This was and still is my case... I love Eleni Mavrou
Time to take a stance…
2004-04-23 | Phileleftheros | ?????? ??????
Just as we were beginning to believe that democracy has been established in our country, that the freedom of speech has been consolidated, that the political dialogue has been gradually becoming a feature of the public life of this country, we had to abandon our illusions abruptly. Ghosts that were thought to be locked away in the closet of the past seem to be revived.
Mechanisms of manipulation, suppression and intimidation of the citizens known at the first years of the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus seem to become re-established. Numerous allegations are brought to light one by one. Even if certain allegations are characterized by intend, it is still hard to believe that “there is no smoke without fire”. Not to mention when you have witnessed certain interventions with your own eyes.
TV stations report and comment based on “recommendations”. At schools, teachers put pressure (or suppress) and intimidate pupils. Women at the entrance of super-markets are insulted because they refuse to take pamphlets distributed by various groups. Employees at the public services are threatened with dismissal. Politicians are warned and their telephones are tapped. A political party even issued a public announcement in an effort to question and to slander the scientific analysis of the publicist, T. Tsielepis.
Every nationalist thinks he will get even “forgetting” the price that Cyprus has been paying all these years. The “dialogue” about the Annan plan brought to surface dangerous social trends. If we have not yet realized that gagging voices that are opposed to our own view or even the dominant view is not simply a sign of political underdevelopment, but also the first indication of a repressive and undemocratic society, then we should start worrying. The effort to gag any voice, even if it is out of tune, constitutes obscurantism and lack of political freedom. In reality, nowadays this is the main characteristic of the opinions expressed by the Church. For example, the aphorism of the Bishop of Kerynia, Pavlos who decided as another Saint-Peter, “those who say YES connive at injustice and will never enter the kingdom of heavens”. I am wondering if I must add the appeal of the Bishop of Paphos to all fighters of 55-59 to celebrate following May 1st the union of Cyprus with Greece,
Perhaps even more interesting are certain other statements made several days ago by the Bishop of Paphos. When asked why the Cypriots should say NO at the referendum, the Bishop answered: “Because the citizen says: for how long are we going to continue feeding those slobs? It will never end?”
The interesting part of the above statement does not concern the racism stemming from the opinions of a hierarch. The interesting part is that it brings to light a political belief that few people have dared to make public. At least in my opinion, the statement can be interpreted in this way: Mr. Chrysostomos simply does not want to live in a common state with the Turkish Cypriots.
Perhaps the dilemma raised at the referendum ought to be: Do we or don’t we want to live with the “others”?
The Annan plan has positive and negative points. It creates difficulties and problems. It offers prospect and hides dangers. Therefore, there are not many ways to approach the dilemma of the referendum. Either you choose to take a chance based on optimism and the power of people to surpass difficulties and to build the future either by taking into account the dangers and favouring the preservation of the current status quo, you choose certainty over uncertainty. Each one of us should decide how he/she envisions the future of Cyprus. I respect both approaches given that our decision will be taken with honesty and not hiding behind fears and slogans.
The responsibility at such crucial times is not placed only on political powers and politicians. The society cannot be absent. Each one of us has to assume his share of responsibility and take a position.
*Eleni Mavrou is an MP and member of the Central Committee of AKEL
