September 2004

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GREEK SCHOOL IN TURKISH CYPRUS REOPENS 30 YEARS LATER (CoE)

September 2004 — For the first time in 30 years a Greek Cypriot secondary school in Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus has opened its doors to pupils. The village of Rizokarpasso in the north-eastern part of Cyprus remained inhabited by Greek Cypriots even after the Turkish occupation of northern Cyprus in 1974. Before the Turkish military occupation about 2,000 Greek Cypriots lived here. Thirty years later the community has declined to 500, largely because the Turkish Cypriot authorities closed the village school and many children were forced to travel to the Greek Cypriot south for their education. Once there, the Turkish authorities prevented them from returning home. Now, Mehmet Ali Talat, the head of Turkish Cypriot community, has decided to reopen the village school. Of the 17 educators selected to teach at the school, seven already arrived and started classes in accordance with the first day's schedule which included lessons in French, Greek and religion. Greek Cypriot Polakis Sarris, commissioner in charge of humanitarian affairs, said to the European media that for 30 years the Greek Cypriot community has been living "under threats, afraid to speak freely, even among themselves". With Turkey’s request for European Union membership at stake, the re-opening of this school allows Turkey to earn political credit from Brussels and the Council of Europe which had already put pressure on Ankara to re-open the school. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Terry Davis, welcomed the re-opening of the Greek school in Rizokarpasso and he said that “this is a very positive step on behalf of the leaders of the Turkish Cypriot community. It will inspire more confidence between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities on the island”.