Northern Cyprus to Southern Cyprus – Two Points of View on a Divided Capital

Cyprus gained independence from Britain in 1960, after heavy violence launched mostly by the Greek Cypriot military resistance organisation, EOKA (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston). Greek Cypriots make up a majority of the population, while Turkish Cypriots comprised a sizable minority.

Cyprus was granted independence, it’s government was to comprise of both Turkish and Greek Cypriots. Independence was granted with two main prohibitions in the constitution:

• Enosis – Preferred choice of Greek Cypriots, favoured by 97% of the Greek Cypriot population, calling for the union of Cyprus with Greece as previously occurred in Crete.
• Taksim – Preferred choice of Turkish Cypriots, calling for the partition of Cyprus into Greek and Turkish portions.

In 1963, fighting broke out between the two communities in Nicosia and spread around the rest of the Island. The Turkish Cypriots say they were forced out of government, the Greeks say they left to start their own government.

Fighting continued and it was the Turkish Cypriots that suffered the most.

In 1974, the Cyprus National Guard launches a coup to overthrow the President Makarios III. Turkey orders an invasion of the Island, capturing 37% of the territory and agreeing to leave only after a settlement is reached.

The UN came in to act as a peace keeping force, recognising the Greek cypriot government as the government presiding over the island.

In 1983, the Turkish Cypriots unilaterally declared independence (as have Kosovo, Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia, Transnistria and East-Timor), proclaiming itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The country was immediately recognised by Turkey and the Government of Nakhichevan (exclave of Azerbaijan), however Azerbaijan (one of Turkey’s greatest allies) decided not to recognise the independence as that would prompt Cyprus into recognising Nagorno-Karabakh.

Since the global community recognises the government of Cyprus (Greek/Southern Cyprus) as the sole legitimate government over the entire island, Northern Cyprus is effectively under an embargo from the world:

• Turkish Cypriot addresses and phone numbers are not internationally recognisable, and all must go through Turkey.
• Turkish Cypriots have not competed in any Olympic Games or Commonwealth Games since 1963. It is not allowed for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to compete in the Olympic Games.
• All ports (airports and seaports) are closed to international travel. Only Turkey travels between these ports as Cyprus claims that the northern half is illegally occupied.
• Many countries do not recognise the passports of Northern Cyprus.

The border crossing at Ledra street in Cyprus, the Northern/Southern Cyprus border crossing.

On the Northern (Turkish) side, there is an immigration office (according to them, you are entering/exiting the country at that border crossing). On the Southern (Greek) side, you merely show your identification (according to them, the north is part of Cyprus and as such there’s no point having a land border crossing in the middle of the island).

Northern Side, looking at the green line.

United Nations building, conveniently located in the green zone, outside of the Greek and Turkish sides of the island.

 

Greek Cyprus side of the green line.

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