The Global Betrayal of Turkish Cypriots: The Fight for Self-Determination

Self-determination—the sacred right of all peoples to determine their own political status—enshrined into the official U.N charter, has been championed as a pillar of international justice. Yet, for Turkish Cypriots, this right has been callously denied. While nations across the world have risen from colonial rule, the Turkish Cypriots remain shackled by unjust embargoes, diplomatic isolation, and a concerted effort to erase their sovereignty. 

This article sets the record straight: the Turkish Cypriot people have every right to self-determination, and the world’s refusal to recognize this is an indefensible double standard that must end.

 

The Great Hypocrisy: International Law Applied Selectively

When the United Nations and Western powers discuss self-determination, they champion the cause for some while suppressing it for others. Kosovo, South Sudan, and East Timor have all been granted recognition under the same principles that Turkish Cypriots invoke today. So why is their legitimate claim ignored? The answer is clear: geopolitical interests and Greek propaganda have dictated policy, overriding the fundamental rights of the Turkish Cypriots. The world has turned a blind eye to a reality it does not want to acknowledge: the Republic of Cyprus ceased to be a bi-communal state in 1963 when Greek Cypriot extremists violently expelled Turkish Cypriots from government institutions. 

From that moment on, Turkish Cypriots were forced to live under oppression, victims of an internationally sanctioned apartheid.

 

1963-1974: The Turkish Cypriot Struggle for Survival

For over a decade, Turkish Cypriots lived as refugees in their own homeland, crammed into enclaves and subjected to a brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing by EOKA terrorists. The Greek Cypriot administration, masquerading as the "government of Cyprus," orchestrated systematic attacks to wipe out the Turkish presence on the island. It was only the intervention of Türkiye in 1974—an act fully legal under the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee—that prevented the complete extermination of Turkish Cypriots. This intervention was not an "invasion," as Greek revisionists claim, but a necessary and justified act of protection.

 

1983 and the Birth of the TRNC: A Declaration of Sovereignty

In 1983, after years of failed negotiations and continued marginalization, Turkish Cypriots declared their independence, forming the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). This was not an act of defiance but one of survival. The TRNC fulfills every criterion of statehood—defined borders, a functioning government, a distinct population, and the ability to engage in international relations. Yet, because it does not fit the preferred geopolitical narrative, the TRNC remains unrecognized, trapped in an artificial limbo created by an international system that serves Greek interests.

 

The Economic and Political Strangulation of the TRNC

To enforce this unjust isolation, Greek Cypriots have lobbied for severe embargoes against the TRNC, suffocating its economy and punishing its people. Turkish Cypriots cannot trade freely, travel openly, or participate in international sports and cultural events under their own flag. This is not diplomacy; this is economic warfare aimed at breaking the will of an entire people. Meanwhile, the so-called "Republic of Cyprus" enjoys EU membership—a membership it obtained through deceit, breaking promises to include Turkish Cypriots in governance.

 

Enough Is Enough: The World Must Recognize Turkish Cypriot Sovereignty

The continued refusal to recognize the TRNC is a crime against the principles of self-determination and human dignity. Turkish Cypriots have waited long enough. The world must act NOW:

 

1. Recognize the TRNC as a Sovereign State – The Turkish Cypriot people have the right to determine their own future, just as Kosovo and others have done.

2. End the Embargoes – The economic blockade is inhumane and unjust. Turkish Cypriots deserve the right to trade and travel freely.

3. Expose the Lies of Greek Propaganda – The world must acknowledge the historical truth: Greek Cypriots destroyed the partnership republic, not Turkish Cypriots.

4. Pressure the EU to Act Fairly – The EU must either treat Turkish Cypriots as equals or face accountability for perpetuating injustice.

 

TCE Conclusion: The Time for Justice Is Now

The Turkish Cypriots are not a minority community. They are a nation, a people with an undeniable right to sovereignty. The continued refusal to recognize the TRNC is a blatant injustice that must be confronted. The global community must decide: will it stand for self-determination, or will it continue to bow to political hypocrisy? The time for empty negotiations and false promises is over. Recognition, equality, and justice for Turkish Cypriots must be demanded—NOW.

 

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References

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- "Alternative Approaches to Self-Determination Applied to the Cyprus Conflict." E-International Relations, 13 March 2020.
- "The Rationale of Turkish Cypriot Position on Two-State Solution in Cyprus." DergiPark, 2024.
- "An Island Divided: Next Steps for Troubled Cyprus." Crisis Group, 9 May 2023.
- "Secession and Self-Determination: The Case of Cyprus." Brill, 2024.
- "Cyprus Problem." Wikipedia, last modified 15 February 2025.
- "Turkish Cypriot Nationalism." Wikipedia, last modified 15 February 2025.
- "Taksim (Politics)." Wikipedia, last modified 15 February 2025.
- "Two-State Solution (Cyprus)." Wikipedia, last modified 15 February 2025.