Cyprus-Forum.com

[halil]

A new legal battle has been launched at the European Court of Human Rights, this time by a group of Turkish Cypriots.

Inhabitants from the village of Yagmuralan(Vroisha) have filed a case at the ECHR against the Greek Cypriot Administration for the destruction of their village located in South Cyprus.

A group of 10 people from the village of Yagmuralan, launched the case following the exhaustion of domestic legal means in South Cyprus.

Turkish Cypriot lawyers Zaim Necatigil and Sulen Karabacak, who are experienced in the field of international law and human rights are representing the case on behalf of the group.

The villagers, who have organized them under the Yagmuralan Society, had launched a legal struggle in 2006.

They had sent a letter to the Greek Cypriot government asking for the return of the village to its rightful owners and for all the aggrieved villagers to be compensated for their losses.

A letter of reply from the Greek Cypriot Interior Ministry had turned down the society’s requesting, citing the non-solution of the Cyprus Problem as an excuse.

[Oracle]

In the mad rush to claim half our Island for themselves, did the TCs forget to take their brains with them ...

[halil]

HISTORY OF YAGMURALAN Village (VROISHA)

Yagmuralan village was established by a handful of Turkish Cypriots amongst the Troodos mountains near the Paphos district, who love nature, the forest and its natural soil. Yagmuralan village, which is 520m above sea level, is 90km from Nicosia.

The Legal struggle started by the Yagmuralan Association, which is centred in the UK, to restore the village, to be compensated for their houses which were plundered and razed to the ground after 1963 and build new ones in their place is still continuing. The Yagmuralan villagers are determined to continue in their struggle although the Greek Cypriot administration is trying to detain their struggle.

Esat Mustafa, Orhan Kemal and some other Yagmuralan villagers who reside in the UK got together in February 2004 and formed a committee and got in contact with other Yagmuralan villagers living in other countries. Realizing that they shared the same feelings about their village decided to start a joint struggle in order to reclaim their village.

APPLICATION TO GREEK CYPRIOT INTERIOR MINISTRY –
The Villagers started their struggle by first establishing the Yagmuralan association.
On 30 March 2004, they made a 10-page application to Greek Cypriot Interior Ministry via the Greek Cypriot London Embassy. In the application they demanded that the village be transferred to its former owners, the destroyed houses be rebuilt complete with its infrastructure and that people who suffered damages villagers be compensated.
In the Greek Cypriot Interior Ministry’s response, it was stated that, "Left Turkish properties were under the administration of the Turkish Cypriot Property Tutorship and since the Cyprus issue is not yet solved, property owners cannot use their rights over their properties."
In the response given to Yagmuralan Association members’ second letter, who were not satisfied with the Greek Cypriot Interior Ministry’s first response, it was stated that, ‘the investigation regarding Varosia will continue for 6 months.”
The Yagmuralan Association members, who thought this time period was too long, asked the Greek Cypriot administration to solve their problem until the end of September and decided to bring the issue to public attention. Firstly they visited state and government officials and informed them about their situation.
Following statements given to the media to keep the issue on the agenda and to carry out on spot inspections for their legal struggle, a journey was organized to Yagmuralan village on 9 September.

WE ARE PROCEEDING TOWARDS YAGMURALAN –

We are proceeding towards the Trodos mountains. Our lawyer Mrs. Emine Erk said "I think the car behind is following us." Then we realized that we were being followed by civilian police in a white Pajero. When we reached the peak of the mountain we saw the sign post showing Yagmuralan (Varosia) but after proceeding along the gravel road, we saw no sign post for the village.

ÖMER KALYONCU’S FATHER’S HOUSE –
Passing through the gravel roads, we reached the village. We first came across a destroyed house which was being used by foresters. After photographing it, we continued on our way. Then we saw a house, which only had its foundation, walls and fire place and learned that it belonged to the Transportation and Public Works Minister, Ömer Kalyoncu’s father Abdullah Ömer. It was really impossible to say that it was once a house.

THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE
PLACES WHERE ONCE THERE WERE HOUSES –
We found the village’s primary school, whose ceiling, door and windows were all broken and plundered, covered with overgrown grass and thorns. Orhan Kemal and other friends who were in the group during our journey were all very disappointed on seeing the terrible state of their old school. The oldest member of the group Kazali was running from side to side to find his house, his vineyards and orchards which had all been razed to the ground. Other Yagmuralan villagers in our group all had difficulties in even locating the places of their houses. Our job was to photograph these feelings and the remains of the ruins. The villagers all shared the same feelings and were saying that "these are our ancestral lands we want our village back and we will struggle until we gain our rights."

ESAT MUSTAFA –
The Yagmuralan Association’s Chairman, Esat Mustafa, who made the first statement about the investigation, after giving detailed information about their legal struggle stated that the Greek Cypriot administration’s delaying tactics were directed at putting them in a disadvantageous situation.
Pointing out that they had given time the Greek Cypriot Interior Minister until the end of December to solve their problem, Mustafa said if they did not receive a satisfactory result or answer, they would take the issue to the European Court of Human Rights and seek their legal rights.
Esat Mustafa said, "We are determined to reclaim our village back, we were born and educated on these lands, and want to die on these lands."

[paliometoxo]

what brains oracle they never had any in the first place ...

[xxNilxx]

Half of the island being ''KAKA tc'' will NEVER happen - Cyprus will not give anything to Turkey or any foreign power!

What about the Greek speaking Cypriot villages and homes RUINED by Turks and also by us???? What about them?????? What about Varosha??? What about the 200,000 - did you ever think of them???
We have homes/refugees too but how can you take Cypriots to court when you still have the enemy living and occupying instead Cypriot land. Pathetic

[DT.]

A new legal battle has been launched at the European Court of Human Rights, this time by a group of Turkish Cypriots.

Inhabitants from the village of Yagmuralan(Vroisha) have filed a case at the ECHR against the Greek Cypriot Administration for the destruction of their village located in South Cyprus.

A group of 10 people from the village of Yagmuralan, launched the case following the exhaustion of domestic legal means in South Cyprus.

Turkish Cypriot lawyers Zaim Necatigil and Sulen Karabacak, who are experienced in the field of international law and human rights are representing the case on behalf of the group.

The villagers, who have organized them under the Yagmuralan Society, had launched a legal struggle in 2006.

They had sent a letter to the Greek Cypriot government asking for the return of the village to its rightful owners and for all the aggrieved villagers to be compensated for their losses.

A letter of reply from the Greek Cypriot Interior Ministry had turned down the society’s requesting, citing the non-solution of the Cyprus Problem as an excuse.

Turkey invaded and took our homes Halil. The audacity these people have to now DEMAND their homes back from the only part the Mehmetchik allowed us to huddle in is disgusting.

I hope they never live to see a day in that village.

[Oracle]

ADMIN

This thread should be in Cyprus Problem ....

[Kifeas]

HISTORY OF YAGMURALAN Village (VROISHA)

Yagmuralan village was established by a handful of Turkish Cypriots amongst the Troodos mountains near the Paphos district, who love nature, the forest and its natural soil. Yagmuralan village, which is 520m above sea level, is 90km from Nicosia.

The Legal struggle started by the Yagmuralan Association, which is centred in the UK, to restore the village, to be compensated for their houses which were plundered and razed to the ground after 1963 and build new ones in their place is still continuing. The Yagmuralan villagers are determined to continue in their struggle although the Greek Cypriot administration is trying to detain their struggle.

Esat Mustafa, Orhan Kemal and some other Yagmuralan villagers who reside in the UK got together in February 2004 and formed a committee and got in contact with other Yagmuralan villagers living in other countries. Realizing that they shared the same feelings about their village decided to start a joint struggle in order to reclaim their village.

