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Defining the title
The first priority is to define and justify the use of the terms "ethno-national
conflict" and "siege économies" in the title. The term "ethno-national" comes from
the title of a 'C' Session Workshop at the 12th International Economic History
Conference in 1998 33 . Ironically, the term fits the historical context of the Cyprus
conflict well because divisions were arguably neither ethnie nor strictly national.
With the rise and propagation of nationalism in the 19th Century, divisions between
Muslim and Christian Cypriots began to take on an ethnie stance 34 . Increasingly,
supposed national links triggered, encouraged and enforced division in Cyprus.
The fact that the Cypriot communities are economically distinct and therefore
"économies" (plural) is not contested, while it is stili politically controversial.
There are, however, three meanings ascribed to the word 'siege' used in this
context. The first meaning is "the act of surrounding a town, building etc., with a
hostile force (esp. military) in order to cut off outside communications and supplies
and so facilitate capture". The other meanings of the word derive from its
combination with 'economy' and 'mentality'. A "siege economy: in which import
controls are imposed and the export of capital is curtailed; siege mentality: a
33 Session C42: "Ethno-national divides and eeonomic coexistence: historical perspectives",
organised by Metzer, J. (Dept. of Economies, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem) and O'Grada, C.
(Dept. of Economies, University College Dublin).
34 Kitromilides, P.M. "From Coexistence to Confrontation: The Dynamics of Ethnie Conflict in
Cyprus", in Attalides M.A. 1977. (ed.) Cvprus Reviewed. Nicosia: The Jus Cypri Association with
the Co-ordinating C'tee of Scientific and Cultural Organisations, pp.35-70.
30