Re: Two Macedonias
(Please CC me, I am not on -project)
On Πεμ 23 Σεπ 2004 04:45, siward wrote:
> Hi all,
> The government of Greece,
> and presumably also the people of the Greek Province Macedonia,
> strongly object to
> the former yugoslav republic Macedonia being called Macedonia.
> The Greek government seems to do this from the point of view that
> it might obscure the perception of naturalness of the right of
> the government to decide what happens in Greek Macedonia.
> I think the people of Greek Macedonia have a different objection :
> they were always called Macedonia,
> and now another region is trying to take their name away from
> them, which is offensive.
I'm glad you see the point. Being a Greek and knowing that politicians
have seriously messed this issue, it's nice to see that someone
actually understands it and its implications.
However, it is my opinion that such issues end up only producing
confusion and raising nationalistic barriers amongst people whose
common goal is the creation of the best distro.
> I think Debian has only 2 choices here :
> 1) use the names 'Republic Macedonia' and 'Macedonia'.
> 2) use the names 'Republic Macedonia' and 'Greek Macedonia'.
> The details of how exactly these names should be
> can be bickered over bitterly yet,
> but we do need to make the distinction sooner or later,
> and so we would better do it right now.
>
> The reason i have used the names 'Republic Macedonia' and 'Greek
> Macedonia' to illustrate the choices above
> is that they are both names to be proud of.
For a start, I would personally choose 'Macedonian Republic' and
'Macedonia', since as you correctly state, the Greek name has
preexisted the republic. Calling the Greek part 'Greek Macedonia'
would seem superfluous. But if it must be so, the pair 'Macedonian
Republic' or 'Republic of Macedonia' and 'Greek Macedonia' would do,
at least until the name issue resolves once and for all (it is my
understanding that both parties are in the process of reinitiating
discussions in this matter).
However, as others have already stated before me, there might not be a
conflict here and no change necessary.
> I think, but it is only my half-informed opinion,
> that there is a real chance that the Greek government would
> take actions against Debian
> if Debian did not call Greek Macedonia 'Macedonia' ;
> for a government that forced katharevousa this seems but a little
> thing. Afaik Debian does not have an entry for that in any
> language- or country-chooser (yet), so we don't seem to have a
> problem here.
The event that Greek government will take actions is highly unlikely,
since they are (partly) responsible for all this mess today.
>
> Furthermore, i think that the greek nation and culture (and socker
> team :-) are an asset to this world,
> and i would not want to unnecessarily antagonize the Greeks.
Thank you for your kind words, though I hardly think that this would
make any difference right now. The common feeling amongst Greeks
about this matter, is of strong disappointment and distrust for the
politicians who took this issue and not only failed to resolve it,
but actually made two nations that have lived next to each other for
centuries, feel hostile to each other.
> I wish that this controversy will not prevent the people on either
> side of the border to live in peace with their (more or less
> distant) neighbours.
Me too, in the end I strongly believe -and hope- that these issues can
be resolved.
Konstantinos
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