Special Advisor on International Relations and Diplomacy Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Işıksal represented the TRNC at the OIC conference
Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Işıksal, the Special Advisor on International Relations and Diplomacy to President Ersin Tatar, participated in the conference titled ‘Human Rights Violations Encountered by Muslims’ that was organised by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Republic of Turkey.
Delivering his speech titled ‘The Situation of Muslims in Europe and Turkish Cypriots’ at the conference that was held in İstanbul between February 15-17, Prof. Işıksal pointed out the unjust isolation being faced by the Turkish Cypriots and called upon Muslim countries to facilitate direct trade and direct travel to the TRNC.
Thanking the organisers for the “important and timely conference,” Prof. Işıksal conveyed the warm greetings of President Ersin Tatar to the Islamic world. He stated that even though Turkish Cypriots, one of the co-owners of the island of Cyprus, had been evicted out of the partnership Republic of Cyprus in 1963 by force of arms by the Greek Cypriots as part of their objective to annex the island with Greece, “we are a people with an independent state”.
Pointing out that even though Turkish Cypriots, as a people with an independent state, are in a different position from the situation of Muslims living in Europe, Prof. Işıksal said "the source of the inhuman embargo and isolation they have been suffering is similar, and the Turkish Cypriot people are paying the price for being Turkish and Muslim”. Prof. Işıksal explained that “Muslims who came to Europe to work in the 1960s were not perceived as a problem at first because they entered into employment not commonly favoured by Europeans”. He went on to say that “the problem in the continent started when Muslims demanded their most basic human rights”. Prof. Işıksal added that “it was then that everything, from the existence of mosques to the wearing of women's headscarves, began to stand out and became perceived as a problem, and far-right parties and groups exploited this situation”.
In this connection, similar to the situation of Muslims in Europe, Prof. Işıksal stated that the Turkish Cypriots were also subjected to inhuman treatment in Cyprus because they did not accept Greek sovereignty or to become a minority, after they were expelled from the Republic of Cyprus in 1963 by force of arms. Emphasising the international and political basis of the Turkish Cypriots being a people, Prof. Işıksal added: “Turkish Cypriots are a people, and one of the co-owners of Cyprus who have inherent rights, according to international law. Their expulsion from the Republic of Cyprus in 1963 by force of arms does not mean that this right has been lost.”
Explaining the policy put forward for a settlement in Cyprus by President Ersin Tatar, he added that “following the countless rejections for a partnership-based comprehensive solution by the Greek Cypriot side, President Ersin Tatar has put forward a new vision. The sovereign equality and equal international status of Turkish Cypriots need to be reaffirmed. It is through a model of a cooperative relationship between the two sides where sustainable peace and stability in Cyprus and the region can be reached”.
Prof. Işıksal, who also presented information about the TRNC, said the Republic is a “full-fledged democratic state with all the features that a state should have,” and has “representatives in 20 countries of the world, but despite all these, Turkish Cypriots are subject to inhuman embargoes, especially in the fields of free flight, direct trade and sports. . . it is time for these restrictions, which are a violation of our human rights, to be ended.”
In the last part of his speech, Prof. Işıksal underlined that Turkish Cypriot people “expect support and solidarity from Muslim countries to end the unjust embargoes”, adding that “it is difficult to achieve a result unless Muslim countries put their individual interests aside and fight for our common interests”.
Emphasising that the holy and honourable struggle of the Turkish Cypriots on the island is continuing as a cause of preserving the Turkish and Islamic identity, Prof. Işıksal said it is “important for the Islamic world not to abandon Turkish Cypriots in this struggle,” and he called for the “TRNC to become a full member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation”.
Thanking the organisers for the “important and timely conference,” Prof. Işıksal conveyed the warm greetings of President Ersin Tatar to the Islamic world. He stated that even though Turkish Cypriots, one of the co-owners of the island of Cyprus, had been evicted out of the partnership Republic of Cyprus in 1963 by force of arms by the Greek Cypriots as part of their objective to annex the island with Greece, “we are a people with an independent state”.
Pointing out that even though Turkish Cypriots, as a people with an independent state, are in a different position from the situation of Muslims living in Europe, Prof. Işıksal said "the source of the inhuman embargo and isolation they have been suffering is similar, and the Turkish Cypriot people are paying the price for being Turkish and Muslim”. Prof. Işıksal explained that “Muslims who came to Europe to work in the 1960s were not perceived as a problem at first because they entered into employment not commonly favoured by Europeans”. He went on to say that “the problem in the continent started when Muslims demanded their most basic human rights”. Prof. Işıksal added that “it was then that everything, from the existence of mosques to the wearing of women's headscarves, began to stand out and became perceived as a problem, and far-right parties and groups exploited this situation”.
In this connection, similar to the situation of Muslims in Europe, Prof. Işıksal stated that the Turkish Cypriots were also subjected to inhuman treatment in Cyprus because they did not accept Greek sovereignty or to become a minority, after they were expelled from the Republic of Cyprus in 1963 by force of arms. Emphasising the international and political basis of the Turkish Cypriots being a people, Prof. Işıksal added: “Turkish Cypriots are a people, and one of the co-owners of Cyprus who have inherent rights, according to international law. Their expulsion from the Republic of Cyprus in 1963 by force of arms does not mean that this right has been lost.”
Explaining the policy put forward for a settlement in Cyprus by President Ersin Tatar, he added that “following the countless rejections for a partnership-based comprehensive solution by the Greek Cypriot side, President Ersin Tatar has put forward a new vision. The sovereign equality and equal international status of Turkish Cypriots need to be reaffirmed. It is through a model of a cooperative relationship between the two sides where sustainable peace and stability in Cyprus and the region can be reached”.
Prof. Işıksal, who also presented information about the TRNC, said the Republic is a “full-fledged democratic state with all the features that a state should have,” and has “representatives in 20 countries of the world, but despite all these, Turkish Cypriots are subject to inhuman embargoes, especially in the fields of free flight, direct trade and sports. . . it is time for these restrictions, which are a violation of our human rights, to be ended.”
In the last part of his speech, Prof. Işıksal underlined that Turkish Cypriot people “expect support and solidarity from Muslim countries to end the unjust embargoes”, adding that “it is difficult to achieve a result unless Muslim countries put their individual interests aside and fight for our common interests”.
Emphasising that the holy and honourable struggle of the Turkish Cypriots on the island is continuing as a cause of preserving the Turkish and Islamic identity, Prof. Işıksal said it is “important for the Islamic world not to abandon Turkish Cypriots in this struggle,” and he called for the “TRNC to become a full member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation”.