APPLICATION TO GREEK CYPRIOT INTERIOR MINISTRY –
The Villagers started their struggle by first establishing the Yagmuralan association.
On 30 March 2004, they made a 10-page application to Greek Cypriot Interior Ministry via the Greek Cypriot London Embassy. In the application they demanded that the village be transferred to its former owners, the destroyed houses be rebuilt complete with its infrastructure and that people who suffered damages villagers be compensated.
In the Greek Cypriot Interior Ministry’s response, it was stated that, "Left Turkish properties were under the administration of the Turkish Cypriot Property Tutorship and since the Cyprus issue is not yet solved, property owners cannot use their rights over their properties."
In the response given to Yagmuralan Association members’ second letter, who were not satisfied with the Greek Cypriot Interior Ministry’s first response, it was stated that, ‘the investigation regarding Varosia will continue for 6 months.”
The Yagmuralan Association members, who thought this time period was too long, asked the Greek Cypriot administration to solve their problem until the end of September and decided to bring the issue to public attention. Firstly they visited state and government officials and informed them about their situation.
Following statements given to the media to keep the issue on the agenda and to carry out on spot inspections for their legal struggle, a journey was organized to Yagmuralan village on 9 September.

WE ARE PROCEEDING TOWARDS YAGMURALAN –

We are proceeding towards the Trodos mountains. Our lawyer Mrs. Emine Erk said "I think the car behind is following us." Then we realized that we were being followed by civilian police in a white Pajero. When we reached the peak of the mountain we saw the sign post showing Yagmuralan (Varosia) but after proceeding along the gravel road, we saw no sign post for the village.

ÖMER KALYONCU’S FATHER’S HOUSE –
Passing through the gravel roads, we reached the village. We first came across a destroyed house which was being used by foresters. After photographing it, we continued on our way. Then we saw a house, which only had its foundation, walls and fire place and learned that it belonged to the Transportation and Public Works Minister, Ömer Kalyoncu’s father Abdullah Ömer. It was really impossible to say that it was once a house.

THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE
PLACES WHERE ONCE THERE WERE HOUSES –
We found the village’s primary school, whose ceiling, door and windows were all broken and plundered, covered with overgrown grass and thorns. Orhan Kemal and other friends who were in the group during our journey were all very disappointed on seeing the terrible state of their old school. The oldest member of the group Kazali was running from side to side to find his house, his vineyards and orchards which had all been razed to the ground. Other Yagmuralan villagers in our group all had difficulties in even locating the places of their houses. Our job was to photograph these feelings and the remains of the ruins. The villagers all shared the same feelings and were saying that "these are our ancestral lands we want our village back and we will struggle until we gain our rights."

ESAT MUSTAFA –
The Yagmuralan Association’s Chairman, Esat Mustafa, who made the first statement about the investigation, after giving detailed information about their legal struggle stated that the Greek Cypriot administration’s delaying tactics were directed at putting them in a disadvantageous situation.
Pointing out that they had given time the Greek Cypriot Interior Minister until the end of December to solve their problem, Mustafa said if they did not receive a satisfactory result or answer, they would take the issue to the European Court of Human Rights and seek their legal rights.
Esat Mustafa said, "We are determined to reclaim our village back, we were born and educated on these lands, and want to die on these lands."

I just do not understand why the RoC government, once these people were asked and would proceed to formally acknowledge the RoC as the only legal and sovereign entity in Cyprus, and denounce and condemn the “TRNC” and the Turkish occupation as illegal and illegitimate situations on the ground of Cyprus; would not give to those people their village and homes back, and help them re-build it too, if this is what they truly wanted. It is truly beyond my ability to comprehend why they took such a position, if indeed this is the case.

[Kifeas]

...

[humanist]

Hey halill what about all the GC's whose villages are occupied by TC's and settlers do they get to have their properties returned? Are your expert lawyers going to ask for fairness? and equality or is it a case of what is your is yours and what is GC's is also yours as per usual?