ABSTRACT
In the months prior to the independence of the Republic of Cyprus, the future status and political rights of the small ethnic and religious groups on the island was decided. This chapter tries to reconstruct the struggle of the Armenians, Maronites, Latins and British residents for the most important rights a minority needs to possess: the right to self-identification i.e. the right to express their distinct identity; the right to preserve their distinct identity by practising their culture, language and religion; the right to public participation in public affairs and participate in decision-making in particular on topics that relate to their rights and finally the right to equality before the law and the prohibition of discrimination. The main focus in this chapter will be on the right to public participation as citizens and as a community. The historical account of this struggle is mainly based on documents retrieved from the British archives.
