Από το Καρτάς ώς τις διαδηλώσεις διαμαρτυρίας στη νεκρή ζώνη με την Πλατφόρμα Εκπαιδευτικών

Ακολουθεί η παρέμβαση του Γρηγόρη Ιωάννου στη συζήτηση "Χώροι της (επανα)προσέγγισης. Παλιά και Νέα κινήματα στη Νεκρή Ζώνη"




Gregoris Ioannou – From Gardash to the buffer zone protests with the Teachers' Platform United Cyprus. Tracing the historical background of the OBZ movement

Gardash: 2003-2005-2006-2007

2004-2005

the first systematic/continuous attempt of non structured/autonomous (not in the conflict resolution context) youth re-approachment

- at the social and entertainment level through everyday interactions, film screenings and parties

- at the professional and educational level through language lessons, seminars and the project of the mixed primary Sunday school ending in a summer camp.

- to a lesser extent at the political level through some public discussions and articles

I will not focus too much here, just to say that for many then young Greek Cypriots this was the space where they first came into contact with Turkish Cypriots, with the idea and practice of self-management and with radical politics. This was where they discussed about the nationalist crimes of the past, this was where they started their groups and planned their protests and had their parties, this is where they first saw uniformed and secret police around them.

Teachers Platform United Cyprus: 2004-today

Bi-communal protests and assemblies in the buffer zone 2009-2010

1^st September 2008 – two parallel protests meeting outside an empty building, the one that today hosts the Home for Cooperation and lighting candles for the dead of the Cyprus wars and for peace. A few hundred people but it was a new start. A start of a new tradition, of two marches from north and south respectively meeting in Ledra Pallace street.

7 March 2009 – attempt to carry this in Ledra street (from a march beginning from Eleftheria Square) with the long black ribbon strip that unites north and south Nicosia. Hundreds of Greek Cypriots participating, a few dozen Turkish Cypriots that were harassed by the police in the northern checkpoint. So eventually the assembly takes place in the Greek Cypriot side, outside this room, that is, but then a group of Greek Cypriots crosses to the north with the Turkish Cypriots to have a small ceremony and statements there as well.

1^st May 2009 – the first bi-communal Mayday celebration since 1958 in Ceting Kayia football ground opposite Ledras Pallace. This is an interesting and revealing moment. First the relatively small number of Greek Cypriots participating – just the usual few hundreds, not managing that is to build upon the success of the previous event. Second the large number of Turkish Cypriots (more than one thousand) with their loud slogans. Third the presence of other Turkish speaking protesters on the northern walls – primarily Kurds who could not cross the checkpoint and enter the buffer zone but watching with their flags from above and chanting. Fourth the strict almost unbearable stance of UN military sitting on the neck of the organisers imposing dozens of “safety” rules and bureaucratic controls.

1/9/2009 – again two parallel protests meeting outside Ledra Pallace but this time a stage is set up, there is a small concert and at the end of the evening some young Turkish Cypriots set up tents in an attempt to stay there. However UN soldiers complain and threaten them, it is obvious that this initiative was not really planned, some of the other protesters are already leaving, some of them just watch the incident, eventually the tents are removed before everybody leaves.

early 2010 another peace initiative emerges trying to be an umbrella for many groups including the teachers' platform but doesn't manage to do anything at the street level besides a small symbolic protest in Ledra when Ban Ki Mun came to Cyprus.

What had developed by then in the south and was significant for OBZ later was the Faneromeni phenomenon with its alternative and libertarian spirit, its street parties and parades, its anti-nationalist and anti-racist politics and its anarchist and anarchist leaning groupings tendencies and activism.

15/7/2010 – in a presentation I make about history teaching in a POST conference in the CCMC in Ledra Pallace yard I make public the idea already being discussed about establishing a bi-communal school in the buffer zone. Some people thought then that I meant the HCH that was under-construction. Actually what I had in mind was Ayios Kassianos school which we were thinking to occupy but did not proceed as the Turkish Cypriot trade unionists though that the risk was high.

1/9/2010 – AKEL joins in the 1^st September event, abandons that is the separate event it traditionally did with Devish and takes the lead and the control of the organisation. [this was essentially because CTP and then Talat lost the elections in the north, went in opposition and this allowed the unity of the left of parties+trade unions in the north raising the pressure also on AKEL] There are more people but not many more – there were a few hundred more Greek Cypriots in the march and another few hundred coming later for the concert. A big event, it reaches the media for the first time although the sense prevailing among activists is that this too little too late. There was also some tension between CTP and the more radical Turkish Cypriot groupings with the former complaining about a banner with the word “occupation”. The tension was extended through the UN to AKEL and the small radical groups and exploited later on substantially by Greek Cypriot nationalists. It was the last such event.

19/9/2010 Politis mentions as a semi joke the idea of the peace movement occupying the buffer zone and dividing Cyprus into three, not just two parts. I comment on my blog if Politis comes to say this, then it is time to happen.

In early 2011 there were two important developments – the communal existence rallies which gathered huge crowds in the streets demanding Turkish Cypriot autonomy from Turkey and the free Cyprus fires in Kogulu park from a group of young Turkish Cypriots independent from unions and parties both developments reminding and imitating the spirit of the 2002-2003 revolt.

1/9/2011 – now 1^st of September last year was an interesting thing. Already hopes for a solution had become by then 0 and this was clear to everyone. The HCH had started to operate and the UN was not prepared to allow a street event and wanted the organisers to agree to a limit of 200 people. PEO suggested to have the event in the south. The Turkish Cypriot trade unionists insisted to have the protest in the street outside Ledra Pallace despite UN not giving authorisation. Some Greek Cypriots followed and the protest took place with hundreds of young Turkish Cypriots coming from the more radical left groups and trade unions and making this the first anti-UN protest in Cyprus with the main slogan chanted being “United Nations out!”. This is just 2 months before the occupation of the buffer zone in Ledra street.