The Impacts of the British Bases in Cyprus

In order to understand how these bases colonies were ingrained and dictate much of Cyprus’ internal and external dynamics, let’s start from the beginning.

This historical prioritisation of ‘strategic interests’ over human consequences laid the foundations for enduring regional tensions, as the bases' operational roles evolved with shifting geopolitical agendas. For decades, the disconnect between colonial-era decision-making and contemporary realities allowed the SBAs to function in relative obscurity. The convergence of crises in Lebanon, Gaza, and Yemen thrust them abruptly into the crosshairs of global attention, exposing their critical role as enablers of Western military projection, and most urgently, genocide.

These obstacles to regional solidarity and geopolitical dilemmas are inextricably tied to Cyprus’ colonial past and present, whose cultural and psychological residues continue to shape perceptions of the SBAs and Cypriot cultural identity.

This hierarchical dynamic pressures local communities to conform to foreign norms, further diluting cultural authenticity. Included in this endemism are not just the local human communities, but Cyprus’ fragile ecosystems.

Ilaeira Leto Agrotou Georgiou

A historian based in Cyprus that has mainly researched working-class movements during the twentieth century British Empire.

"Ρωμηός (Rhomaios)” is a Cypriot PhD candidate and researcher, and a hobbyist researcher in Cypriot history, linguistics, folklore, and ethnography. He runs an Instagram page under this pseudonym, sharing content on the aforementioned topics with the goal of education and broader promotion of Cypriot tradition and culture. Among his main interests are the legacy of colonialism in Cyprus and the history of the Cyprus Problem. He is a vocal supporter of the reunification of Cyprus, as well as the complete decolonization and demilitarization of the island.

Rhomaios (@rhomios)