Human rights, civil society and conflict in Cyprus

Abstract

This chapter explores the interrelationship between civil society, human rights and the “frozen” ethno-political conflict in Cyprus. The present de facto division of the island occurred in 1974, but its numerically predominant Greek Cypriot (GC) community and the much smaller Turkish Cypriot (TC) community have been in conflict since at least 1963. Thus the conflict has had a defining influence on the development of civil society organizations (CSOs) and different perceptions of human rights within the two communities. In turn, through their expressed views about human rights issues and related actions, Cypriot CSOs have had an impact on the conflict in various ways. Here, we focus on the post-1974 phase of the conflict, and analyse the CSOs’ impact on it in terms of three categories: fuelling conflict, holding conflict and peacemaking impacts, as outlined in Chapters 2 and 3. To do this, we contextualize the relevant processes and linkages within the local state structures and specific political discourses.