Sevgül Uludağ’s Funeral
The funeral of Sevgül Uludağ provided a significant gathering between the two communities of Cyprus. Hundreds of people came together from different social and political backgrounds. Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, activists, journalists, and relatives of the missing, all congregated around a shared grief. Many who knew or did not know Sevgül gathered on that day, setting aside their differences. For some, even if they hadn’t participated in her struggle, being there became a symbol of solidarity.
During the funeral ceremony, the political and social polarization in Cyprus was momentarily put aside. Funerals typically tend to create a distinct division between the two communities, but Sevgül’s funeral turned this situation upside down. The crowd present at the funeral showed that a different approach could be taken in remembering the past.
Opening a Door to Shared Sorrows
Sevgül not only acted as a writer but also reconstructed a narrative about Cyprus’s past by sharing the deep sorrows between the two communities. By directly engaging with the relatives of the missing, she brought forgotten stories to light. Her work was not merely a record-keeping effort but also an example of human diplomacy. Moreover, she adopted an approach that never pitted the sorrows of the two communities against each other.
The concept of “empathetic unrest” defined by international researchers was a cornerstone of Sevgül’s work. She understood that one should not remain indifferent to the sorrows of others while also maintaining one’s perspective on those pains. In her work, the loss of one community was not erased by the loss of another; instead, both sides’ stories were attempted to be heard as a whole.
Remembering is not solely about bearing the burden of the past; Sevgül endeavored to connect those stories by maintaining a certain distance. The crowd that emerged after her funeral once again highlighted the importance of her legacy and the need to create a collective memory in Cyprus.
Source: www.yeniduzen.com
