Cyprus-Forum.com

[halil]

Varosa built on Evkaf land

15.05.2009

Ozcan Ozcanhan

Ninety-one year old Mehmet Ali Cincioglu from Gazikoy (former Afania village), as a living witness, has told the Observer Cyprus, “The British and the Greek Cypriots used and even changed title deeds of Evkaf properties for many years. Varosa town was built on Evkaf land.”
Cincioglu criticised the European Court of Justice (ECJ) decision on the Orams case and claimed, “The verdict is wrong. Turkish owned properties and Evkaf lands sinisterly and covertly were used for many years. And many Greek Cypriots who utilised them for long periods were issued title deeds by the British colonial administrators and later on by the Greek Cypriot Lands and Surveys Office. They should sit in the guilty chair not the Turks and other foreigners who have built on former Greek Cypriot land in North Cyprus. The British rulers encouraged Greek Cypriots and Armenians to buy Turkish properties. Unfortunately many of us sold. There were hard times, no money, life was very difficult and many sold their immovables in order to survive, especially during the Second World War.”
He described how farmers had to hand to the British their harvested grains, sheep and goats. He said many Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots had to join the British armed forces and had to go to war against the Germans. Many unemployed young men served in the British armed forces, some lost their lives, others were taken prisoners of war by the enemy, said the old man.
“After the war, I served as the secretary of the village co-operative. There were 3 Greek Cypriot members and two Turkish Cypriots. We gave credits and helped the needy village farmers and animal breeders. I bought my first property from a Greek Cypriot woman, when I won 175 pounds for a single shilling I had in my pocket, in the horse races. I also bought goats, sheep and two cattle, which I used for farming. We had no tractors, harvesters etc. All was done by bare hands and sickle. In 1955 my farm was set on fire by Greek Cypriot EOKA men and my two water wells were blown up. Two of my best friends were murdered. I was assured by Greek Cypriot villagers that they would not harm us or damage our properties. I believed them. I was a fool to trust them. Hell broke loose and our village was divided into the Turkish quarter-enclave and the Greek quarter. Many of our next of kin left the village and moved to safer Turkish areas.”
What would happen if they had to live, once again, together with the Greek Cypriots, or under their rule; Cincioglu said, “God forbid. We do not trust them. We cannot live in safety without the guarantee of Turkey. Our lives, properties, honour and families were saved by the Turkish armed forces in 1974. Had Turkey not intervened, God knows what they and the Greek junta would have done to us. Everybody knows how they murdered and buried in mass graves many innocent Turkish Cypriots and burnt their properties.”
Why did Turkish Cypriots, who lost their homes and loved ones, not resort to the European Courts, Cincioglu said, “We did not know the existence of any court that would punish Greek Cypriot criminals. They stole and used our homes, lands, orchards all over Cyprus and deprived us from earning our daily life after both 1955 and 1963. They should pay the penalty. I hope Mr. Talat or our leaders take them to courts.”
Did they enjoy life now as there are no Greek Cypriot inhabitants in the village, Cincioglu said, “We have problems, drought, water shortage, bad harvest, but we are at least safe and we know that they cannot harm us, kidnap us and kill us.”
Was there unemployment at the village? He said no. Every one was busy with their daily work.
“At least what we produce we can take to the town and sell. When Policarpos Yorgacis was Interior Minister, he had set road blocks and we could not go to Nicosia or Famagusta without being harassed, searched and our goods destroyed. Some of our people were kidnapped. I was the only one who had a car. Every time I had to take a patient to Nicosia I was intercepted. I was hurt and bruised. We do not want those days again. Let them live in South Cyprus. We are alright in the North. If they want to live in peace with us, this way is better. Our leaders, our politicians must be very careful not to be deceived, because the Greek Cypriots are very crafty, cunning and cruel. I do not understand politics. What I understand at this age, after having those bitter experiences, is that I want to live the rest of my days without fear. I would very much appreciate if somebody paid me back my lost years and paid me compensation for my farm, wells and members of my family.”
What about the new generation, would they agree with the views of Cincioglu?
“Young people do not know what we lived through. There are only two at my age, alive in the village. The young generation must learn the past and must follow their leaders. Otherwise, they may be lured by the Greek Cypriots, who pretend to want peace and a Cyprus solution. I believe that the Greek Cypriots, still, want the whole of Cyprus. And they want Turks to leave and go. This will never happen I want to tell them. We will all die but there will always be Turks on this island because it was their homeland in the first place. What they stole from us, we got back. Let the world understand and let them not treat Turks as looters. We were the ones looted and deprived of our land and properties by EOKA campaign, Orthodox Church and Archbishop Makarios. Turkish properties left in South Cyprus are more valuable than theirs in the North. Let them exchange and settle the property issue once and for all.”



Hopballaaaa with above topic real war will start ! lets and see it !

watch the forum guns !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Get Real!]

Nobody here recognizes “Evkaf land” anymore… the Victorian days are long gone but if you insist on going back in time then tell us how much “Evkaf land” you had in 1570…

[kurupetos]

Hi Halil,

I was just thinking, is the nearby ancient city-state of Salamis on Evkaf land as well?

[bill cobbett]

Is Halil Evingalaf again? I know I am.

[Oracle]

Boomerang posted this a while back ...

[07] KIBRISLI publishes documents proving that all the compensation rights regarding the Evkaf foundation's property were denounced in 1959; Denktas and the Director of the Evkaf try to declare this information to be untrue
Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRISLI newspaper (08 and 09.10.03) publishes a document both in English and Turkish languages proving that the Turkish Cypriot community had renounced in 1959 all its compensation rights regarding the property of Evkaf religious foundation. Under the document are the signatures of the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas and the late Vice President of the Republic of Cyprus Fazil Kucuk.
Under the title 'Our people did not deserve this', the paper wrote, inter alia, the following yesterday on the issue: 'With an agreement they made with the colonial administration, they donated to the British all the compensation rights of our people regarding the Evkaf property.

They signed that the Turkish Cypriot community would not demand compensations in return for one million and five hundred thousand sterling pounds. Now they are claiming that they would appeal to court and demand their rights.

It was decided that five hundred thousand pounds would be deposited into an account in 'Turk Bankasi' in the name of Kucuk and Denktas as 'urgent' needs. The two leaders noted in the answering letter they had written that they were accepting the proposal.

In the letter he wrote, the British governor asked (from the two leaders to accept) the commitment that no financial claims would be raised in the name of the Turkish community and the Evkaf. The leaders gave this commitment in return of one and a half million sterling pounds. Meanwhile, it was alleged that Dr. Kucuk did not want to sign this document, but he had been convinced by Denktas. '

[T_C]

I think what GR said is more believable than what that article claims...

Denktash might be stupid to some degree, but he's not sooo stupid that he would sell all that land for a mere £1.500.000! As far as I know it's not easy to sell land belonging to Evkaf. Plus £1.5 mil is nothing for all that land (even with Varosha taken off)...only a retard would do such a thing...

[Oracle]

It's just Turks trying to "sell" land to Brits (again ), that doesn't belong to them ...

Deja vu .....

[paliometoxo]

and if that does not work plan two. fill the houses with turks and not let them sell the houses

[YFred]

GCs can't have it both ways, on one side to wish for every one to have their land back and the other none if it belonged to Efkaf. Yeah right.

[Paphitis]

GCs can't have it both ways, on one side to wish for every one to have their land back and the other none if it belonged to Efkaf. Yeah right.

But there is absolutely no such thing as Efkaf Land registered under the 1960 Zurich Agreements or Cyprus Land Reigistry.....