Its almost 3 in the morning and I cant sleep.It happens to me often,especially in the summer,when I dont have to get up early. When I look outside the window and everything is dark,there are no sounds,no cars passing and everything seems so peaceful,I feel like Im alone in the world. That scares me,but also gives me a sense of satisfaction.When scare overcomes me,I try to find someone who isnt sleeping,who is awake and dreaming,like me.I need to talk and listen,communicate. When satisfaction is stronger,I create. I write poetry,draw pictures, or compose music,it doesnt matter if its good or bad.Its my creation,something that came from within me.I love these sleepless nights.
I want to talk about my country,Cyprus.Its a small,beautiful island right above Africa and below Turkey,near Greece and the Middle East.A crossroad between Africa,Europe and Asia.Many people dont even know the existence of this island,and even less people know that it is divided and ruled by hate.Like in many other countries in this world people hate each other because of racial and religious differences,but the capital,Nicosia,is the only divided capital in the world.
The north part is inhabited by Turkish Cypriots and no Greek Cypriot is allowed to go there.The south part is inhabited by Greek Cypriots and no Turkish Cypriot is allowed to go there.There is hate between them.Children from both sides grow up to hate the other side,a recent war has left its scars and both sides have suffered a lot.
It would take me hours to explain the situation in details,so I wont begin to try.You know the story, it is always the same,everywhere. Fanaticism,intolerance,hate.
Im a Greekcypriot.I ve grown up in that hate, looking at the mountains behind the green line that divides Nicosia and wondering why.. Why the "bad turks" had invated,had killed,had stolen our land and ruined our lives.Then I became a teenager and learned that there are two sides in every story.I reached my hand to my so called enemy.And then I found out that I didnt hate the enemy, and he didnt hate me. We both hated the masks we drew on each other's face.
I was 15 when I attended the first bicommunal workshop for 3 weeks in Vermont USA.That experience changed my life.I had finally met the enemy.The mask had fallen,I could see the Turkish Cypriots for who they really were. Human beings like me, and not some horrible blood-thirsty beasts,like I had imagined.. Same thing for them,they too had been frightened of me in the past.They too had seen me as a killing monster.
We spent 3 weeks together in Vermont. Together,Greek and Turkish Cypriot teenagers.We bonded, we loved each other, became friends. Then we came back in Cyprus and could not see each other ,we were again separated by hate. Luckily,we found out there was one village, only one village, on the borders between the greek and turkish side,where we could meet freely.And we did,many times.
Then the real fight begun.And it still continuous.Between the politicians who are trying to find a solution without compromising,between the reactions of a large part of the people who still feel hate for the other side,between the difficulties arising from our young age,we try to keep the unity,keep the faith.We try to bring more people from the 2 sides together.We try to eliminate the hate.We try to build peace.And it is not easy..
I could talk for hours about Cyprus, what we have suffered,what's going on today,what I hope for the future.But I think Im gonna stop here.. I hope I gave you an idea about whats going on in my country.
I feel tired,Im going to bed now..Tomorrow is a new day.
