Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper and the majority of the Turkish Cypriot press today (27.03.14) refer on their front page to the incidents caused by ultra nationalist ELAM movement last night in Limassol during a speech by the former Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat. The paper reports that the violent incidents occurred when 50-60 persons, members of ELAM, attacked the room in which Talat’s conference was taking place. The police of the Republic of Cyprus tried to calm down the protestors. Two members of the police were injured during the clashes and one Turkish Cypriot participant in the event was saved from the attack with some scratches. Three protestors were taken under custody.
In his statements afterwards, Talatsaid that the culture of peace must be constructed on the island in order for the solution in Cyprus to be lasting and for such “extreme elements” to be isolated. Talat described ELAM’s reaction as “a little extremist” and added that the police behaved very tolerantly to the protestors. Talat recalled that he had recently given a similar conference in Pafos, where there had also been protests, but the Pafos Police had taken more effective measures compared to the police in Limassol.

Talat said that we must face the extreme activities and help in isolating these extremists in order for the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots to have sustainable peace in a united Cyprus. He noted that if we do not achieve this, no solution could be reached.

The paper writes that President Anastasiades called Talat by the end of the conference, apologized and promised that the necessary measures will be taken. Moreover, some Greek Cypriots who spoke at the conference also apologized to the Turkish Cypriots.

After the conference, the 35-member Turkish Cypriot group, which participated in the conference, returned to Nicosia escorted by police.

According to Kibris, the attack was condemned by the Turkish Cypriot negotiator, Kudret Ozersay, who said that “with this mentality we could reach nowhere in the 21st century”. In a statement through the social media, Ozersay noted that “a very serious struggle should be given against this” mentality.

The attack was condemned also by the general secretary of the Social Democracy Party (TDP), Mehmet Harmanci, who in a statement though the social media, called on the officials of the Republic of Cyprus to declare ELAM as an illegal organization, as a confidence building measure.

Meanwhile, Kibris’ columnist, Hasan Hasturer, who was participating in the conference, reports in his column today that it is not possible to underestimate the incident, but it would be wrong to overestimate it. He says that ELAM is a threat to both the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots and points out that the behaviour of the Greek Cypriots who were in the conference room was very positive. He goes on and notes: “No one left the room. The Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots who were there exhibited a silent resistance. The conference was not left half-finished. This would be tantamount to surrendering to the fascists… After the conference, when the preparation for the departure was continuing, the President of the Republic of Cyprus Anastasiades called and expressed his sorrow to Mehmet Ali Talat for what had happened. The important thing was that Anastasiades said that the insufficient police measures and the passive behaviour of the police would be investigated and that what was necessary would be done…”

Furthermore, according to daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (27.03.14, online), the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu issued a written statement condemning ELAM’s behaviour and arguing that “the animosity, which some parts of the Greek Cypriot community still feel towards the Turkish Cypriots and reaches the point of violence, is regrettable and unacceptable”.

Eroglu described as “saddening and thought provoking” the fact that the police did not take the necessary measures. He went on and described as “worrying” the fact that “such violent incidents happen especially in a period during which the negotiations reached a critical point and measures which will overcome the lack of confidence between the two sides are on the agenda”. He said that he was expecting from the Greek Cypriot side to take the necessary measures so that such incidents are not repeated in the future.
(I/Ts.)