Ei-iE

Resolution on the Turkish Cypriot Community

published 25 July 2011 updated 31 March 2017

In order to protect the integrity of the land Cyprus Republic and its constitutional law, in 1974 Turkey sent its troops to the island; however, currently as a result of the policies being implemented by Turkey, the northern part of Cyprus is on the verge of being colonized.

Turkey is currently implementing policies resulting in the transfer of its population into our island. The unions and organizations are facing severe pressures as they protest against the policies which aim to destroy the identity, culture and economic status of the Turkish Cypriots and hence force them either to be assimilated or to migrate from their homelands. The national institutions, such as Cyprus Turkish Airlines and Eastern Mediterranean University College and Primary Schools, have been unethically and illegally privatized by Turkish companies with the intention to weaken Turkish Cypriots socially, economically and politically.

During the visit of the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan to the northern part of Cyprus on the 19th-20th of July 2011, the security forces attacked the demonstrators, who were struggling against privatization and assimilation, with a fascist approach, and unionists were arrested and many demonstrators injured. Moreover, during the fascist attacks, the police trespassed some of our trade unions headquarters and took over some of the placards.

Cyprus has been a member of the European Union since 2004, and before the eyes of the civilized world the Turkish Cypriots are facing colonized impositions by the fascist pressures of the Turkish government policies.

The 6th Education International (EI) World Congress meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, from 22nd to 26th July 2011:

  1. Condemns all the undemocratic actions such as unjustified police and disciplinary prosecutions against our member organizations - KTÖS, KTOEÖS and DAÜ-SEN.

  2. Condemns Turkey’s policies resulting into the colonization of the northern part of Cyprus.

  3. Calls to respect the Turkish Cypriot Community’s struggle against the aforementioned policies and pressures implemented by the military based police taking orders from the Turkish Government.

  4. Calls on the Turkish government to respect the cultural identity, political will and the democracy of the Turkish Cypriot Community.