The Higher Broadcasting Council (HBC), the governing body which regulates electronic media in northern Cyprus, has been blasted after it decided to forbid the use of the Turkish Cypriot dialect on TV and radio. The directive, which has been described as “shameful” by most popular politicians in the north, is now being actively enforced on broadcasting stations.
The HBC is now carrying out an ‘inspection of 15 TV channels and 23 radio stations to make sure Turkish Cypriot dialect is not transmitted and the ‘Turkish language is properly used.’
The chairmen of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Democratic Party (DP) and Communal Democracy Party (TDP), Ferdi Sabit Soyer, Serdar Denktas and Mehmet Cakici respectively criticized the decision. Mr Soyer accused the National Unity Party (UBP) self-styled government of trying to rule by using oppression. “You are a government which dictates even how people will talk”, he said.
Mr Denktash said that they will turn the Turkish Cypriots into the only people in history which is ashamed of the way it speaks. Mr Cakici noted that the decision is a policy of annihilating the Turkish Cypriot culture.
(Source: Famagusta Gazette Online)
on Oct 19th, 2009 at 10:53
As many of you will know - there has been an attempted move here in North Cyprus - to try and ban the Turkish Cypriot language from media (instead to have “standard” Turkish on TV and other media) - this is of course cannot be allowed to happen. - so support Aysun Kahraman as she brings the language to life in her songs and music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d674QSQvaD8
The shame is that its not the Greeks / Greek Cypriots - its the Turkish from the mainland and the mouthpiece’s that work for them in North Cyprus. I came back home after a long time away from Cyprus and I have to say that its like living in Turkey. This is no longer Cyprus - its Turkey - and everywhere you go all you see are Turks from the mainland. Such a shame that we fought and died for this country to stop the Greeks killing all the Turkish Cypriots - and now what has happened is that Turkey over the last 40 years has almost done what the Greeks could not - they have almost wiped out the Turkish Cypriots - and have triend to wipe out our language and culture.. open you eyes people!! We have over 190 mosques!!! thats more mosques than schools !! that money could have gone to actually help the people here - but instead we’re being integrated into Turkey. We are not Turkish - remember that - we are Cypriots (Turkish Cypriots). What EOKA could not do - Turkey has almost achieved over the last 40 years … don’t sit by and let our language / culture and identidy die … speak out !!!
on Oct 24th, 2009 at 15:53
Does not TRT’s stance violate European Union’s stance on allowing ethnic language broadcasts even though it’s technically just a “dialect”?
on Mar 20th, 2010 at 21:13
I competley agree with the statement from Zander Slovich its such a shame what has happend to cyprus, and whats even worse is that no one has the guts to stand up and say a word, because every one in power is to busy lining there own pockets.