In a public statement, the anti-racist community organization Far Right Watch Cy condemned the attack against Turkish Cypriots by a group of Greek Cypriots that reportedly took place on February 18.
The New Cyprus Association has also condemned the attack, issuing its own statement.
The complete statement of Far Right Watch Cy:
A second attack against Turkish Cypriots by Greek Cypriot nationalists has been recorded within a few months, with the government and the political sphere turning a blind eye to the phenomenon and its serious consequences.
The unchecked dissemination of racist rhetoric by public figures over the past decade, the consistent policy of prosecution refusal to pursue charges against public figures, and the government’s indifference to tackle the phenomenon with decisive measures have first led to violence against migrants and refugees, and now for the second time in the last six months against Turkish Cypriots.
For the authorities and law enforcement agencies, there seems to be no concept, no measure, and no awareness that as Greek Cypriot nationalism and racism increase, intensify, and manifest in violence, the possibility of a solution without guarantees from Turkey recedes further.
There also seems to be no concern about retaliation against Greek Cypriots and the escalation of large-scale violence that could lead to conflict with Turkey. The only reaction from the prosecuting authorities to this dangerous phenomenon is the statement that they have received no complaints.
Who can blame the Turkish Cypriots who did not go to a Greek Cypriot police station to report the incident? In the case of the attack against the Turkish Cypriot woman in Ayia Napa this summer, the Greek Cypriot justice system attributed such charges to the perpetrators, which will be difficult to prove, disregarding the racist motive and deliberately avoiding the charge of a hate crime.
Furthermore, it is worth noting that when the checkpoints were opened, a known neo-Nazi Golden Dawn member, again in Troodos, attacked a Turkish Cypriot, and when brought to court, the judge acquitted the perpetrator, believing the perpetrator over the victim.
Addressing the phenomenon requires comprehensive measures that include decisive combat against racist violence and racism in all its forms, from racist speech to forms of racial and ethnic discrimination across the spectrum of social and political life, the dismantling of stereotypes of the “good Greek” and the “bad Turk” in education and public discourse.
However, courageous reforms in justice are also required, including removing the unchecked power of the Attorney General and introducing user-friendly and victim-friendly procedures, holding public figures accountable, and addressing racism and nationalism in the media.
The indifference and impunity of racists displayed thus far on the issue will lead the country down dangerous paths and deepen the current political and social crisis and the emergence of repulsive nationalist, racist, and far-right phenomena, with unpredictable consequences.
