Cyprus-Forum.com

[halil]

MARCH FOR TRUTH AND HOPE !

[Get Real!]

More pictures from Yesterday ......

MARCH FOR TRUTH AND HOPE !

I don't know what you're on about when yesterday you voted for "two separate states" in that poll...

[halil]

MARCH FOR TRUTH AND HOPE !

[halil]

MARCH FOR TRUTH AND HOPE !

Teachers join forces in call for history book change By Alexia Saoulli

OVER 150 Greek and Turkish Cypriots yesterday joined voices to call for a change to the island’s history books and a greater push from both leaders for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

Past conflicts that shaped the island’s history needed to be talked about openly and truthfully if an honest future was going to be achieved in Cyprus, the demonstrators said.

“These issues are unfortunately approached with hysteria and are not dealt with scientifically. Our history is used as political tool and a scientist cannot accept this,” said Pavlos Pavlou, a secondary school history teacher and founding member of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Platform ‘United Cyprus’.

Pavlou was speaking ahead of a peaceful bicommunal march “for truth and hope” in Nicosia yesterday. The march was organised by the platform in an effort to raise awareness about a number of key issues, he said: one, that a Cyprus solution was necessary “now”, two, that the island’s history books had to change and past conflicts had to be discussed openly and honestly, three, to honour the dead and the missing from the conflicts of 1963 and 1974, and four, to demand greater participation of women in the struggle for peace as male chauvinism was part of the problem.

Just over 100 Greek Cypriots, mostly teachers, gathered at Eleftheria Square and walked the length of Ledra Street, until just before the checkpoint, releasing 300 metres of black ribbon along the way. They were met by Turkish Cypriots who had set off from Inonou Square and walked the length of Lokmaci in the north, unfolding a black ribbon of their own.

Both ends of the ribbon were tied together when the two sides met up “symbolising the union of our common effort to build a momentum of hope for our country’.

[b]Pavlou said at the moment history was taught in such a way that little reference was made to the struggles suffered by Turkish Cypriots in the 60s. He said there was a lot of ignorance surrounding the real events pre 1974 and that many students were under the impression that up until the invasion, the island had been “a happy Greek Cypriot country and then the bad Turks came along”.[/b]

The teacher said the schools’ history books were party to blame but so was society for failing to talking about the facts openly and honestly “even though certain age groups know the facts”.

One 33-year-old participant said: “I came here today as a show of support for education reform. The history books need to change and we need to start talking about how that should be done. Let’s just hope that both sides agree on [what they contain] and that the books are not changed in such a way that they continue to distort history.”



Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2009

[Sotos]

He said there was a lot of ignorance surrounding the real events pre 1974 and that many students were under the impression that up until the invasion, the island had been “a happy Greek Cypriot country and then the bad Turks came along

We all know that the Turks first attacked in 1571 and until 1974 they had already killed many 10s of thousands of Cypriots. 1974 was just more of the same from the Turks. More invasions and more killings.

Throughout the period of Venetian rule, Ottoman Turks raided and attacked at will. In 1489, the first year of Venetian control, Turks attacked the Karpas Peninsula, pillaging and taking captives to be sold into slavery. In 1539 the Turkish fleet attacked and destroyed Limassol. Fearing the ever-expanding Ottoman Empire, the Venetians had fortified Famagusta, Nicosia, and Kyrenia, but most other cities were easy prey.

In the summer of 1570, the Turks struck again, but this time with a full-scale invasion rather than a raid. About 60,000 troops, including cavalry and artillery, under the command of Lala Mustafa Pasha landed unopposed near Limassol on July 2, 1570, and laid siege to Nicosia. In an orgy of victory on the day that the city fell--September 9, 1570--20,000 Nicosians were put to death, and every church, public building, and palace was looted. Word of the massacre spread, and a few days later Mustafa took Kyrenia without having to fire a shot. Famagusta, however, resisted and put up a heroic defense that lasted from September 1570 until August 1571.

Halil can you tell me what the Cypriots have done to you and you attacked us? Why you killed so many 1000s of innocent people? Why you oppressed us for 300 years? What was your excuse back then asshole?

[paliometoxo]

He said there was a lot of ignorance surrounding the real events pre 1974 and that many students were under the impression that up until the invasion, the island had been “a happy Greek Cypriot country and then the bad Turks came along

actually i just studied the history of cyprus last semester, i had a australien teacher and what they teach us is that gcs where living with the catholics who where running cyprus then the turks ( ottomans ) came killing thousands of gcs and the catholics run.


cyprus was just fine untilt he turks came to invade and take our land yet again, they where not happy with Constantonopole they had to conme take a chunk of cyprus to..

its a good thing germans arent saying no to the turks otherwise they would try invade germany to.. i hope soon germans tell turks where to go