In a statement, the Council of Turkish Cypriot Associations stated that the flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) were hoisted in a ceremony held in front of the Waltham Forest City Hall on the occasion of the 38th anniversary of its establishment. Council management shared the following press release:
“On 15 November 2021, the Turkish Cypriot flag was hoisted outside the Waltham Forest Town Hall to celebrate Turkish Cypriots’ national day, as with all other communities of the council with ethnic heritage including Pakistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and Tibet. This was done after extensive consultation by the Council’s Committees.
“The Turkish Cypriot community of the UK is deeply offended and angered by the actions of Cllr Grace Williams, Leader of the Council, who, at a stroke, ordered the flag to be brought down within hours of it being hoisted. Representatives of a foreign country may not interfere with the decision making processes of British Institutions. Yet, the Leader took this action after being pressurised by the officials of the Cyprus Administration, which has represented only Greek Cypriot nationals since December 1963, not Turkish Cypriots. To this day, Councillor Grace Williams, has not, at any point, explained her decision to the Turkish Cypriot Community, or apologise for the hurt she has caused to so many people. This is a disgrace.
“There have been stupefying statements by Cllr Williams and a few Members of Parliament that the Turkish Cypriot Community’s flag may not be hoisted because their country of heritage origin, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, is not an internationally recognised country, with the exception of Turkey. They are clearly blinkering themselves to the fact that Tibet, which is not recognised by
any country whatsoever, does fly its flag at the Town Hall. If this is not racial discrimination against one community over the other, what is?
“There has also been some comment about UK Greek Cypriots being upset at the sight of the Turkish Cypriot flag, because it reminds them of their lost homes. The tragedy for the Greek Cypriot community is not unique to them alone – it is a shared experience. Turkish Cypriots have also lost homes which are now under the control of the Greek Cypriot Government of Cyprus, and they have no legal recourse to gaining access to their property. 25,000 Turkish Cypriots, one quarter of the population of that time lost their homes during 1963-64, after being attacked by Greek Cypriot and mainland Greece nationalists.
“The invasion of Cyprus by Greece on 15 July 1974, and the intervention of the Turkish forces five days later caused many more refugees on both sides.
“CTCA advocates harmonious relationships between the two proud Cypriot Communities in the UK. Cypriot politics should be kept out of Britain. All communities should be treated with the same levels of respect, and all their civic needs met in identical ways. Anything different is simple racial discrimination.”
