An initiative for Famagusta

A few Famagustians and my sister Anna Marangou, Art Historian and Archaeologist have launched an initiative called Famagusta for the whole of Cyprus. This is a beautiful sea side town on the south side of the island from which its citizens fled in 1974. The city was then closed off and left abandoned and it continues to be so, until a recent attempt by the Turkish Cypriot administration to open up parts of it, particularly the attractive beach front. The properties there belong to the people who left fearing for their lives. The Government has been slow if not downright silent in promoting the return of the city within a general agreement for the reunification of the island and it has been too long now. There are no more excuses and not much to commend this government which is mired in allegations of corruption and reluctance to re unify the island. 

So some concerned citizens have started this initiative called "Famagusta for the whole of Cyprus" to push for the reunification of the island and for the return of the city to its rightful owners. Pie in the sky? Perhaps but from little things big things grow. Sometimes the voice of one person is all that is needed and in this case she is speaking out because she sees this as a need and indeed a duty. 

She is the middle sister of three - her elder sister, sadly no longer with us, was softly spoken, an intellect and not at all political. I am the baby of the family, a bit of an accident, rendering her the middle child and that speaks volumes. You need to speak loudly to be heard in that position. She always had a rebellious streak in her, which manifested itself early. She ran away from home once because she was disgruntled and ended up taking refuge in my mother's chicken coop. She was daring and dastardly to the point that my parents gave her a nickname Jimmy for being a real tomboy. Growing up she became even more strong willed and married several times but never quite found what she was looking for in a man. Perhaps it is because she is complete within herself and does not need complementing. She raised children, worked at the Nicosia Municipality, built a beautiful holiday home, wrote countless books and worked on many projects of archaeological and artistic merit. When the GFC came along and she found herself practically without an income, she formed Historic Cyprus and took people on cultural tours of the island, both in the north and south of the island introducing hundreds of people to the island's rich and diverse history. She has won awards for her collaboration with Turkish Cypriots but never turns her back on her history or her culture and now she is determined to raise the issue of Famagusta as a cry for action in an island which is too small to be divided, too rich to deny its history, too committed to turn away from the implications of its loss. 

She is not a politician, far from it. We laugh about it because she takes after our father who also attempted to enter politics. He was not known for his diplomacy though he was the kindest, most caring surgeon on the island. Politics was not his forte and I have a sneaking suspicion it may not be hers either, but she is outspoken and blunt, well informed and creative in an effort to get people to understand the necessity to act where action is needed. To raise their voices so that they are heard. If they don't heed this, it may well be too late for the island. 

If you are interested in voting for this initiative which is far from political scheming and shenanigans or even if you want to help in other ways go to : https://www.facebook.com/FamagustaforCYPRUS/

The Parliamentary elections are scheduled for May 2021.