Readers are invited to submit letters to The Guardian.
Letters may be e-mailed to guardian@cpa.org.au.
Letters of 300-400 words are preferred.

Letters to the Editor:

Questions for Latham

On Thursday April 8, Mark Latham came to Mt Druitt to open the 
new office of the Member for Chifley, Roger Price. Being 
surrounded by the Labor Party faithful, it was hard to get close 
to him.

Also there were so many questions I would liked to have asked 
him, it was hard to pick one, so I decided on the Free Trade 
Agreement and the US Military Bases.

In answer to the question about the FTA Mark Latham said, "Oh! 
It's in the hands of a Senate Sub-Committee"; I considered this 
to be a non-answer.

In answer to the question about the US Bases, Mark Latham said, 
"Oh! we are quite happy with them".

He did not hear me say "even though they could involve us in 
another war like Iraq". He also didn't hear me say "I will not 
give Labor second preference".

I haven't yet seen the Green's policies. But I hope they are less 
airy fairy than Labor's. If only the Communist Party could stand 
a Candidate in Chifley.

Ronald Barrett
Mt Druitt, NSW

I write about the optimistic pace and direction of 
developments in Cyprus. Regardless of the outcome of Kofi Annan's 
UN plan, enormous cracks have appeared in the Turkish occupied 
north that I believe are unstoppable.

Calls for a solution are getting louder in the north and 
Denktash's regime is facing a growing tide of dissent that grows 
each day and his hold on power is lessening, with the result that 
his repressive Turkish military-backed dictatorship will 
eventually begin to fall apart.

And unlike the 1960s and '70s most of the right-wing powerful 
military and political forces that impeded Cyprus's unity, 
development and progress are weaker. The Generals in Turkey while 
still being behind the scenes are not as strong as they were; the 
Colonels' are no longer in power in Greece; Turkey is preoccupied 
with other problems in Kurdistan, Iraq, Islamic fundamentalism 
and its EU aspirations hinge on a resolution of the Cyprus 
problem.

Turkey also has an economic crisis to deal with and the Denktash 
regime is reliant on Turkey's cash assistance to survive in 
power. As well as this, it is expensive keeping some 35,000 
Turkish troops stationed in Cyprus. The circumstances of the 
Republic of Cyprus are also vastly different; politically, 
diplomatically, socially and economically Cyprus is stronger.

These factors and the support of Greece and other countries 
restricts the threats and pressures of the bigger powers in 
deciding Cyprus's future this time.

The most important dynamic driving the changes in Cyprus however 
is the will of the Cypriot people for change and a reunification 
of the island.

Since the easing of travel restrictions over 300,000 Greek and 
Turkish Cypriots, half of the island's population, have returned 
to visit their homes and friends, accepting each other with 
flowers, embraces and tears. And over 20,000 Turkish Cypriots 
have so far visited offices around Cyprus to apply for passports, 
identity cards and birth certificates of the Cyprus Republic.

Past history has shown that Greek, Turkish, Maronite, Latin, 
Armenian, and other Cypriots can live together in peace. The 
reason we have progressed as far towards the foundation of a 
reunification process is the great success of the grassroots bi-
communal contacts in breaking down the walls of division and 
distrust between the Cypriot people.

We need to build on these positive steps towards unity based on 
open and sincere principles and truly respecting each others 
rights.

I don't think the latest version of the Annan Plan is a 
principled, fair and balanced proposal and thus it will not be 
acceptable to the vast majority of the Cypriot people.

The Republic of Cyprus not only has moral and legal rights on its 
side, but has time on its side. While Cypriots desperately want a 
solution, they should not rush into an agreement despite the 
pressures.

At this crucial time Cyprus doesn't need some imposed quick fix 
settlement that is not workable, just and comprehensive. After 
waiting for 30 years unfortunately Cyprus might have to wait a 
little longer to get a well thought out, suitable, viable and 
just resolution.

The political breakthrough will come one way or another, because 
the people on both sides want change and their determination will 
make it happen.

If Denktash continues to cling to his oppositionist policies and 
to stand in the way of a just and permanent solution to the 
problem he will be swept aside by the momentum like many old 
relics before him have.

Turkish Cypriots especially are desperate for real change and 
eventually the remnants of Denktash's regime will crumble, paving 
the way for a renewed, united and free Cyprus.

A solution to the Cyprus problem does not solely depend on the 
Annan Plan, but on the wishes, and actions of Cypriots. As a 
Greek Cypriot refugee from the Turkish-held town of Morphou, 
Marios Demetriou said, "We, the people will solve the problems. 
We are all Cypriots."

Steven Katsineris
Hurstbridge, Victoria

I was interested to see the letter by Tom Gill (The 
Guardian March 17, 2004) in which he raises the issue of a 
connection between Mel Gibson and Opus Dei.

If Gibson is affiliated to Opus Dei, there certainly are 
concerns.

Its founder, Fr Jose Maria Escriva, was much more than an odd 
ball who indulged inself flagellation. He was a strong supporter 
of Franco and Mussolini (as was B A Santamaria, the founder of 
the National Civic Council in Australia).

Opus Dei has connections with gangsters and extreme right-wing 
regimes. It was involved in corruption scandals in the Vatican 
Bank and gangland assassinations. A number of the leaders in the 
fascist dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet in Chile had 
links with Opus Dei, while the mainstream Catholic Church 
championed human rights. This dictatorship was responsible for 
the slaughter of over 60,000 Chileans.

It does raise questions as to why Pope John Paul II has already 
canonised Escriva, well short of the 100 years usually required, 
while the move to have Sister Mary MacKillop cannonised seems to 
be confronting many obstacles. Progressive Catholics also are 
questioning the motives of John Paul II when he gave permission 
for Opus Dei to have its own archbishop — the only lay 
organisation to have been so honoured.

Tom Gill is right to highlight the fact that Catholics who become 
martyrs because of their courage to oppose tyrrany and support 
human rights are not likely to be cannonised while John Paul II 
is Pope.

Andrew (Andy) Alcock
Forestville, SA