Cyprus-Forum.com

[Paphitis]

I don't know Tim. The map just says things like "50 houses destroyed" (in the case of Mathiatis). Theres villages with lots of houses, shops and mosques destroyed. Wether it constitutes WHOLE villages I don't know.....

Yerovasa does not look like it has been destroyed to me. Look at the photo of Yerovasa, that Kafenes posted above. It just looks like an abandoned ghost town, that is being reclaimed by nature.

[T_C]

I don't know Tim. The map just says things like "50 houses destroyed" (in the case of Mathiatis). Theres villages with lots of houses, shops and mosques destroyed. Wether it constitutes WHOLE villages I don't know.....

Yerovasa does not look like it has been destroyed to me. Look at the photo of Yerovasa, that Kafenes posted above. It just looks like an abandoned ghost town, that is being reclaimed by nature.

Well I was the one to point out that Yerovasa wasn't even in the report!

[Tim Drayton]

I don't know Tim. The map just says things like "50 houses destroyed" (in the case of Mathiatis). Theres villages with lots of houses, shops and mosques destroyed. Wether it constitutes WHOLE villages I don't know.....

Yerovasa does not look like it has been destroyed to me. Look at the photo of Yerovasa, that Kafenes posted above. It just looks like an abandoned ghost town, that is being reclaimed by nature.

Been through the whole thread, mate, and can't find any pictures of Yerovasa. Been there on Google Earth, and there was no trace of any village.

[Paphitis]

I don't know Tim. The map just says things like "50 houses destroyed" (in the case of Mathiatis). Theres villages with lots of houses, shops and mosques destroyed. Wether it constitutes WHOLE villages I don't know.....

Yerovasa does not look like it has been destroyed to me. Look at the photo of Yerovasa, that Kafenes posted above. It just looks like an abandoned ghost town, that is being reclaimed by nature.

Been through the whole thread, mate, and can't find any pictures of Yerovasa. Been there on Google Earth, and there was no trace of any village.

Try page 17.

[Tim Drayton]

I don't know Tim. The map just says things like "50 houses destroyed" (in the case of Mathiatis). Theres villages with lots of houses, shops and mosques destroyed. Wether it constitutes WHOLE villages I don't know.....

Yerovasa does not look like it has been destroyed to me. Look at the photo of Yerovasa, that Kafenes posted above. It just looks like an abandoned ghost town, that is being reclaimed by nature.

Been through the whole thread, mate, and can't find any pictures of Yerovasa. Been there on Google Earth, and there was no trace of any village.

Sorry.

Try page 17.

[Tim Drayton]

Ooops. Been back to Google earth and have found the ruined houses there, too.
Hasan Erçakıca speaks of this as being a destroyed village, implying that this was a deliberate act. Surely this is just an abandoned village gradually falling apart from disrepair?

[T_C]

I don't know Tim. The map just says things like "50 houses destroyed" (in the case of Mathiatis). Theres villages with lots of houses, shops and mosques destroyed. Wether it constitutes WHOLE villages I don't know.....

I accept that. There was an interview recently in the Yeni Düzen newspaper by Sevgül Uludağ with a named Greek Cypriot from Lapta who says that, after the Turkish Cypriots left the village in 1964, some Greek Cypriots went and destroyed the Turkish Cypriot quarter. However, I do not see what constructive purpose is served by making inflammatory statements about hundreds of villages being burned down when this was not so. How can Adnan Tink in the article I quoted above speak of 130 villages being burned down in 1963 when Hasan Erçakıca names only 30 Turkish Cypriot villages which he claims have been destroyed? How many of the villages named by Erçakıca were destroyed maliciously, and how many have just succumbed to the ravages of time? A little objectivity is called for.

There was around 100 villages that TCs couldn't go back to. Infact there are villages we were chased from in 58, which we returned to in 61 only to be forced out again in 64, as was the case in Ayios Theodoros and Kato Lakatamia

The majority of the worst hit villages came under our control after 74. Perhaps the 30 or so villages mentioned by Hasan Erçakıca are the ones still remaining in the south? I doubt they would count the villages under our control...

[denizaksulu]

If the TMT were pressuring the TCs to leave for enclaves (proof of which has been posted many times by others) ... would burning down their villages not be part of this coercion?

Oracle MOU. In our village, unless it was summertime the opulation would have been reduced because of the younger people studying in the towns or abroad. The only people that would have been left in the villagae would have been a few farmers and shepherds and other old folk. How were these people to be protected. The local GCs had told them that they would be attacked from outsiders, but they stoodfast for a few weeks. After attacks on other villages by G/GC forces they were told to move to Kophinou for better security. Its called security in numbers. At the time Kophinou was already at saturation point from refugees from other outlying villages, which had already been attacked. Even though we had reltives there, they moved on to Ayios Theodors (where my gandfather was born).
If they were presurised it was for easy defence. Anyone can understand that. Why cant you. It would be natural for the word to come from the TMT commander of the area. Those who wished to stay did so (in other villages). Its simple as that. Only those in danger of their lives can understand this.

Regards

[denizaksulu]

If the TMT were pressuring the TCs to leave for enclaves (proof of which has been posted many times by others) ... would burning down their villages not be part of this coercion?

In earlier posts on this thread, you can see the house that I was brought up in. It is obvious that it was not burnt down. Only the older part of the two storey part has since collapsed. That was made of mud-brick. I suspect that mudbrick houses need better upkeep.

But there was no excuse for our stone built mosque disappearing into thin air. I had posted a photo of the place where it once stood. Now its a childrens park and planted over.

[zan]

If the TMT were pressuring the TCs to leave for enclaves (proof of which has been posted many times by others) ... would burning down their villages not be part of this coercion?

In earlier posts on this thread, you can see the house that I was brought up in. It is obvious that it was not burnt down. Only the older part of the two storey part has since collapsed. That was made of mud-brick. I suspect that mudbrick houses need better upkeep.

But there was no excuse for our stone built mosque disappearing into thin air. I had posted a photo of the place where it once stood. Now its a childrens park and planted over.

These people don't understand that we lived through this. People still alive who witnessed all. I really don't understand what Kafenes was looking for when he said that he saw villages prospering. What was he looking for....Smoke after over 40 years. I think the boasting about the amount of money spent to renovate these homes must give some sort of clue to people as to maybe new roofs being put on and replacement of burned out woodwork. We seem to be no nearer an understanding of really went on with the GCs. I hope that this Forum is not representative of the whole.