What is Cyprus’s colonial legacy?

If we were alive in the Cold War period, it would have been easy to identify people or groups in any matter as right-wing, left-wing, or conservative religionists. But today, we cannot really categorize accusation regarding Metin Feyzioglu’s appointment as Ambassador to Lefkose (Nicosia) as “colony governor” in the same degree. This accusation was initially brought up on the agenda by certain people and groups. However, even though we know these people, it is not that easy to categorize the groups they are in. We recognize them, but we clearly do not know them. Unlike the Cold War period, we can no longer easily analyze political identities based on some concrete data. But in contrast to this, we can reach a definite judgment that concepts such as right, left, and conservative religionist are not adequate identifiers. It is clear that we are having serious difficulty identifying the sides in the present age. For example, are the people making the above accusation rightist, leftist, or conservative religionist? 

 Everything we say about political ideologies and groups apply to the opinions brought up on the agenda. The accusation aimed at Feyzioglu, after all, reflects a way of thinking. As it is an accusation of political nature, we may want to categorize those making the accusation and those involved. Then, which political ideology may those making this accusation and their supporters be embracing? It is not easy to answer this question. Since colony reflects a class-based way of thinking, we can develop a prejudice against those making the accusation. Yet, Feyzioglu was appointed as Türkiye’s ambassador to Nicosia, in other words, he went to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Türkiye has been fighting for almost seven decades to eliminate the threats against our national presence in Cyprus. Then is the error in the choice of concept? Should the term dominion be used instead? No! This is not the outcome of an ordinary interpretation error. The presence of Cypriot Turks is not a denominational problem. The Greek Cypriot region and Greece are, of course, politically acting upon nationalistic opinions, but imperialist states’ operations in the East Mediterranean show that colonialist rivalry is reviving. We are experiencing something other than an interpretation error. If we want to determine who is on which side, we must first develop new categories. 

 If we were not trying to say that the right, left, and conservative religionist concepts are causing uncertainty, we would have had to explain why the colony and dominion concepts did not correspond to one another.  In fact, we could have made some evaluations based on the fact that Cyprus was once a British colony. Hence, despite colonialism being known as West Europe’s hegemony system over the rest of the world, we could have formed a more certain category with respect to those accusing Feyzioglu of being a “colony governor.” Thus, including the U.S. and the U.K., EU members such as France and Germany are coming to the East Mediterranean with all their might to lay claim to their past colonial legacy. This thus forces Türkiye into an anti-colonialist, and anti-imperialist struggle like a century ago again. However, stating this fact would have no significance in terms of those making the above accusation. The “colony governor” accusation is a clear declaration of their political preference. 

 In relation to the current accusation, we need to see that Türkiye’s presence in Libya, as well as in other African countries where French hegemony is still strong, is also labeled as “colonialism.” In fact, the colonialism accusation was used in past years in reference to the Ottoman Empire as well. It is clear that such meanings are attributed to the neo-Ottomanism concept in efforts to defame or trivialize Türkiye’s current struggles. This thus reveals the importance of discussions with broad participation. The new Türkiye should give rise to new ideas and concepts. As can be seen, it is impossible to understand a new world with old categories. If that was the case, it would have been easier to understand the rightist, leftist, and conservative religionists, or liberal conservatives’ simultaneous opposition against Türkiye. 

 “Kıbrıs’ın Acı Limonları” (The Sour Lemons of Cyprus) is not a book that will limit the rightness and wrongness of the West’s East perception. The question of what the colonial legacy is concerns us all.