Trade Unions in north Cyprus to go on general strike on Friday

Trade unions in north Cyprus on Monday announced a general strike for Friday, with “almost 100” unions and civil society organisations set to be partaking in the strike.

Workers are going on strike over the government’s decision to legalise the wearing of hijabs by children at public schools, with the strike announced by representatives of various trade unions at the Cyprus Turkish secondary education teachers’ trade union (Ktoeos).

Ktoeos leader Selma Eylem read a joint announcement declaring the strike.

“Despite the attacks, insults, and threats made against me in particular, our teachers in general, and the Turkish Cypriot community, we will continue our fight in a principled and honourable manner without using the same language,” she said.

“For over a month, our teachers have been fighting against the imposed law in schools, or on the streets alongside civil society and society at large. Our teachers, especially at the Irsen Kucuk middle school and the Bekirpasha high school, continue to resist. In addition, all our teachers are continuing to fight against all impositions aimed at transforming our education system, without bowing to pressure and threats.”

She also thanked those who have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest against the law.

She described the law as “reactionary” and “in line with the ideology” of Turkey’s ruling party the AK Party.

Despite the large protests, she said, the north’s ruling coalition has “insistently not withdrawn this regulation”.

The ruling coalition, she said, “bows down to impositions and is in love with its seat and has turned a deaf ear to the voices of its own people, despite the fact that they have taken to the streets in their tens of thousands and expressed their will”.

“Those who belittle us Turkish Cypriots, ignore our will and existence, attack us, insult us, and threaten to put us in our place will be answered,” she said, promising that “the fight will go on until the law is withdrawn”.

On this matter, she announced that fires would be lit in Iskele on Monday and then in Lefke on Tuesday in protest at the law, before a march through the streets of Lefkosa will be held on Friday.