Independence Path and Workers Democracy read a common press statement about the Serbian children, which are sent back to their country, in front of the Ministry of Interior building in the south.
The press statement read is below:
We are deeply saddened by the news about Serbian kids who have arrived at Larnaca Airport to enter Cyprus, but then got deported. We found out that the reason behind deportation of these kids is the fact that they were here to attend an event in the north of Cyprus. We also found out that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Cyprus, have stated that it was against UN legislation for them to attend the event and that was why they are sent back!
On the other hand, we’ve also noticed that Turkey’s lower management in the north –the trnc- sees this as an opportunity to play the victim card. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the trnc which has no official affairs with any foreign country, has already published a statement with a warning that “this would negatively affect the negotiation process”…
In short, we heard a lot of chauvinist garbage from the bureaucrats on both sides without any mention of the kids or the kind of memories these children were left with after this experience.
As the bureaucrats -who are disconnected from people they represent, bureaucrats lacking will to work towards a re-united Cyprus, bureaucrats who are reflections of each other-competed on both sides; no one noticed the tears of the children. They have joined forces to destroy the hopes of innocent children who were excited about the visit.
What does your states mean to the disappointed children you have denied the chance to visit a different culture, make new friends? What does your ministry, your statements, your bureaucracy mean when compared to the disappointed face of a child on a plane heading back home? What does your diplomacy mean when compared to the devastation of a child who is told that no one is coming while waiting in excitement to meet his/her new friend?
We are standing with the innocent kids whose dreams were crushed. We are standing with children who are sent back and with those who were expecting their new friends to arrive; not with the bureaucracies calling themselves “states” on both sides of this island. Your states cannot be more valuable than even a single one of those children.
United in the thirst for an independent, reunited Cyprus where both communities can live in peace, we have some questions for you:
Since when you have started seeing children visiting and meeting each other as a threat to your state?
Since when; laughing, dancing, children having fun, is a threat to your sovereignty?
When did you start looking like your enemy?
Have you not ever been a child?
We are here to protest the decision of the Republic of Cyprus to send the children back and also to state that we refuse the attempts by the ministry in the north to turn this into a chauvinistic opportunity.
We are here to remind that; as the children of the world get to know each other and build friendships, world will be a better place to live.
We want a different world and a different Cyprus.
Independence Path,
Workers Democracy
