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A group of Turkish Cypriots has formally accused Turkey of carrying out a systematic population transfer in the northern, Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus, actions they say amount to ethnic cleansing, and is calling on the Republic of Cyprus to take legal action at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In a meeting held at the Presidential Palace this past Thursday, the Movement of Cypriots for Peace and Solidarity presented President Nikos Christodoulides with a six-point letter, arguing that Turkey’s policies in the north are designed to alter the region’s demographic makeup and undermine prospects for a negotiated solution to the Cyprus issue.
The group identifies both Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, Ersin Tatar, as key figures in what they describe as efforts to change the political character of the north through the resettlement of populations from mainland Turkey. They also allege widespread violations of the Geneva Conventions, including the appropriation of property and interference in democratic processes.
Key points of the letter
The letter’s main focus is Turkey’s role in the ongoing demographic shifts in the occupied north since 1974, following the Turkish military invasion. The group claims this has resulted in the marginalization of Turkish Cypriots and the creation of a dependent, non-representative administration.
Among their concerns is a widening gap in voter data: while 103,000 Turkish Cypriots were eligible to vote in the Republic of Cyprus during the recent European Parliament elections, authorities in the north reported 216,000 registered voters, a figure the group views as further evidence of demographic manipulation.
Ahead of the upcoming “elections” in the north this October, the letter warns that the vote will reflect Ankara’s political will, not that of the Turkish Cypriot community.
Five demands to the Republic of Cyprus
The group urges the Cypriot government to:
1. File a Case at the ICC: Seek legal action against Turkey for violating the Geneva Conventions through population transfer and demographic engineering.
2. Request a UN-Supervised Census: Push for an internationally monitored population census in the north to establish the number of Republic of Cyprus citizens and identify non-citizen settlers.
3. Condemn Demographic Policy: Officially denounce Turkey’s policies in the north as undemocratic and in violation of human rights.
4. Challenge Electoral Integrity: Work to end what the group describes as colonial-era electoral interference, and request UN oversight for future elections in the north.
5. Reject Current Election Outcomes: Refuse to recognize the legitimacy of any elections held under current conditions, which the movement claims distort the will of Turkish Cypriots.
Shifting sentiment
The appeal comes just ahead of an informal diplomatic meeting in New York and is seen as a notable shift in Turkish Cypriot political sentiment. It challenges Ankara’s long-standing narrative that its presence on the island serves to protect Turkish Cypriots.
While the letter stops short of calling for political reunification or altering the island’s status quo, it signals increasing dissatisfaction within segments of the Turkish Cypriot community over Turkey’s influence in the north.
*With information from tovima.com
