Resettling displaced people in north and south cyprus: A comparison

The Turkish and Greek Cypriote became internally displaced within the borders of Cyprus in two different periods and in two different ways. Both communities constitute con-national refugees-an outcome of intercommunal conflict in 1958 and in 1960-63 (the Turkish community) and the Turkish occupation of 1974 (the Greek community). This paper compares the two communities each to the other and to other groups of con-national refugees. The Turkish Cypriote were found to be (according to Kunz' classification) event-alienated anticipatory refugees who moved to their self-imposed enclaves before military action was taken against them. The Greek Cypriote, who constituted the majority of identified refugees, became acute refugees by the 1974 invasion. Their flight was en masse or in groups and they expected to return to their homes. The event-alienated anticipatory Turkish Cypriot refugees and their leaders consider their migration to the North as a permanent movement Because of this position, all the measures and policies adopted in the North by the Turkish Cypriote aimed at a quick and permanent solution for the Turkish refugees. The Greek Cypriot refugees and the de jure Government of Cyprus emphasized the temporary nature of the process, namely, the 'myth of return' was reinforced hence delaying integration of the Greek Cypriote.