical value which will be lost forever, if they collapse. The ceasefire line and the buffer zone which constitutes 3% of the island cannot be used due to the positions of military units.
Under these conditions YKP recalls its previous proposals:
1. To stop the entry of new weapons to the island and enable their active control,
2. Demilitarisation of Nicosia within the walls immediately and the entire Nicosia as soon as possible,
3. The distancing of military forces (de confrontation) in the buffer zone away from each other, as a main aim pulling the forces in the north at a distance equivalent to the forces in the south,
4. Demilitarisation of Varosha immediately and return of its citizens based on the confidence building measure within the 1992 Ghali Set of Ideas,
5. Making necessary arrangements, so that Maronites return their prior to 1974 settlements and demilitarisation of these places,
6. Demilitarising the regions of Tylliria and Mesaoria, allowing former villagers to return to their villages in the buffer zone and military areas
7. Initiation of the required operations to dissolve the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot National Guards,
8. Making an agenda for withdrawal of the foreign armed forces from the island, within this framework withdrawing 10,000 troops now and starting the necessary work for withdrawal of the remainder,
9. Implementation of the provisions in the Annan Plan for the departure of foreign troops remaining on the island from their camps,
10. Opening of new crossing points, removing bureaucratic procedures at the crossing points
Since this would make an important contribution to the solution process, increasing the struggle in that direction is among our duties.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
The new period should be a time for more organising and more struggle. The New Cyprus Party as the most important voice for those who refuse to be ruled by directives, of those looking for a new policy, of labour, of the ecologists, of women, of global activists, of youth, and of those demanding the reunification of Cyprus, should be able to work for building the appropriate organisation.
For this reason, the new period will be a time of increasing the struggle against the regime, but at the same time, it will be a new period where the most important duty of the active members of the party will be to bring young members into the party and to organise activities more systematically.
In addition to this, carrying the views of the party to the masses, the party organ included, new ways should be developed, making use of them more efficiently, and with the active members of the party taking more responsibility this will be made possible. More work in this direction will be a duty for all of us. The working conditions of Yenicag newspaper should be reviewed, and the necessary work should be done to improve the conditions…
In conditions where hopelessness and defeatism is imposed, it is our duty to make YKP the centre for hope and resistance.
However, the main task awaiting YKP’s active members is to prepare the party with a 20 year history of struggle for the next 20 years. All the party organs have their share of duty in this respect.
YKP once again announces that it is open to following the developments in the country and the world, to improve its programme even further and to continue working in that direction.
In order to win our future, we struggle, resist, and hope; in order to leave to the coming generations a united socialist Cyprus with no borders, with no weapons and soldiers, on the anniversary of 20 years of struggle, we say again that “we shall win”…
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General Assembly Resolution 2:
We have come to the end of the Cyprus problem, Let there be an agreement right now!
We are going through a critical process in the Cyprus problem. Cypriots have no time to wait for a comprehensive agreement. They should sign the issues they agreed upon and put them into effect, and they should seek agreement to the difficult issues with the confidence brought by the agreements put into effect.
For the future of Cyprus, New Cyprus Party demands that in the final settlement, there should be no obstacles to Cypriots forming joint structures or forming joint parties, to the contrary, these should be encouraged, and in the election system, those who can gather support from Cypriots as a whole by the system of cross voting should be elected.
In order to solve the daily problems of Cypriots during this process, the parties should establish a provisional structure under the Republic of Cyprus, seeking practical solutions to problems… This structure should also work to prepare the northern part of Cyprus for the EU Acquis Communautaire. In addition, through joint administrations, direct trade from ports should be facilitated. This organ should also be set up in areas where people’s daily lives are affected, such as education, health, art, sports, law, working life, agriculture and animal husbandry and bring internationally recognised solutions to the problems of Cypriots, and to implement these solutions.
The issue that mainly affects this process is insecurity. For this reason, by taking the maps on the property issue in the Annan plan as a basis preparation should be made for the arrangements in land for after the agreement. It should also be explained to the people that the agreement on administrative borders applies only to administrative borders and nothing else. We should also struggle against the phraseology of a separate state which means a non-solution.
In military issues, the parties would demonstrate the will for an agreement by putting into effect the applicable rules of the Annan plan.
Confidence building measures should be implemented; Varosha should immediately open to resettlement.
The transfer of population to the northern part of Cyprus should immediately be stopped and a census under international supervision should be carried out. Repatriations should be encouraged; there should be compensation for those returning to Turkey, and the international community should create the financial resources.
Freedom of movement for Cypriots should immediately be implemented. Procedures at crossing points should be removed.
All these practical works and agreements should be directed towards achieving a complete agreement as soon as possible.
The practical result of not achieving a complete agreement would mean that Turkey would continue to be occupying the northern part of Cyprus, which is EU territory, violating the rights of EU citizens and thus creating an obstacle to her accession to the EU.
For this reason, international public opinion should be made more aware about all the elements creating an obstacle to a process of complete agreement in Cyprus.
YKP will increase its struggle in this direction during the next period.
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General Assembly Resolution 3:
Call to women and youth
When the world population is taken into account the percentage of women is 50%. Despite this, their proportion in life and politics does not correspond to that percentage.
At work, they work under tougher conditions and mostly with lower wages. In addition, housework is considered by relevant UN bodies to be an eight hour job, whereas in our country this task mainly falls on women. That is, the woman at work is a labourer whose rights are being violated and at home she is a home worker. Her labour at home is not paid. Apart from the fact that her labour is confiscated, her freedom of movement is restricted. And this situation naturally means not being fully represented in political, social, and cultural life.
Women are not only a biological entity, and women should be represented in politics for what they are. YKP realises this fact and is trying to overcome and change the situation where women are just seen as filling numbers.
YKP’s main aim is for women to be represented in politics with their value as persons, but under the current conditions it is necessary to adopt the quota for women’s representation in politics.
YKP calls upon all women who want the reunification of Cyprus and Cypriots, who demand a united socialist Cyprus with no borders, with no weapons and soldiers to participate in the administrative organs of the party.
YKP calls onto all its active members to work in order to achieve the closest to 50-50 representation by our 2011 congress.
YKP also believes that young people are the future and for this reason it believes that the party’s active members should be made up of its younger members and accepts this as a challenge to work more systematically towards.
YKP is aware of the difficulties faced by young people in taking part among the active members of the party. For this reason, YKP takes it on itself to work for material and moral support to young people in starting a new career or beginning a new life.
YKP makes the above call above towards the youth as well.
YKP’s goal in representation is for young people to be represented throughout the party. For this reason, YKP calls again upon its active members to work seriously in organising and calls upon young people to actively and effectively take part in the party.
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General Assembly Resolution 4:
The rich should pay for the crisis
The working people are again being made to pay for the crisis throughout the world. Under conditions where wealth is not justly shared, the rich are becoming richer and the poor are becoming poorer.
Without making any sacrifices from their lifestyle or their wealth, they apply more neo-liberalism on the advice of capital and their columnists; plunder public resources more, imposing the privatisation of public sectors such as health and education where people get free and good quality service, in order to get out of this crisis…
Benefiting from this view, the ones in the northern part of Cyprus are attacking wages and working hours. While they are avoiding paying taxes, and despite their claims of losses at their work, they think that they can hide their increasing private wealth.
YKP is calling to work more for a system where the price of the crisis would be paid by the rich, where the rights of the working people would be protected, where working people’s rights could be improved, where everyone could have secure employment. YKP calls for every individual to have the right to free and good quality health and education and calls for reorganising the present system for this purpose… YKP also demands that the budget is organised in the public interest.
