Mixed village bets on united future

By Dominic Bailey
BBC News Online, Pyla, Cyprus

The possibility of more mixed communities seems a long way off

"We are proof for the whole country that we can live together without any problems," says the owner of a betting shop in the village of Pyla, on the southern side of Cyprus.

Pyla is the only bi-communal village in the buffer zone between north and south, where Greek and Turkish Cypriots lived together long before the 1974 Turkish invasion, and have done so peacefully ever since.

There is a Turkish coffee shop and Greek coffee shop on either side of the central square and the skyline is dominated by an imposing church and the nearby minaret of the village mosque.

The population is split along roughly the same lines as the island itself, with about 67% Greek Cypriots and 33% Turkish Cypriots, policed by a civilian UN force and overlooked from the adjacent hills by Turkish army watchtowers.

No hard feelings

But even here, voting reflected the island-wide trend - with most Greek Cypriots voting "no" and Turkish Cypriots saying "yes".

Pyla's residents blame the plan not the people for Saturday's 'no' vote.

Villagers insist the voting split will cause no hard feelings.

"This is an example of how Cyprus could be," said 62-year-old George Sotirou, a Greek Cypriot born in the village.

"We have lived together for years and there have been no problems at all. We work together, we are in each other's coffee shops and at parties and weddings we mix.

"With a better plan and agreement between Turkish and Greek Cypriots we will be fine. Unfortunately the UN hasn't offered us such a plan."

Mr Sotirou said that when the events of 1974 were unfolding, the two communities agreed that, whatever happened, nothing would change for them, and they kept their promises.

'Harsh result'

In the village betting shop, gamblers from both sides celebrate their wins and commiserate with each other's losses together.

We thought we would get a new chance for the future, but we lost it Turkish Cypriot Memet Yahi

Owner Mario Mytides, 31, a Greek Cypriot, says the UN plan was to blame for the result, not the people.

"The majority did say 'no' but I believe these people want a solution that brings peace between the communities," he said.

"We believed this solution would never work for long."

Turkish Cypriot Ibrahim Fadil, 46, a "yes" voter, agreed.

"I believe sooner or later peace will come to Cyprus," he said.

But fellow customer Memet Yahi, 44, a Turkish Cypriot born in Pyla, said it was still a harsh result.

"I was shocked. I lost a few bets yesterday and we lost the referendum," he said, particularly regretting a punt on English football club Ipswich Town to win, which lost him an accumulator bet.

"We thought we would get a new chance for the future, but we lost it."

Distant hopes

But behind the scenes it is not all sweetness and light.

English-born Judith Soteriou, 41, who married a Greek Cypriot, says her daughter is still taught the anti-English and anti-Turkish propaganda that seems to be common in the education system across southern Cyprus.

Not many would bet on a united Cyprus in the near future

"She put up her hand when asked who wanted a 'yes' vote, thinking it was the right answer as people would get their homes back.

"But she was the only one and the teacher told her she should support 'no'.

"And she is only eight years old."

So perhaps the chances of a consensus which will result in more villages like Pyla are still a long way off.

Anyone fancying a bet on the chances of a united Cyprus in the near future may or may not want a tip from Mr Mytides.

"I'd bet on Cyprus being reunited before 10 years are up. We just won't wait 10 years, we need a solution earlier. That is what we are looking for."