Cyprus’s split national identity

Hailey Brown - National Identity in Cyprus is far from unified. In the north, Turkish Cypriots call for their own independent state, while Greek Cypriots are unwilling to negotiate a deal to divide the country. Besides Turkey, the international community does not recognize the sovereignty of Turkish Cypriots in the northern region, and U.N. resolutions call for a single, united state of Cyprus. 

National identity is often a unifying force in a country, one that brings people together despite their differences. It creates feelings of loyalty amongst citizens for their home state. However, in the case of Cyprus, national identity is the very thing driving people apart. Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus in 1974 led Turkish Cypriots in the North to declare independence in the 1980s. So, Turkish Cypriot’s national identity is tied to this northern region, not Cyprus. Turkey, the only state to recognize the autonomy of the northern region, has built up a military of 35,000 troops and maintains military equipment and weaponry throughout northern Cyprus. U.N. peace talks, restarted in 2017, failed to bring about solutions, as Turkey was unwilling to forgo military presence. Despite the lack of independence in the north, Turkey is furthering plans to supply electricity to the region via an underwater electricity cable. It also supplies fresh water to the region through an underwater pipe. 

The Turkish Cypriot’s desire for independence from the state of Cyprus is one example of a group seeking to form a nation-state. Throughout history, many conflicts have risen out of nations, or groups of people with a common identity — such as history, language, and culture — seeking to gain their own independent nation-state. A nation-state is a state in which the population is made up of one identity group. However, in today’s world, few states meet the definition. Rather, rapid globalization has brought states that host people of various cultures and identities. Today, Cyprus is a multi-national state, but should Turkish Cypriots’ push for independence be realized one day, northern Cyprus could become a nation-state.

_{Image source: Kirill SH, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons}