Ümit İnatçı: “We Are Living an Illusion of Sovereignty”

Calling the April 24, 2004 referendum both the end of an era and the beginning of a new one, İnatçı said the then-65% “yes” vote marked a clear stance that has since eroded. “Would we even reach 20% today? I don’t know,” he remarked, suggesting the current conditions for a solution have become even more difficult.

Citing the authority granted to the Corps Commander under the TRNC Constitution in extraordinary situations, İnatçı described it as proof of a "regime of occupation." He characterized Turkey’s role on the island as that of a “supreme administration,” stressing that Turkish Cypriots should focus on how to develop a discourse against this structure.

He criticized the opposition for failing to articulate a clear political language, asserting that advocacy for a solution has become a delusion. Targeting the slogan “Let the UBP go, we’ll govern,” he asked, “Are you really in charge under subordinate administration? No, you’re not.”

İnatçı called the two-state discourse an illusion, highlighting that even Turkey does not recognize the TRNC, and that the relationship is one of subordination. “We are trying to prove that we are Turkish,” he said, calling instead for the right to determine one’s own way of life.

He added, “We don’t see any clear stance from the opposition like ‘This is what we want, this is what we oppose, this is our side.’ Instead, we hear ‘Let UBP go, we’ll manage it.’ But manage what? Subordinate administration? Are you really in power? No. The illusion that we are a free and separate state is replacing reality. We say, ‘We’ll fix relations between two states,’ but no such relationship exists.”

Commenting on the moderate tone of CTP before elections, İnatçı emphasized the importance of building a common future with the other community. He said, “The current government serves Turkey. The President serves Turkey. First, we must rid ourselves of this.”

Blaming politicians for society’s gradual acceptance of the current situation, he said, “Everyone said we must get along with Turkey. This turned the issue into ‘Turkey is indispensable.’ But it is necessary to let go—and to name what is being let go.”

Decrying the overall deterioration in standards, İnatçı said, “It’s not just the deadlock, but also our decay as a society. We’re at rock bottom in areas like knowledge, science, values, and willpower.”

Regarding the disciplinary regulation and the protests that followed, İnatçı stated, “It was done deliberately. They tested the limits of resistance. They tested Turkishness and Islam.”

He called for the development of a clear language of resistance. “Criticizing the government isn’t enough. The real question is, what will you do when you’re in power? That’s what I care about,” he said.

On economic independence, İnatçı challenged, “Can you tell Turkey ‘I don’t want your money’?”

He argued that even those who claim a state has been established do not truly believe it. “This is merely a consolation,” he said.

“You Can’t Build Identity on Cultural Nostalgia”
Pointing to cultural confusion in society, İnatçı said even the concepts of high and low culture are poorly understood. “You won’t get anywhere with cultural nostalgia,” he remarked.

Drawing parallels with colonialism, he argued that power displays through publicly funded buildings are reminiscent of colonial eras, with architecture being one of the most relied-upon tools. “Shout all you want, say ‘No to the complex’… They’ll build it anyway,” he said.

“Our Collective Memory Is Being Deliberately Erased”
İnatçı asserted that Turkish Cypriots are seen as worthless in Turkey’s eyes and that the failure to build collective memory is intentional. He added that even nationalism in the TRNC is a poor imitation. “Even the nationalism here is fake. We’re copying Turkish nationalism.”

On secularism, İnatçı emphasized it is not just about separating religion from the state but about ensuring freedom for women, science, art, and belief.

“We Have Come to Accept Colonialism Ourselves”
In closing, İnatçı starkly concluded: “We have come to accept colonialism ourselves. We must be able to say: we have nothing left to lose.”