Turkish Cypriots march against plan to legalize hijabs in schools

While in most respects the unrecognized run-away state of Northern Cyprus Turkish Republic (TRNC) is a colony of Turkey, its population manifests a completely different sociology.  Turkish Cypriotes are traditionally more liberal than the emigrees sent from Turkey to boost the population.  Ankara has actively encouraged Sunni Tariqats to set up shop in TRNC to covert the natives to a more Islamic mindset, which is not working.  Their numbers boosted by a huge inflow of international students from Africa  and elsewhere from Developing Nations, Turkish Cypriotes insist on preserving their tolerant and laid back culture.  Allegedly, Ankara urged the president of the TRNC Ersin Tatar to allow hijab that is the Islamic headscarf in secondary schools, which triggered protest across the tiny republic:   An estimated 13,000 Turkish Cypriots took to the streets of northern Nicosia on Tuesday evening to protest against the ruling coalition’s attempts to legalize the wearing of hijabs and other religious garments by children at public schools in the north.   The protest was joined by high-profile figures from across the Turkish Cypriot political spectrum, including opposition party the CTP’s leader and election candidate Tufan Erhurman and figures from other opposition parties the TDP and bicommunal Volt, as well as from a plethora of trade unions and industry guilds.   Also present and making a rare public appearance in frontline politics was former Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, who spoke to the Cyprus Mail at the beginning of the protest.     “I came here so that Turkish Cypriots can exist with their own free will. I came here to say no to all kinds of political oppression,” he said.   Teachers walked out of every public school in the north on Wednesday as protests continue against the ruling coalition’s handling of education in light of a retracted attempt to legalize the wearing of hijabs by schoolchildren last month. The protest was led by the Irsen Kucuk middle school in northern Nicosia, where Cyprus Turkish secondary education teachers’ union (Ktoeos) leader Selma Eylem read out a prepared statement in which she decried the state of education in the north. She spoke of having to teach more than 40 children at a time in portacabins, about how many children do not speak Turkish, and about the long hours teachers spend marking work and doing work outside of their normal teaching duties due to staff shortages elsewhere in schools. A trade union leader had called on Turkey's ambassador to 'go home'. Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Monday night demanded that legal action be taken against teachers who “disturbed our peace” while protesting against the legalization of the wearing of hijabs in schools in the north.   He announced that he would meet with Turkish Cypriot police chief Kasim Kuni and chief public prosecutor Sarper Altincik and “request that legal steps be taken” in light of the protests.     IMPORTANT DİSCLOSURE:  PA Turkey intends to inform Turkey watchers with diverse views and opinions.  Articles in our website may not necessarily represent the view of our editorial board or count as endorsement.     Follow our  English language YouTube videos  @ REAL TURKEY:   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKpFJB4GFiNkhmpVZQ_d9Rg And content at Twitter: @AtillaEng       “The spread of divisive and radical discourse within society not only disrupts peace but also brings with it legal processes. Such statements have become elements which need to be investigated by the chief public prosecutor’s office and the police,” he said.