Κυπριακό Κινηματικό Αρχείο
Cyprus Movements Archive
Kıbrıs Sosyal Hareket Arşivi

User Tools

Site Tools

You are here: start » Cyprus Movements Archive » digital » Unsigned, Unknown or not Otherwise Archived Material. » On a Society Increasingly Turning Fascistic: The Exploitation of the Pandemic by the Republic of Cyprus (Delirium) (Online Article)
en:digital:unclassified:covid19_roc1

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revision Previous revision
Next revision 		Previous revision
en:digital:unclassified:covid19_roc1 [2021/02/07 10:48]
no_name12 ↷ Page name changed from en:digital:unclassified:covid19_roc to en:digital:unclassified:covid19_roc1 		en:digital:unclassified:covid19_roc1 [2022/11/29 10:33] (current)
no_name12
Line 17: Line 17:
  
 ** On a Society Increasingly Turning Fascistic: The Exploitation of the Pandemic by the Republic of Cyprus**  ** On a Society Increasingly Turning Fascistic: The Exploitation of the Pandemic by the Republic of Cyprus** 
- 
-{{https://web.archive.org/web/20201221004508im_/https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Boq425PvUFk/X7oxGEehBdI/AAAAAAAAApQ/h-BELZsik6U2CoY2CQznjxJH0tOqhykEACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/90463990_2723102247906576_6723193177815121920_n.jpg?nocache}} 
  
 The article attempts to present a summary of the ways that the Republic of Cyprus has been politically exploiting the covid-19 pandemic since February of 2020. With the employed measures and the conditions of the pandemic continuously changing, in parallel with the general dominance of misinformation, the article is an attempt to paint a more general picture in relation to the authoritarian approach that has been taken by the Cypriot state since the beginning of the pandemic. Its main focus is the documentation of the authoritarian policies that the state has 'legitimized' on the pretext of protecting public health; and which appear to have reached the level of general normalization within broader society. The present text does not aim to downplay the general health policies that are in place - it tries, however, to demystify the "medicalization" of specific political decisions that are presented as neutral and necessary on the pretext of the public health crisis that we are all experiencing. The article attempts to present a summary of the ways that the Republic of Cyprus has been politically exploiting the covid-19 pandemic since February of 2020. With the employed measures and the conditions of the pandemic continuously changing, in parallel with the general dominance of misinformation, the article is an attempt to paint a more general picture in relation to the authoritarian approach that has been taken by the Cypriot state since the beginning of the pandemic. Its main focus is the documentation of the authoritarian policies that the state has 'legitimized' on the pretext of protecting public health; and which appear to have reached the level of general normalization within broader society. The present text does not aim to downplay the general health policies that are in place - it tries, however, to demystify the "medicalization" of specific political decisions that are presented as neutral and necessary on the pretext of the public health crisis that we are all experiencing.
 +
 +{{https://web.archive.org/web/20201221004508im_/https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Boq425PvUFk/X7oxGEehBdI/AAAAAAAAApQ/h-BELZsik6U2CoY2CQznjxJH0tOqhykEACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/90463990_2723102247906576_6723193177815121920_n.jpg?nocache}}
  
