VISIONS IN CONFLICT Peacebuilding in Cyprus: A View from the Ground - Paperback

by A. Marco Turk (Author)

In 1960 the island of Cyprus achieved its independence from England. By 1963 the Greek Cypriot majority was engaged in the ethnic cleansing of the Turkish Cypriot minority. This situation was reversed in 1974 when 35,000 Turkish troops arrived on the northern part of the island as the aggressors. The presence of Turkish troops eventually resulted in the de facto partition of the island and creation of the breakaway "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," recognized by no country in the world other than Turkey. Notwithstanding UN efforts since 1974 to reestablish a central government and obtain the agreement of both communities to live together peacefully on the island, the conflict remains intractable and ripe for Track III (grassroots) intervention to achieve a reconfiguration. Historically the respective leaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities have consistently advocated separate sets of "political and ethical beliefs and desires - rational and irrational" that are "fundamentally incompatible." Is it possible for leaders who carry the baggage of their respective predecessors to suddenly change course and ask their followers to throw off their historical shackles in order to join together for peace? The last best hope for reunification rests in the hands of the people at the grassroots level on both sides. They need to change the game through conflict transformation from the bottom-up. These are extraordinary times for ordinary people who truly have the opportunity to take charge of their future. The question is whether they will seize the moment before it is too late. Will they continue to be bystanders to history, allowing the spoilers of the peace process to continue to prevail, or will they assert themselves to change its course?

Author Biography

Author A. Marco Turk is Professor Emeritus of Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding, and founding director (2002-2010) of that program at California State University Dominguez Hills. He holds a BA degree in Political Science from the University of Washington (Seattle) and a JD cum laude from Southwestern University School of Law. The honor of emeritus status was awarded in 2010 in recognition of the abundant contributions he has made to the students and to the institution during his many years as a member of the faculty at California State University Dominguez Hills. Professor Turk emphasizes the areas of mediator ethics, restorative justice and peacebuilding. He has a long history in California ADR and is recognized internationally for his work as a peacebuilder, educator and trainer dealing with ethnic conflict. He was a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Conflict Resolution on Cyprus (1997-1999), has made funded return trips in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2008 to continue his peacebuilding work on the island, and he has conducted programs for Cypriots in the USA through the U.S. State Department and the Fred J. Hansen Institute for World Peace at San Diego State University. In October 2003, Professor Turk participated as one of only two Americans invited to attend the Oxford University international workshop on "Getting to Yes" regarding efforts to reunify Cyprus.