Several thousand Turkish Cypriots gathered in the northern half of the ethnically divided capital of nicosia to protest against what they say to be an attempt by Turkey to erode their secular roots and strengthen the grip of political Islam over their society.
The demonstrators retained the banners of the union and held signs by reading “he will not pass” and “Cyprus will remain secular” before gathering to attend a concert.
The demonstration is the last in a series of demonstrations that the left -wing unions have organized to express their opposition to what they say to be an Ankara attempt to slowly change the firmly secular Turkish Cypriot society into a more flexible community politically through the introduction of Islam into an education system.
The demonstrations began last month when the right -wing Cypriot Cypriot authorities raised the ban on carrying scarves in high schools, but not on the symbols of other religions.
Teachers' unions, political parties and other left -wing groups condemned this decision as an encroachment in the strictly secular education system aimed at the possible “Islamization” of Turkish Cypriot society.
Elma Eylem, president of the Turkish Syndicat Cypriot of KTOEös secondary education teachers and one of the key organizers of the demonstrations, said that the change in status allowing the port of the scarf at school is proof of an offer of “social engineering” to force the Turkish company Cypriot to submit according to the Educors of the ruling party of Turkey.
“This question is not a question of freedom, scarf or regulation. This question is a step taken by AKP in its efforts to deepen the political domination of Islam over the Turkish Cypriot community,” she said.
Eylem also said that a judicial challenge to lift the scarf ban had been launched to the Turkish Cypriot Constitutional Court, adding that their fight will be “a long -term struggle”.
The demonstration took place the day before a visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to escape northern Cyprus where it will inaugurate a complex of government buildings.
Reluctant to peacetime talks
The island nation of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey has invaded after a coup d'etat supported by the Greek junta which aimed at a union with Greece. The declaration of Turkish Cypriot independence in the northern third of the island is only recognized by Turkey, where it maintains approximately 35,000 soldiers.
Cyprus joined the European Union in 2004, but only the South Greek Cypriot where the internationally recognized government of the island is based on advantages.
Last Friday, UN Secretary General António Guterres announced the appointment of María Angela Holguín Cuéllar as his personal envoy to Cyprus, responsible for exploring means to resume peace talks in standby since 2017.
Minor progress has been made between the leaders of the two communities – Nikos Christodoulides and Ersin Tatar – in early April, when they agreed on a series of confidence strengthening measures such as the restoration of neglected cemeteries and the establishment of a joint group of young people on both sides of the fracture to discuss the problems that are relevant to them.
