The Cyprus problem refers to the division of the island of Cyprus between Greek Cypriots in the south and Turkish Cypriots in the north. This division has caused conflict between Europe and Turkey over the small island. Some key events that have shaped the division include Cyprus gaining independence from Britain in 1960, Turkish military intervention in 1974 that led to the de facto partition of the island, and Cyprus joining the European Union in 2004 but only the southern Greek part. Recent issues include Cyprus requesting a bailout from the EU in 2012 that led to a tax on bank deposits, threatening the stability of the euro. There is a movement occupying the UN buffer zone between north and south calling for reunification and solidarity with global protests against current political systems

2.  Many wars have been fought over land, whether the reason is
religious or an ethnic reason, blood has been shed. Cyprus is only a
small island with lots of history. How is it that such a small island
has so much diversity? It has started quite a bit of imbalance
between the European world and the middle east. Patterns of the
countries past history up until today better explain the reasons why
Cyprus has been the center of so much conflict between Europe
and Turkey.

3.  Cyprus is a very enjoyable island with sunshine all year round and
a temperature that never drops below 50 degrees, and never
exceeds the upper 80’s. The island is located in the eastern
Mediterranean basin, where it homes different wildlife. Cyprus is
home to many different types of bats, dolphins, wild goats,
hedgehog and the rare capybara. The capital of Cyprus is
Nicosia, and the native language they speak is Greek. This island
is truly an intriguing place to live on, and perhaps that is why the
Greeks and the Turks could never get along?

4.  The island of Cyprus dates back to 9000
years ago with the Khirokitia. The only other
sign that the island had connection to the
outside world was the obsidian that was left
there. Obsidian is not native to the island;
this explains to experts that the people of
the island also had connection with
different cultures of the world. After the
Khirokitia people left the island; it was
deserted for nearly 2000 years. Small villages
indicate life north of the Kourion at Sotira,
also in the Kyrenia Mountains.

5.  The next vital piece of the Cypriot history
is when the Greeks began to settle the
island. For a while the island was
considered to be a colony of Greece to
the rest of the world. Greeks had settled
all over the island spreading their culture
and language, (which is why today the
language of Cyprus is Greek).

6.  In 1571 Cyprus fell to Turkey and Turkish colonies
began to also settle on the island. By 1952, Britain
had declared the island their own colony. Here is
where all the conflict begins. Greece was the original
settlers to the island, as any other piece of land, it
should be rightfully theirs. Then on the other hand
there are the Turks who governed the land from the
late 1500’s all the way to the early 1900’s. the history
is a recipe for disaster, however it continues to
snowball. In 1955 the Greek population declared
guerrilla warfare on Great Britain. The Turkish during
this period petitioned that the population be divided
and then unified with their mother countries.

7.  In 1958 Archduke of Cyprus, Makarois called for
Cypriot independence. And by august of 1960
after the Greek and Turkish population agreed
on a constitution, Cyprus had finally gained its
independence. The imbalance does not stop
there; instead the two populations were unable
to get along. The country was in havoc, with
the threat to their people, Turkish militia entered
Cyprus taking over thirty percent of the northern
land. The United Nations responded to this
craziness and separated the two populations
and created a United Nations separation buffer
zone, much like the buffer zone between North
and South Korea.

8.  The United Nations made a mistake by
letting the Turkish military stay in northern
Cyprus, on November 15th 1983, they
declared themselves a separate nation and
called themselves “Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus”. Ten years later the united
union rejected the whole idea and kicked
the Turkish militia out. After this the Turkey
military was always a threat to Cyprus, but
in 1988 George Vassiliou put an end to the
threat and scared Turkey by purchasing
missiles that could reach the country if
Cyprus wanted to.

9.  In 2004, the European Union invited Cyprus
to the EU, under one circumstance; it would
only be the Greek part of the island that
had the invite. The election in 2004
determined whether or not the country
would be “split”. If the president that was
elected was pro- unity and Greek, then the
entire country could have joined the EU.
Instead the battle went the other way
causing only the Greek part of the nation to
join the EU. This again separated Cyprus.
Today for the most part, Cyprus is still
separated.

