Transcript of Life histories Interviews with Turkish Cypriots. Whose life histories? The sample includes 30 life...
- Slide 1
- Life histories Interviews with Turkish Cypriots
- Slide 2
- Whose life histories? The sample includes 30 life history
interviews with persons now resident in Morphou/Gzelyurt,
Kyrenia/Girne, and Yialousa/Yenierenky. These places were chosen
both because of the populations currently resident there and also
because they would probably be differently affected by a property
solution. By showing the complicated and often contradictory ways
in which persons think about their displacement and property, life
histories give us different insights into potential solutions than
surveys. In the photo: Refugee from Alevga/Alevkaya now living n
Yialousa/Yenierenky.
- Slide 3
- General observations There are significant generational
differences between those whose childhoods were spent in the south
and their parents, who were adults when they were displaced.
Persons in middle age were often nostalgic about the places of
their childhood. Their parents have a more complicated perspective
on the places from which they fled. The younger generation of
persons under 30 only knows the north and shows little interest in
the south. In the photo: Ramadan Gilanlolu and his parents. While
Ramadan was emotional when talking about a childhood friend
rediscovered after the opening of the checkpoints, his father was
emotional in describing the way that Greek Cypriots tormented us.
At the same time, his father takes every opportunity to visit
Koilani/Gilan. Ramadan says his children show little interest in
visiting the village.
- Slide 4
- General observations An often confused dissatisfaction about
the distribution of Greek Cypriot property after 1974 and the
changes in property values north and south since that time. No one
said that they would return to their villages, with the exception
of some persons from Kokkina/Erenky, who said that they would
return if it were part of a TC constituent state. Some said that
they would want to claim their property in the south while
rejecting the idea of returning to it. Everyone said that they
would only accept a plan with a Turkish Cypriot constituent state
that would be their own zone. Importantly, all 17 interviewees from
Morphou said that they believed it was better for Morphou to stay
in a Turkish Cypriot constituent state and that any other plan
would probably not pass a referendum.
- Slide 5
- Even more than whether it should be given back or not,
discomfort is really the issue. We were displaced three times, in
1957, 1960, and 1974. This area has always been discussed as one
that might be given back, for instance in the Annan Plan it would
have been. Even more than whether it should be given back, the
reason issue is people constantly being torn up and forced to go
somewhere else. Can you imagine, all your investments, your home,
your work are here, and they uproot you and take you somewhere
uncertain. 70% of the people here voted yes to the Annan Plan just
so that this uncertainty would be resolved, but when the other side
said no, of course it created disappointment, anger, and fear.
People arent thinking anymore the way they were thinking then in
the Annan Plan period. They cant say so easily that it should be
given back, because they cant see whats in front of them. A person
when hes leaving a place wants to go someplace better, he wouldnt
want to go to be in a worse situation. --male, 60 years old, member
of CTP, on the question of whether or not Morphou should become
part of a Greek Cypriot constituent state
- Slide 6
- Analytical observations The opening of the checkpoints resulted
in noticeable changes in approaches to displacement: For some, a
re-refugizing, or nostalgia for former villages that was not
expressed before 2003. --This was often in response to GC
institutional nostalgia. --Sometimes expressed a desire to show
that we are also refugees and we also lost our property and
suffered. For others, there was disappointment that their houses
and properties were in ruin. --This was often expressed in
comparison to their own care for the houses in which they lived.
--Often resulted in a refusal to visit the village a second
time.
- Slide 7
- Analytical observations The difference in property values north
and south today plays a significant role in the ways that TCs are
thinking about possible political solutions. Attention to
generational differences shows us that TC approaches to the places
that they left behind are more complex than forgetting or
remembering. While the now middle-aged generation is often
nostalgic for a place they hardly remember, their parents remember
in order to forget. Youth today show none of the postmemory
prevalent amongst children of GC IDPs. Although party affiliation
plays an important role in perceptions of the past and future, even
those leftists who tend to have more regular contact with Greek
Cypriots today express concern that Turkish Cypriots should not be
displaced again in the event of a solution.
- Slide 8