This is an abiding passion for me, being a refugee from the beautiful town of Kyrenia in the part of the island still occupied by Turkey 33 years after its invasion of the island.
See also: http://www.myspace.com/theatrotechnis http://www.veoh.com/series/cypriotsabroad
July 2011 has proved disastrous in Cyprus as a result of the massive ammunitions explosion there - to add to the anniversaries of the Greek Junta coup against President Makarios on 15th July 1974, providing the pretext for Turkey's invasion of the island on 20th July. Events during Cyprus Week, organised annually by Theatro Technis for 37 years now, were overshadowed by the explosions disaster, but the videos in this playlist provide coverage from the events which did happen.
Events consisted of the "Raising of the Cyprus and EU Flags" at Theatro Technis, including speeches explaining the significance in English.
The "Lobby for Cyprus" Seminar - The Eurozone crisis: does it alter the balance of power in the Eastern Mediterranean in favour of Turkey and against Cyprus? by Professor François Nectoux, including Question and answer session.
The Rally for a Free and United Cyprus - in three parts:
The Demonstration outside the London Turkish Embassy protesting its continuing occupation of Cyprus, and March to Trafalgar Square via Parliament Square, the cenotaph in Whitehall before delivering a petition at Downing Street Rally for Cyprus 2011 - P2 Rally English extracts - speeches by Federation of Cypriot Organisations President Peter Droussiotis, British MPs and MEPS, and the Cyprus Government Spokesman Stefanos Stephanou
Presented by Theatro Technis http://www.theatrotechnis.com/
in Association with the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK http://www.cypriotfederation.org.uk/
This is the 36th anniversary of the Greek junta coup and the Turkish invasion & occupation of 34.7% of the Republic of Cyprus. We also celebrate the Accession of the Republic of Cyprus to the EU which will hopefully lead to the unification of the island as a truly independent federated state for all the people of Cyprus.
PROGRAMME:
Tuesday, 13th July 7.00 PM : Raising the flags of the Republic of Cyprus and of the European Union and an Exhibition of the Archives of Theatro Technis and of the Cypriot Community in Camden, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Unity Theatre Trust. Also poetry and music by the harpist Ricardo Curbello and others.
Wednesday, 14th July, 7.30 pm : Seminar presented by Lobby for Cyprus http://www.lobbyforcyprus.org/
Consisting of three presentations:
1. Costas Frangeskides: "CAN THE CYPRUS ISSUE BE SOLVED THROUGH THE COURTS?" - A lawyer's perspective on the role of the law in the search for a just settlement.
2. Kyriacos Christodoulou: "THE CYPRUS ISSUE - A REFUGEE PERSPECTIVE"
3. Dr. Klearchos Kyriacides: "THE TURKISH INVASION AND OCCUPATION OF CYPRUS: a case study in unethical behaviour.
Sunday, 18th July, 4.30 PM : RALLY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND FOR A FREE UNITED CYPRUS, starting outside the Turkish Embassy at Belgrave Square London SW1 at 3.00pm and marching to hear the main speaker at Trafalgar Square, Erato Kozakou Markoullis.
For all events at theatro Technis, 26 Crowndale Road, London NW1 1TT.
The western world is 'wishing it well' but the government which allegedly wanted peace-with-neighbours is still refusing to accept UN resolutions, Council of Europe and European Union resolutions against Turkey's troops remaining in occupation of one third of Cyprus ever since its invasion in 1974. This playlist seeks to bring together various news items on YouTube showing the reality of that country, rather than its propaganda. Let Turkey recognise the Genocide of Armenians, the continuing persecution of the Kurdish people, and let them provide for the many millions Kurds the kind of separate state which they seek to create for the 100,000 or so Turkish Cypriot minority group that is still left on that long-suffering island after 30+ years of illegal occupation.
The development of history following the Lausanne Treaty (google it) of 1923, is just as relevant today, with events happening in Iraq with reference to Kirkuk, and still now in the Balkans with Kosovo -- as well as with Cyprus of course - yet Turkey seeks a position of 'leadership' in the region while still refusing to peacefully resolve its internal and external problems.
See - http://fora.tv/2007/10/18/A_Troubling_History_of_Ethnic_Conflict
"Getting it Wrong - Fragments from a Cyprus Diary 1964" by Martin Packard MBE is a book which provides unique and critical reportage of events in Cyprus in 1964.
Beyond this, the story, originally suppressed by the British government, has wide application in highlighting the difference between the formalising of barriers through sterile peacekeeping and the breaking of barriers through creative peacekeeping.
Unlike subsequent efforts at mediation, the process this book describes was successful because it was answerable to the Cypriots rather than to any outside power.
Available now from Author House http://www.authorhouse.com ISBN: 9781434370655
Getting It Wrong is a story that the British Government tried for many years to suppress.
Martin Packards explosive new book describes a remarkable instance of bottom-up mediation and of the cynical overturning of that process because genuine independence for Cyprus was deemed contrary to British and American interests.
Packard was motivated by moral principle rather than by the dictates of London - it is not surprising the Foreign Office came to regard him as dangerous loose cannon.
Seconded to Cyprus after the Christmas 1963 outbreak of violence and mandated by General Young to lead a tripartite mediating initiative, Packard found a situation of near-total anarchy in the countryside. Central government control had broken down; the police force, split into its Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot components, had largely been hijacked by extremists; normal commercial life was at a standstill.
Packard elicited powerful support from the leaderships of the two communities and considered himself answerable to them rather than to any outside power. By dint of discussion and persuasion the anarchy was gradually erased and measures for a general re-engagement were privately agreed. But before these could be fully implemented Packard was summarily removed from the island and his team dismantled.
Back in London, Packard was told that he was naïve for failing to appreciate that there was a US-British agenda for communal separation.
This book has elements of a Boys Own adventure story, of the underside of modern European history and of political skullduggery. It also is a story of a caring individual struggling against anarchy, extremism and vested interests.
See more videos at the "Getting it Wrong" fan page at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Getting-it-Wrong-Fragments-from-a-Cyprus-Diary-1964-Book/129119836367
Presenting a diversity of viewpoints drawn from the perspective of events and culture in London and beyond.
Highlighting the continuing injustice of Turkey being allowed to violate the sovereignty of a member state of the European Union 38 years after it invaded and occupied nearly half the island of Cyprus.
See additional listings of Cyprus-related video coverage in English, by this source, at the following location:
http://bit.ly/2kIQth
Despite their otherwise excellent media coverage including provision of such over the web, the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation must realise it has to improve its derisory provision of English language news and documentaries about the Cyprus problem to the international community. The task of 'diafotisi' does need to be reassessed, and if other international broadcasters can create themselves a YouTube account, there should be no reason why CyBC can not do that. If in turn they do consider doing that, they will realise the need for English language programs.
Though the content is almost entirely in the Greek language I particularly like the facility at:
http://www.cyprus-tube.com
Presenting a diversity of viewpoints drawn from the perspective of events and culture in London and beyond.
Highlighting the continuing injustice of Turkey being allowed to violate the sovereignty of a member state of the European Union 38 year...
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