A few months ago, John Malkovich, one of the most talented actors of our time, visited Cyprus. And as is customary, he was asked about the Cyprus issue. .
“There was a time,” he said, “when we were trying to develop a film set here, dealing with that very era. It’s a very interesting subject. But it was a long, long time ago… I clearly remember it from my childhood. The issue of Cyprus is no longer discussed on the international agenda… The planet is full of similar unpleasant and complex political situations.”
For John Malkovich, every Joe, every Marie, what happened in Cyprus in 1974 is part of history. The invasion of Cyprus has been followed by many similar unpleasant and complex situations.
It’s not cynicism, but reality. And if we put ourselves in their shoes and see the situations from their perspective, we may understand why so many representatives and mediators don’t see what we see and don’t say what we want to hear.
In his latest report, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres assigns blame to both sides. We are no longer just the victim of an invasion that continues to be under occupation. We are two parties, in the eyes of outsiders, who must honestly strive to find a solution of coexistence.
And the key is honesty. “Only a sincere intention to make progress towards consensus on the starting point of negotiations, leading to a mutually acceptable settlement of the Cyprus issue, will reassure both Cypriots and the international community that a peaceful and common future on the island remains truly feasible,” Guterres states.
But it’s just a report. Like many others that have come before.
And if they ever meant something to us, they no longer seem to carry any weight. For a while, we pretend to be offended, aggrieved (for domestic consumption), but in reality, we no longer care about the content of the international community’s reports.
Especially with this last one, we expected it. So, if it really mattered, we could have avoided it.
What mattered more, though, was popular acceptance and domestic consumption. In this context, barbed wire fences were erected in the Buffer Zone, even though it was clear that they could not be effective in preventing migration.
And although it was admitted that it was a mistake, the barbed wire remains, while at the same time, we managed to create another enemy: UNFICYP, from whom we now expect to see justice served.
But games also come with risks.