 The first measure that was taken addressing the pandemic was the partial closure of the buffer zone checkpoints in the end of February; alongside additional delays at the checkpoints which the Greek Cypriot government kept open [1]. Even before this particular decision, the government had attempted (and to a certain degree had succeeded) to impose unilateral changes to the Green Line Regulations, as was the case with the checking of car fuel at the checkpoints [2], the forbidding of crossing to tourists aiming to stay at Turkish Cypriot hotels [3], as well as the banning of crossing to third country nationals [4]. That the same government did not enforce any checks at the airports and the marine ports, or attempted to improve the public health system, which reached near collapse a month later, as whole hospital sections had to close [5], is a further indication of the political exploitation of the pandemic. The first measure that was taken addressing the pandemic was the partial closure of the buffer zone checkpoints in the end of February; alongside additional delays at the checkpoints which the Greek Cypriot government kept open [1]. Even before this particular decision, the government had attempted (and to a certain degree had succeeded) to impose unilateral changes to the Green Line Regulations, as was the case with the checking of car fuel at the checkpoints [2], the forbidding of crossing to tourists aiming to stay at Turkish Cypriot hotels [3], as well as the banning of crossing to third country nationals [4]. That the same government did not enforce any checks at the airports and the marine ports, or attempted to improve the public health system, which reached near collapse a month later, as whole hospital sections had to close [5], is a further indication of the political exploitation of the pandemic.
Line 42: Line 42:
 The authoritarianism and incompetence of the Republic of Cyprus in relation to the pandemic has been discussed in the article of sociologist Gregoris Ioannou [5], which remains the most notable text written so far. We can note here that beyond the unconstitutional abolition of fundamental rights and the lack of any decisions for the improvement of the public health system prior to the arrival of the virus in Cyprus, the enforcement of the decrees has further intensified the militarization of the Greek Cypriot polity - a process that has been accelerated in the last few years through military patrols in the walled city of Nicosia [25], the incorporation of citizens in the National Guard under the status of waged soldiers [26] and the permanent presence of armed non-commissioned officers at the airports [25]. With the pandemic, however, militarization has reached new levels - not merely through the employment of soldiers for the repression of protests, but also through the general utilization of the army in the enforcement of the decree relating to the restriction on the free movement of citizens [27], with the army now assigned a supporting role in the policing of the state’s own citizens. Beyond the usual ‘noise’ on facebook, reactions have been in general non-existent, with the first, miserable march of the ‘chemtards’ in Limasol remaining the only example of some form of political reaction to the measures employed - a reaction that was founded on conspiracy theories, nationalist rhetoric and Christian dogmatism, rather than on the general incompetence of the state in managing the pandemic. The authoritarianism and incompetence of the Republic of Cyprus in relation to the pandemic has been discussed in the article of sociologist Gregoris Ioannou [5], which remains the most notable text written so far. We can note here that beyond the unconstitutional abolition of fundamental rights and the lack of any decisions for the improvement of the public health system prior to the arrival of the virus in Cyprus, the enforcement of the decrees has further intensified the militarization of the Greek Cypriot polity - a process that has been accelerated in the last few years through military patrols in the walled city of Nicosia [25], the incorporation of citizens in the National Guard under the status of waged soldiers [26] and the permanent presence of armed non-commissioned officers at the airports [25]. With the pandemic, however, militarization has reached new levels - not merely through the employment of soldiers for the repression of protests, but also through the general utilization of the army in the enforcement of the decree relating to the restriction on the free movement of citizens [27], with the army now assigned a supporting role in the policing of the state’s own citizens. Beyond the usual ‘noise’ on facebook, reactions have been in general non-existent, with the first, miserable march of the ‘chemtards’ in Limasol remaining the only example of some form of political reaction to the measures employed - a reaction that was founded on conspiracy theories, nationalist rhetoric and Christian dogmatism, rather than on the general incompetence of the state in managing the pandemic.
  
-With the retraction of the lock-down at the end of May, the government declared scabies as a dangerous infectious disease, with the aim of continuing the enclosure of Pournara [29], locking migrants and refugees inside an unhealthy, overloaded and inadequate space [30], while the Cypriot economy was opening for the tourist summer season. The checkpoints were opened for a limited number of people, primarily on humanitarian grounds (chronic patients, the enclaved, workers, students), while the rest had to present a negative test of the last 72 hours in order to cross [31], complicating the crossing process. While the county categorization system has been put in place and despite the number cases in north Cyprus remaining extremely low, the status at the checkpoints has remained the same since summer, betraying that the decisions in relation to crossing were, are and remain founded on political, rather than health and safety criteria.+With the retraction of the lock-down at the end of May, the government declared scabies as a dangerous infectious disease, with the aim of continuing the enclosure of Pournara [29], locking migrants and refugees inside an unhealthy, overloaded and inadequate space [30], while the Cypriot economy was opening for the tourist summer season. The checkpoints were opened for a limited number of people, primarily on humanitarian grounds (chronic patients, the enclaved, workers, students), while the rest had to present a negative test of the last 72 hours in order to cross [31], complicating the crossing process. While the country categorization system has been put in place and despite the number cases in north Cyprus remaining extremely low, the status at the checkpoints has remained the same since summer, betraying that the decisions in relation to crossing were, are and remain founded on political, rather than health and safety criteria.
  
