Former Turkish Cypriot ‘education minister’ Ahmet Derya took to the stage outside the north’s ‘parliament’ to condemn the incumbent ruling coalition as fires were lit for the third day in a row in protest against the ruling coalition’s decision to legalise the wearing of hijabs by children at public schools.
“The fire we lit here is symbolic, because the real fire burns in the hearts of the Turkish Cypriot people. From Limnitis to Karpasia, the fire burns in the hearts of the Turkish Cypriot people,” he began.
He went on to say that Turkish Cypriots “are tired of being invisible and ignored”, and warned that if the ruling coalition does not make an about turn and backtrack on its legalisation of hijabs at schools, Turkish Cypriots will “all take to the streets at once, just like on April 8”.
“They said, ‘don’t interfere with my will and my lifestyle’. Mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers. They all took to the streets … We will win this fight. We can do nothing but win it. We are more conscientious, more faithful, and more determined than them. Our strength is our determination,” he said.
He added that Turkish Cypriots “do not want civil servants who obey colonialisation policies imposed on this country”, but instead want “generations who fight for the independence and freedom of their country, who resist for the will and honour of their people”.
“Children growing up in these lands see their future in a federal Cyprus and in Europe. For this reason, we want to raise children who are not subservient but who have the knowledge, equipment, and awareness to compete with Europe. That is why we took to the streets,” he said.
He then made reference to a large demonstration which took place on July 18, 2000 in northern Nicosia shortly after five people had been arrested in the north on suspicion of “espionage and treason on behalf of the Greek Cypriots”.
“I will repeat a sentence I said exactly 25 years ago, on July 18, 2000, in Inonu Square – I am calling out to those who think they created us, let them know that our ancestors existed on these lands before you, and that our grandchildren will exist on these lands long after you!”
He closed his speech by saying that protesters had taken to the streets “so that their children and grandchildren do not resemble” the north’s incumbent ruling coalition.
Derya served as ‘education minister’ between 1995 and 1996, as a member of political party the CTP, and is now the chairman of pro-federal solution pressure group the Cyprus peace council.
Wednesday’s event was also attended by CTP leader and candidate for October’s Turkish Cypriot leadership election, as well as fellow opposition party TDP leader Zeki Celer, and an array of trade union leaders and other opposition political figures.
Erhurman had spoken at the protest’s first night on Monday, which was attended by around 2,000 people, speaking of how the ruling coalition “had hoped to divide the country with this law”.
He also criticised those who expected the north to change its laws to align with Turkey, saying, “this people has its own rules, its own agreements, and its own traditions, and if they come and they don’t know it, this people has its own history, it had to fight for its own existence”.
Turkish Cypriot Nicosia mayor Mehmet Harmanci briefly spoke, and sent a clear message in Turkey’s direction.
“They have told us for years that we are not religious enough. That we have not paid enough homage. They accused us of being cold towards them. Yes, we think, yes, we do not pay homage, yes, we have an identity of our own, and we will look after it!”
Last week, an estimated 13,000 people had taken to the streets to protest against the law, with former Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci speaking to the Cyprus Mail on the march.
“I came here so that Turkish Cypriots can exist with their own free will. I came here to say no to all kinds of political oppression,” he said.
The following day, around 300 people joined a march organised by ‘transport minister’ Erhan Arikli to “show respect to the motherland”, Turkey, in the wake of the protests.
Arikli had taken the most umbrage at a protest teachers had staged outside the embassy two weeks prior, at which Cyprus Turkish secondary education teachers’ union (Ktoeos) leader Selma Eylem called on ambassador Ali Murat Basceri to “go home”.
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