The Turkish American community has expressed concern over the upcoming release of the series "Famagusta," a collaboration between Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration, on the digital platform Netflix.
Following the announcement that "Famagusta" will be available on Netflix starting Sept. 20, several organizations and activists from the Turkish American community have voiced their objections to the platform's decision, claiming that the series does not align with historical facts.
Fatih Özonur, president of the Turkish-American Security Foundation (TASFO), condemned Netflix's decision to air "Famagusta," which he claims overlooks the Turkish victims murdered by the EOKA terrorist organization on the island of Cyprus and portrays the Turkish army as invaders. Özonur recalled that Netflix had previously targeted Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Türkiye, and accused the platform of adopting a "Türkiye-opposed, racist" stance and supporting Greek and Armenian diasporas.
Özonur urged members of the Turkish-American community to protest Netflix’s stance, emphasizing that failing to respond to such injustices could lead to greater issues in the future. He also referenced a Feb. 17, 1964, Washington Post article highlighting the "genocide policies" of Greek Cypriot fanatics as evidence of historical context.
Activist Ibrahim Kurtuluş, a prominent figure in the Turkish American community, expressed his deep concerns in a letter to Netflix's California headquarters. He argued that as a publicly traded company listed on NASDAQ, Netflix has a responsibility to ensure that its content is accurate and balanced, especially regarding sensitive and historical matters.
Kurtuluş reminded Netflix that the Cyprus Peace Operation was a legal action to prevent the annexation of Cyprus by Greece, following a coup orchestrated by a Greek junta. He stressed that this intervention, contrary to the film’s implications, was a necessary and legal response to the imminent threat faced by the Turkish Cypriots.
Kurtuluş further criticized the series for ignoring the suffering of Turkish Cypriots during the conflict, highlighting the tragic reality of families who lost loved ones and were buried in mass graves. He noted that the United Nations had made efforts to identify and properly re-bury the deceased in hopes of fostering reconciliation and understanding between the parties.
The announcement of the series release date by director Andreas Georgiou on Aug. 26 has also drawn criticism. Social media users have pointed out that the chosen release date coincides with significant historical events, including the Battle of Manzikert (Malazgirt) and the start of the Great Offensive, which opened Anatolia to the Turks and led to the Greek army’s retreat to the Aegean Sea.
"Famagusta," which coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation and has aired 16 episodes on a Greek television channel, portrays events in Famagusta during the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation from a narrative based on claims by the Greek Cypriot side that do not align with historical facts.