 The first meaningful mobilization after the retraction of the lock-down took place in June, through the march against the ongoing enclosure of migrants and refugees at Pournara that was organized by the left and anti-authoritarian scene. The march assembled around 600 people under conditions of state intimidation, as the protest was considered and confronted as illegal, with the police imposing on protestors charges and fines [33]. It is important to note here that Pournara is not a prison (in contrast to Menogeia), but a temporary reception centre for asylum seekers, who have the right to freely move outside the area and in which they are supposed to stay only for a few days [32]. While Pournara was subsequently opened in July (only to be locked again, alongside other refugee camps, through the decrees of November [34]), the abysmal living conditions and the permanent presence of armed police, which intervene with any reaction by the refugees, continue without any changes. The first meaningful mobilization after the retraction of the lock-down took place in June, through the march against the ongoing enclosure of migrants and refugees at Pournara that was organized by the left and anti-authoritarian scene. The march assembled around 600 people under conditions of state intimidation, as the protest was considered and confronted as illegal, with the police imposing on protestors charges and fines [33]. It is important to note here that Pournara is not a prison (in contrast to Menogeia), but a temporary reception centre for asylum seekers, who have the right to freely move outside the area and in which they are supposed to stay only for a few days [32]. While Pournara was subsequently opened in July (only to be locked again, alongside other refugee camps, through the decrees of November [34]), the abysmal living conditions and the permanent presence of armed police, which intervene with any reaction by the refugees, continue without any changes.
Line 71: Line 71:
   * Chuang, 'Social Contagion: Microbiological class war in China', 26/02/20. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20201120093339/http://chuangcn.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Social-Contagion-PRINT.pdf   * Chuang, 'Social Contagion: Microbiological class war in China', 26/02/20. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20201120093339/http://chuangcn.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Social-Contagion-PRINT.pdf
  
-  * Gregoris Ioannou, 'Authoritarianism masking incompetence? The case of the Republic of Cyprus', 07/04/2020. Available at: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/can-europe-make-it/authoritarianism-masking-incompetence-case-republic-cyprus/+  * Gregoris Ioannou, [[en:digital:unclassified:covid19_gioannou|'Authoritarianism masking incompetence? The case of the Republic of Cyprus']], 07/04/2020. Available at: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/can-europe-make-it/authoritarianism-masking-incompetence-case-republic-cyprus/
  
   * antifa λευkosa, 'Η Πανδημία, η Καραντίνα & Εμείς: σημειώσεις πάνω στη συγκυρία' [The Pandemic, Quarantine & Us: notes on the conjuncture], April, 2020. Available in Cypriot Greek at: https://archive.org/download/antifalefkosha_covid19/antifalefkosha_covid19.pdf   * antifa λευkosa, 'Η Πανδημία, η Καραντίνα & Εμείς: σημειώσεις πάνω στη συγκυρία' [The Pandemic, Quarantine & Us: notes on the conjuncture], April, 2020. Available in Cypriot Greek at: https://archive.org/download/antifalefkosha_covid19/antifalefkosha_covid19.pdf
en/digital/unclassified/covid19_roc1.1612694906.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/02/07 10:48 by no_name12

Page Tools

Except where otherwise noted, content on this wiki is licensed under the following license: CC Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
CC Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International Donate Powered by PHP Valid HTML5 Valid CSS Driven by DokuWiki