Prueba de agrietamiento inducido por hidrógeno

Figure 5.5

The peace cresset that was made by the Greek artist Polyxene Kasda was placed at the road junction at Metehan118 in the CTP period before the referenda. The peace cresset symbolises the lighting of fires in the villages at the time of the referendum as an

117

In depth-interview, Kyrenia:Domestic Parlour, 1/9/2007 118

In the Metehan area, there is a border gate that was opened after the partial opening of the crossings. Greek and Turkish Cypriots use the Metehan road to cross to the ‘other’ side of the island by car.

affirmation in favour of the Annan Plan; and I examined how it mobilizes meaning which articulates the ‘peace’. Below are different evaluations of the respondents about the meaning of ‘peace’ and their expectations from the future regarding the political situation in Cyprus. Although some respondents evaluate ‘peace’ as the unification of Greek and Turkish Cypriots, others believe that ‘peace’ means the separation of Greek and Turkish Cypriots:

The peace cresset shows the necessity of peace between the two communities, that can be realized with their common life119 (Berk, male, aged 27, instructor). The Peace Cresset represents the expected peace between Greek and Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus120 (Emine, female, aged 52, retired official).

The Peace Cresset is just another sculpture. It doesn’t mean much to me. Some people say that there is no peace. Is there a war? There isn’t a war either, because there’s a ceasefire. They say they are striving for peace in Cyprus, but I believe there is already peace in Cyprus and the 1974 peace operation brought peace for Turks as well as Greeks by preventing war… It brought an end to the clashes amongst the Greeks against EOKA; and transformed the war into peace even amongst them. These are the impacts of the peace operation121 (Kemal, male, aged 51, tyre dealer expert).

Peace [stress] should be made like this; separate [stresses, angry] but let’s reconcile. I mean… Let them come to this side, and let’s go to the other side, but we had better live in two distinct states. Let’s make peace. There are also borders between Turkey and Greece. Why not between them and us? Let it be. Let it be, but in two separate parts. We’ll govern ourselves and they will govern themselves122 (Esra, female, aged 62, retired primary school teacher).

It should be noted here that these responses were given after the results of the two referenda on the Annan Plan that proposed a possible participation of Northern Cyprus in the European Union after a solution of the Cyprus problem; the interpretations of the respondents about the peace cresset might have been different before the referenda. Thus the past was evaluated in the present context. The majority of Greek Cypriots said ‘no’ to the Annan Plan and most of the Turkish Cypriots evaluated this situation as disappointing; many respondents interpret the peace cresset as directly related to the outcome of the referenda that were held in North and South Cyprus. These respondents believe that, especially after the referenda, the peace cresset has lost its meaning because

119 _{In depth-interview, Lefkoşa: The local of Cumhuriyetçi Türk Party,7/8/2007} 120

In depth-interview, Kermiya: Domestic parlour, 18/07/2007 121 _{In depth-interview, Lefkoşa: Domestic Parlour , 21/9/2007} 122 _{In- depth interview, Lefkoşa: Domestic Parlour, 23/7/2007}

of the Greek Cypriots’ rejection of the Annan Plan. The peace cresset thus mobilizes the negative attitude of some of the respondents towards the Greek Cypriots:

After the referenda, I believe that we will see peace in such works, I am afraid not anywhere else123 (Eylem, female, aged 22, singer).

This was placed here to give the message of a prospective future to both sides but I think it is impossible. If it had been possible, it would have been realized by now, but there’s neither peace nor any hope for it124 (Duyal, female, aged 21, student).

After the referenda, this sculpture doesn’t have any more meaning than an image of a tasteless vase for me (İsmet, male, aged 47, TV producer).

The cresset, in which light was burning, later went ‘out of order’, in parallel with the reality in Cyprus125 (Mehmet, male, aged 20, student).

It represents tranquillity and peace. It was placed there before the referendum. When you look at it now, you don’t get the same message as at that time. Now you don’t even notice it. To tell you frankly, it’s lost its meaning. It was important then; it meant something, but not any more126 (Selda, female, aged 49, radio reporter).

However, some others still believe in the necessity of an agreement between the two communities after the referenda. Thus, the existence of the peace cresset represents their expectation, hope and desire for the peace, but at the same time, their silent fears of the future in the case of not achieving an agreement between Greek and Turkish Cypriots:

As we haven’t reached an agreement, the monument preserves its validity there and our desire for peace still persists127 (Sevinc, female, aged 48, news speaker). There must be peace [stress]. And this is one of the symbols of it128(Ayşe, female, aged 31, instructor).

The peace cresset represents the need for peace and tranquillity. The need to pursue our life without living the same things, by taking lessons from our past history129 (Mustafa, male, aged 68, accountant).

123

In-depth interview, Gönyeli: Domestic parlour, 07/10/2007 124

In-depth interview, Famagusta: Near East University, 24/7/2007 125 _{In-depth interview, Köşklüçiftlik: Green House café, 30/08/2007} 126 _{In-depth interview, Lefkoşa: BRT, 23/09/2007}

127 _{In-depth interview, Lefkoşa: BRT, 23/09/2007} 128

In-depth interview, Girne: Office room, 28/07/2007 129

There are also respondents who criticise the politics of the new government (CTP) regarding the Cyprus issue and the reunification of the island; according to them, the politics of the new government does not represent the ideas of the Turkish Cypriot community. Many respondents criticise the government for erecting a public artwork made by a Greek artist and evaluate the peace cresset with negative expressions, such as ‘it doesn’t have a meaning’, ‘disgraceful’, ‘strange’ and ‘non-sensical’:

Completely disgraceful [points to the peace cresset]. While there are lots of Turkish artists around, they had a Greek artist make it. This is trying to achieve unrest in the community rather than tranquillity. The expression is vague. Being at the road junction where the Turks and Greeks have been getting in touch after 1974, intended to make people recall re-uniting of the island, but it means nothing at all. Artificial works of art130 (Erdal, male, aged 67, civil engineer).

The peace cresset doesn’t have a meaning. I don’t believe that it will bring any result. They are similar to the bi-communal activities, and the festivals only represent a few people from both sides who are put together by CTP. They don’t represent the public131 (Tezcan, male, aged 30, tourism employee).

I don’t know what it means…. They [the new government] have erected some strange things lately. There are things like this in Famagusta, the meaning of which I do not understand. Is it modern art? I don’t know132… (Alp, male, aged 29, optician).

There cannot be such nonsensical things in life. What has been done? It represents another political view. It won’t reflect the view of the whole of the people133 (Tuna, male, aged 26, student).

The peace cresset and sestas are the two transformative mechanisms of the government of CTP that highlight (turkish) Cypriot nationalism and support the Annan Plan. The interpretations of the respondents about the transformative strategies of CTP give crucial clues about how they locate themselves in terms of national identity and what their political ideas are in terms of future prospects of Northern Cyprus.

130

In depth-interview, Nicosia: Brotherhood Unity, 20/8/2007 131 _{In-depth interview, Lefkoşa: office, 7/08/2007}

132

In- depth interview, Kermiya , 01/09/2007