What the papers say
THE “fate” being written for themselves by Turkish Cypriots was the focus this week for Havadis editor-in-chief Başaran Düzgün.
Writing in a column on Thursday, he commented on what he said was “an interesting aspect” of Cypriots.
“When they come face to face with problems that are more than they can cope with, the first thing that they do is attack those who are nearest to them and criticise them mercilessly. I call this ‘scratching a friend’,” he said.
“Cypriots believe that by accusing, by scratching, they can get away from the problem. Or by distancing himself from responsibility.
“I never heard anyone say ‘mea culpa’ in this land — I am guilty. It is as if the proverb, ‘If blame were a mink coat, no-one would wear it’, was said in reference to us.”
Commenting on the Latin era from which the phrase had entered the legal lexicon, Mr Düzgün said that in those days, admission of guilt “was thought to have a human aspect, and called for forgiveness”.
“Here no-one wants to be forgiven because no-one believes they are to blame. Diseased ego always knows the best and everyone does what is best. Mistakes are everyone else’s.”
The writer said he was seeing “a similar psychology” in action now.
“Turkish Cypriots are losing all of their most valuable assets one by one. A country is slipping away from beneath their feet.
“But everyone is busy scratching at each other. Everyone is screaming at the top of their voice about who is to blame. Fingers are always pointed at someone else, but no-one is able to say, ‘It’s my fault’.”
He concluded: “Domestic or foreign enemies, problems, calamities — nothing can result in the annihilation of a people if they do not want to be annihilated. If their weakness of will does not result in a weakness of administration.
“Here, no-one can say ‘mea culpa’, but the razor-sharp experiences of history remind us of Appius Claudius Caecus’s declaration that ‘every man is the architect of his own fortune’.
“We are writing our fate and erasing ourselves from this land.”