Union of Cypriots

The Union of Cypriots (Greek: Ένωσις Κυπρίων; Turkish: Kıbrıslılar Birliği) is a progressive and Cypriot nationalist political organization in Cyprus.^[1] The Union of Cypriots campaigns for a unitary Cypriot state, the restoration of the constitutional order that was destroyed in Cyprus after the crisis of 1963-64,^[3] and the ending of the Turkish occupation of Cyprus.^[4][5]

Union of Cypriots

Ένωσις Κυπρίων Kıbrıslılar Birliği
Purpose	Cypriotism^[1] Unitarism^[1] Progressivism^[1] Anti-Imperialism^[1]
President	Oz Karahan^[2]
Affiliations	ILPS ICOR
Website	cypriots.org

History and overview

The Union of Cypriots' origins root back to different organisations including the World Union of Turkish-speaking Cypriots,^[6][7] and the youth organisation LINOBAMBAKI, which was one of the formations that led the 2011 Turkish Cypriot protests.^[8][9] The organization supports a unitary solution instead of a federal one, concerning the reunification of Cyprus.^[10] With the idea of Cyprus belonging to all Cypriots, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, the organisation supports turning back to 1960 constitution,^[11] and reinforcing it more in the line of "one nation, one flag, one homeland and one state" view.^[12] The organization campaigns against Turkey's illegal settlement policy in Cyprus.^[13] The Union of Cypriots brings out a publication called Liberate Cyprus.^[14] The main slogan of the organization is "Cyprus for Cypriots".^[15]

The organization supported Cypriots who were targeted in the occupied areas of Cyprus,^[16] in events such as the prosecution of some community members for hanging the flag of the Republic of Cyprus in 2013,^[17] the attacks against the Afrika newspaper by Turkish settlers in 2018,^[18] the court cases that were filed against journalists by Turkey in 2019,^[19] and the actions against the workers who wanted to cross barricades to enter the free areas in 2020.^[20] Because of its activities, the leadership of the organization was blacklisted and declared persona non grata by Turkey in 2021.^[21][22]

In 2019, the Union of Cypriots announced to public its interest in participating in the European Parliament elections independently,^[23] but later it was represented by Oz Karahan in the list of the Jasmine Movement.^[24][25] In 2024, the Union of Cypriots collaborated with the Green Party of Cyprus and the AIHMI movement, participating in the European Parliament elections with a common list of candidates.^[26]

The Union of Cypriots is a member of international organisations such as the International League of Peoples' Struggle,^[27] the International Coordination of Revolutionary Parties and Organizations,^[28] the International Anti-Imperialist United Front Against Fascism, War and Environmental Destruction,^[29] the No to War - No to NATO,^[30] and the Resist US-Led War Movement.^[31]

Honorary Awards

The Union of Cypriots presents Honorary Awards in memory of Dr. İhsan Ali, a Cypriot community leader and a statesman.

Year	Laureate
2020	Şener Levent^[32]
2021	Galeri Kültür^[33]
2022	ΣΕΖΟΝ Γυναίκες^[34]
2023	Declaration of Pan-Cyprian Mobilization^[35]

References

1. Kerekes, Klaudia (30 October 2019). "Prospects for Cypriot Unity". Policy Network. from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
2. "Homecoming' to a ghost town sparks Greek Cypriot anguish". Associated Press. 10 September 2021. from the original on 11 September 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
3. Gillan, Monica (5 March 2020). "What Is Happening In Cyprus: Anti-Turkism Within Turkish Cypriots". Euroasia Review. ISSN 2330-717X. from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
4. "Πιθανή εξέγερση στα Κατεχόμενα;" [Possible uprising in the occupied areas?]. Pentapostagma (in Greek). Greece. 7 March 2020. from the original on 9 April 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
5. Marques, Natalia (23 May 2022). "Independence struggle continues in occupied Cyprus". EU Reporter. Belgium. OCLC 1232992027. from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
6. "Türkçe Konuşan Kıbrıslılar Birliği, Kıbrıslılar Birliği adını aldı" [Union of Turkish-speaking Cypriots renamed Union of Cypriots]. Voice Kıbrıs Haber (in Turkish). Cyprus. 8 November 2018. from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
7. H, A. (21 October 2018). "Kurds, Turkish Cypriots … common fate, struggle". ANHA. Syria. Hawar News Agency. from the original on 6 November 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
8. Patel, Ananya (14 January 2022). "Cypriots under Turkey's oppression for decades". Freedom. ISSN 0016-0504. from the original on 14 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
9. Spasic, Mirko (8 March 2019). "Blame Games in Cyprus: What About a Solution?". GEFIRA. Netherlands. from the original on 8 March 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
10. Kent, Holly (2 October 2018). "Cyprus: Options for a Solution". International Policy Digest. South Korea. ISSN 2332-9416. from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
11. Papadopoulos, Anestis (6 April 2020). "Republic of Cyprus: Ruling a Country Against Its Constitution". Modern Diplomacy. from the original on 8 April 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
12. "Freedom for All of Cyprus". United States: Dissident Voice. 7 December 2019. from the original on 2019-12-08. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
13. Hart, Kate (5 May 2022). "The ICC's double standard that needs to be addressed". Uttryck Magazine. Sweden: Uppsala Association of International Affairs. ISSN 0282-3713. from the original on 6 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
14. ""Liberate Cyprus" yayınının yeni sayısı çıktı" [The new issue of the “Liberate Cyprus” publication is out]. Bugün Kıbrıs (in Turkish). Cyprus. 6 June 2023. from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
15. "Cypriotism: The Obvious Solution to the Old Problem". GroundswellNews. United States. 14 April 2023. from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
16. Aldrich, Alan (17 August 2018). "Cypriotism in the Twenty-First Century". Bella Caledonia. Scotland. ISSN 2634-1107. from the original on 21 August 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
17. Kagui, Olena (3 April 2015). "Patriots Punished in Northern Cyprus: A Modern Day Political Occupation". Huffington Post. United States. from the original on 9 June 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
18. [WUTC will be the only participant organisation from Cyprus]. Voice of the Island (in Turkish). Cyprus. 9 April 2018. Archived from the original on 11 July 2018. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
19. Η Έν.Κυπρίων στηρίζει εφημερίδα Αφρίκα - Κίνδυνος φυλάκισης Λεβέντ [The Union of Cypriots supports Afrika newspaper - Danger of Levent's imprisonment]. SigmaLive (in Greek). Cyprus. 16 May 2019. from the original on 23 May 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
20. Solomou, Anastasios (1 July 2020). "Cypriot Workers Become Refugees in Their Homeland". Industrial Worker. United States. ISSN 0019-8870. from the original on 28 June 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
21. "42 Τουρκοκύπριοι "personas non grata" στην Τουρκία" [42 Turkish Cypriots "personas non grata" in Turkey]. The National Herald (in Greek). United States. 12 October 2021. from the original on 24 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
22. Andreou, Andreas (11 February 2022). "Cyprus – An occupied island, a freedom fighter, a consociational republic in the eastern Mediterranean". India: Countercurrents.org. from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
23. "Union of Cypriots May Take Part in European Parliament Elections". Union of Cypriots. Cyprus. 13 December 2018. from the original on 13 August 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
24. Ευρωεκλογές: Οι 5 Τ/κ υποψήφιοι που κατεβαίνουν με τον Σενέρ Λεβέντ [European Parliament elections: 5 Turkish Cypriot candidates are with Şener Levent]. Politis (in Greek). Cyprus. 26 February 2019. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
25. "REPORTĀŽA no Kipras: 15 gadus pēc referenduma apvienošanās ideja joprojām tāla no īstenošanas" [REPORT from Cyprus: 15 years after the referendum, the idea of unification is still a long way off]. Public Broadcasting of Latvia (in Latvian). Latvia. 24 April 2019. from the original on 25 April 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
26. Οικολόγοι: Αυτοί είναι οι εκλεκτοί για τις Ευρωεκλογές [Ecologists: These are the chosen ones for the European Parliament elections]. Kathimerini (in Greek). Cyprus. 21 March 2024. from the original on 21 March 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
27. "Organizations - ILPS". International League of Peoples' Struggle. from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
28. "Union of Cypriots, herzlich willkommen als 62. Mitglied!" [Union of Cypriots, welcome as 62nd member!]. Rote Fahne (in German). Germany. 27 March 2021. ISSN 0936-1421. from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
29. "Kongreye 46 ülkeden 124 delege ve 650 katılımcı katılım sağladı" [124 delegates and 650 participants from 46 countries attended the congress]. Özgür Gazete (in Turkish). Cyprus. 20 September 2023. from the original on 26 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
30. Η Ένωσις Κυπρίων θα εκπροσωπήσει την Κύπρο στην Διεθνή σύνοδο κορυφής κατά του ΝΑΤΟ [Union of Cypriots will represent Cyprus at the International Summit against NATO]. Omega (in Greek). Cyprus. 12 June 2021. from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
31. Riza, Mustafa (20 October 2023). "A Cyprus trapped in different shades of segregation". Voice of Europe. Czechia. from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
32. "Kıbrıslılar Birliği'nden Şener Levent'e "Dr. İhsan Ali Ödülü"" ["Dr. İhsan Ali Award" to Şener Levent from the Union of Cypriots] (PDF). Avrupa (in Turkish). Cyprus. 28 December 2020. p. 3. (PDF) from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
33. "2021 "Dr. İhsan Ali Ödülü" Galeri Kültür Yayınları'nın" [2021 "Dr. İhsan Ali Award" goes to Galeri Kültür Publications] (PDF). Avrupa (in Turkish). Cyprus. 31 December 2021. p. 8. (PDF) from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
34. "«Οι γυναίκες επιστρέφουν»: Νέος κύκλος παραστάσεων το 2023" ["Women Walk Home": New cycle of performances in 2023]. Phileleftheros (in Greek). Cyprus. 12 January 2023. from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
35. "Τιμητικό βραβείο στην "Διακήρυξη Παγκύπριας Κινητοποίησης" από την Ένωση Κυπρίων" [Honorary award to the "Declaration of Pan-Cyprian Mobilization" by the Union of Cypriots]. Cyprus News Agency (in Greek). Cyprus. 30 December 2023. from the original on 4 January 2024. Retrieved 4 January 2024.

External links

Official website