By Kyriacos C Ktenas
From many sources we can see that the “proposals” of Makarios in 1963 were not simply submitted. In essence, they were to be pushed via blackmail at the Turkish Cypriot community. The intention of the GCs was to overthrow the fundamental principle of the political equality of the Constitution.
The first of the 13 points deprived the T / C vice-president of the right of horizontal veto. This provision of the Constitution was essentially the only one that transformed political equality into practice. With its abolition, political equality would cease to exist.
There were undoubtedly ways to change the Constitution to make it more functional – without deviating from the fundamental principle of political equality. One way would be a system of weighted voting.
Everything that happened afterwards confirms and proves that Makarios III himself did not respect his signature in 1959, as well as showing that reluctance was the main feature of his actions. In fact, I dare say that the blackmailing testimony of 13 Points played a bigger role than the coup of 1974 for the subsequent actions of Turkey in 1974.
The coup was just the tip of the iceberg for Turkey. It was the droplet that overflew the glass. It was not the reason. Nor was it the pretext, as some claim. For the sake of truth, one can go back to the catastrophic period from 1.12.1963 to 1.12.1973 to confirm this.
A decade of heightened destabilization, confinement of the Turkish Cypriots in enclaves, murders, totalitarianism, diversion from the legal order, inter-communal violence, from both sides, of course. As well as the departure of the T / Cs as a community from the political process.
It is worth noting that the refusal of the GC community to accept political equality just three years after the declaration of independence and four after its signing, was perhaps an indication that its signing in 1959 did not have popular support. Something particularly dangerous if one considers that according to various sources, the President recently spoke to the Turkish Foreign Minister about two states, behind closed doors.
I am sure that if the President asked the question to the people honestly, and with a referendum, telling the truth, he would be appreciated. At least by me. But instead, history repeats itself.
The leadership behind closed doors, to dictate the course of the people in the future. The first time we had bloodshed. But as it seems, we did not learn anything from our sufferings. What else must we suffer to act in full awareness of our historical responsibility, primarily towards truth, ourselves, & our compatriots ?
*Opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of CypriumNews.