10.  In June of 2012 Cyprus had asked the rest of the European
Union for a $17 billion bailout. Germany agreed to dish out
$13 billion to the bank of Cyprus which forced the bank to
raise the rest of the money by taxing all bank deposits one
time. “This tax will take 6.75 percent from insured deposits
of €100,000 ($129,000) or less, and 9.9 percent from
uninsured amounts above €100,000. Depositors will get
bank stock equal to whatever they lose from the tax.”
Why Is this such a big deal?
Cyprus has been viewed by the rest
of the world as a tax haven.
Wealthy people from Russian
and other parts of the world
put their money into Cyprus banks.
To be taxed on Hundreds of thousands
of dollars, can kill someone’s wealth.

11.  They have assets equal to 8 times the
gdp.
 They receive an enormous amount of
their deposits from tax-dodging Russia
 Cyprus invested a ton of money into
Greece
 They are very dependent on central
bank financing.
“Cypriot banks are too big for Cyprus to
save. But somebody needs to save
them.”

12.  The Cyprus bank crises is threatening the
Euro. Why? Well for one Cyprus had so
much money in their banks which they lost
after the poor investment in greece. Now
Cyprus is forced to tax all the money
invested from other countries in their banks..
In other words they have to tax the Euros.
This brings up the question of “well does a
euro in Cyprus have the same value as a
Euro in Germany if it’s being taxed”

13.  The second reason that the crises may
effect the euro is if any of these countries
in the European union decide to pack
up and leave for a new currency, it
jeopardizes every country in the Union.
All that money which is in the leaving
country will very quickly over night be
worth way less, ruining many other
economies.

14. "This is an inclusive movement functioning within some principal umbrella
concepts for which we initially united, these are:
-The reunification of Cyprus.
-To raise awareness of how the Cyprus Problem is but one of the many
symptoms of an unhealthy global system.
It is important to elaborate on the intended inclusiveness of the last point.
We have occupied the space of the buffer zone to express with our
presence our mutual desire for reunification and to stand in solidarity with
the wave of unrest which has come as a response to the failings of the
global systemic paradigm. We want to promote understanding of the local
problem within this global context and in this way show how the Cyprus
Problem is but one of the many symptoms of an unhealthy system. In this
way, we have reclaimed the space of the buffer zone to create events
(screenings, talks etc.) and media of these events, which relate to the
system as a whole and its numerous and diverse consequences. Opinions
expressed in this manner are not necessarily of the entire group, only the
umbrella points of reunification and solidarity with the global movement
can be assumed to be."

15.  The Cyprus problem is the separation of
the two ethnicities( Greek and Turkish).
As stated above the people in the
movement agree that separation within
a country creates a bad global system.

16.  By occupying the buffer zone, Greeks
from the south and Turks from the north
are forced together, there for they are
forced to get to know each other. In this
situation they realize that they are not as
different and begin to get along.
Despite being surrounded by three armies
and three sets of police, the UN included,
who want them out, a group of people of
all ages, from across the island and
beyond, has broken free from the chains of
the perennial ‘problem’ by simply living the
solution.

17.  Around 10:15 that night police raided the
people who believed in the unification of
cyprus. The building was created as a
center for activities of cultural and
sociopolitical natures, it was open to all
people. This wasn’t just any raid however,
there had been reports of the police
showing an extensive amount of violence
towards these innocent people. One cop
was said t ohave beaten a women to the
point of lumps and bruises. Another was
accused for sexual assault to a 19 year old
girl.

18.  The demonstration the police showed
seems as though it was meant to instill
fear into these protesting people.
How does this solve the Cyprus problem?
It doesn’t, it makes one believe that
perhaps special forces of the country
don’t want the nation to unify…

19.  My prediction of Cyprus is that it may in the future want to
leave the European Union, but due to the debt it now has
with the union it wont be able too. If it does decide to
leave I believe that it will be a lot like when the U.S wanted
independence from Britain; many may agree that
because Cyprus is such a small island, the European Union
doesn’t look at it as a member but instead it looks at it as
a territory or a colony of the EU. This is also my prediction
as to why the Greek and Turkish Cypriots wanted to unify,
for independence. Yes, Cyprus is recognized as an
independent country, but because of the EU, how
independent is it really? A country that is torn down the
middle between ethnicities would have a hard time
standing up for itself if it cant get a long itself. By unifying
and finally becoming one, it makes the country stronger.

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