Cyprus-Forum.com

[erolz]

The following is a (scanned and OCR'ed - so forgive the mistakes) an article that appeared in this weeks Cyprus Today (north cypriot english language weekly newspaper) under the title

"A Turning point in the history of Cyprus"

and sub heading "The attack on Kofinou"

written (it says 'with' but I am assuming it means written by) by Sevgul Uludag (complete with scetch picture of author btw)

Sorry for reproducing such a long article but it does not exist on the internet and I think others may be interested in it.

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Back in 1967,tension was growing in the Ayio Thedoros-Kofinou area. The crazy Turkish commander whose name was "Cetin" or "Ringo" according to Turkish Cypriots and "Mehmet" to the UN, was imposing policies that would lead to conflict.

He must have been really crazy - or did he have orders to -create a provocative atmosphere? He was giving orders to cut the, Nicosia-Limassol road, to block entrance to Ayios Theodoros and to shoot at passing cars. People were afraid of him: He had banned old Turkish Cypriots from speaking Greek and was imposing a "military" type of order in the two villages.

He created conflict among the two main communities and had also attacked the UN soldiers.

He had replaced another Turkish commander who was killed by some Turkish Cypriots from Kofinou. Gunay, who had banned provocations among the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, apparently did not serve the "cause" at that time."You will not rob the houses of Greek Cypriots! You will not burn their fields!" he said. One night, he was trapped in the village cinema, shot and wounded and died on the way to the Limassol hospital According-to villagers, he is still burried in the yard of the hospital.

Ismail Hamit was little more than a boy back in those times. He was from the village and was one of the guards manning the makeshift barricade created to block the road going into it. "We were about 100 soldiers," he remembers, "And there were around 10 Points where we were on the lookout," They had not left the village for some years, for fear of being killed. `You wouldn't know, but anything Could happen. People could go missing on the road.

The conflict in Ayios Theodoros had started back in 1964. Minor incidents would be interpreted as "ethnic" and people would get worked up.

"Once, one Turkish Cypriot had said something to a Greek Cypriot woman; he had verbally harassed her and the Greek Cypriot police took him in for questioning. In retaliation we took A busload of Greek Cypriots for questioning.

"They would shoot and kill a Turkish Cypriot and in return we would shoot a Greek Cypriot. But who were those killed? They would be old people, a 70- or 80-year-old man, grazing his sheep in the fields. Things like this", recalls Ismail

Turkish Cypriots, under the command of "Cetin" wouldn't allow police patrols to pass into the village. The UN was trying to escort the police and tension was building up. The Greek Cypriot officials were afraid that a "Turkish Cypriot enclave" was being created and wanted to stop this.

So on November 15, 1967, General Grivas decided to attack the two villages of Ayios Theodoros and Kofinou. The night before, he had brought troops and army vehicles to surround the villages. The commandos were ready and their commander from Greece told them: "Later, we will be blamed for the massacre. But we will go into the village and we will not leave even a lame chicken alive!" Marios Thembriotis was one of the commandos taking part in the attack; he was from Paphos and was doing his military service back in 1967.

"We entered the village ," he remembers of the attack when 22 Turkish Cypriots were killed. "These were the people who did not or could not escape. There were some old people or sick people who could not get up. Those who didn't escape were women and kids and old people. The commandos started destroying some houses, burning some down and stealing jewellery"

Ali Gurkan was just 10 years old then. "We had toy guns that we had made out of wood and would play in the street," he says. "O)n November' 15, we were playing in the street in the afternoon, but when the bombs started falling, we realised that this wasn't a game. We went into the house to hide, together with our neigbibours."

The assault on Kofinou, being .. taken prisoner and spending the night in a school at Skorino would mark Ali for life. He would never forget the smell which he thought was burning, wood. In fact, it was an old man, set on fire by the commandos, who died burning. They were being taken away from ` the village and he remembers this smell and the sight of something hang burning on the floor.

"One of the soidiers went and closed the doors so we would not see. I did not realise [at the time] that it was a human being burning. I thought it was wood."

Later he would go to play in the street where the bodies of dead Turkish Cypriots were dumped in a half-finished construction site. He remembers the bodies laid out on the floor and a woman coming to ask him, if he had seen her son. "I told her `Go and check those over there'. I was just a child and didn't think at the time. She went and found her son and came out shouting and crying."

In Ayios Theodorcs, Ismail Hamit was in a house when the attacks took place. He recalls: "We were four people: I saw two of them shot and killed. I could not sleep at night for a long time. No human being should see the killing of another. The Greek Cypriot soldiers told us `You think you have become men, to block this road?' "

Ismail spent 10 years of his life as a soldier in those days. Now, looking back, he says: "Who wants to live through the things we did? I wish we had not experienced the things we did in those times."

The commandos stayed until 4am and then Marios remembers: "We started to run!" Turkey had threatened to intervene and some Turkish planes flew over Nicosia. Ismail wonders: "Why did they wait so long to fly over?"

Later things would change on the island: it was as though the "ruling powers" had decided to reshuffle and redistribute the cards. Greek troops, together with Grivas would leave the island. Rauf Dentktas who was living in Ankara, would return to Cyprus. Intercommunal negotiations would start in Beirut between him and Glafcos Clerides. A kind Of "normalisation" would begin on the island, to last until 1974.

At the end of 1967; the Turkish side would declare "The TemporaryTurkish Administration", like a dress rehearsal for a seperate State. According to the memories of the Turkish ambassador of the time, Ercument Yavuzalp, these results were good for Turkey and "the removal of the 10,000 Greek soldiers from Cyprus would help Turkey later, in 1974, during the military operation".

These events are still part of the puzzle we're trying to solve because those responsible for the provocations and the attack have not spoken up. No one has demanded accounts from those responsible, so those who gave the orders to provoke trouble or to attack these villages are still free.These are the missing parts of our common history in Cyprus; the way we have written it, the way we have shaped it. With a lot of blood and tears, still waiting to be washed away.

Only if we claim our common history, with all its: atrocities and all its mistakes, no matter where from can we perhaps create some understanding about what really happened. Otherwise the puzzle will remain for each to interpret according to their own interests and needs, but not according to the common interests of our island's two main communities.

[Bananiot]

Erolz, I have read this article in Greek in yesterdays "Alitheia" newspaper. Sevgul has become a real authority on these dark and forgotten side of Cyprus. In yesterday's "Politis" newspaper there is an interesting interview of former president Klerides which is very enlightening. He referred to events on August 13 1974 when talks were held in Geneva and Turkey asked for geographical federation. At the time the Turkish army occupied a small area in and around Kyrenia. Klerides was representing Makarios at the talks and despite agreeing he had to consult with Makarios who flatly rejected the Turkish proposal. Greece was also divided on this. Karamanlis (senior) accepted but foring Minister Mavros rejected the offer. Thus followed the second push by the Turkish army. Two years later federation on the groung (and not functional federation as Ecevit had asked before the events) became the official policy of Makarios.

Two years after the invasion talks hadn't started yet because the two sides got stuck on whom will give proposals first. Eventually, Karamanlis pursuaded Makarios that the GC side made the first move. Off went Klerides to meet Denktash in Vienna and the arrangement was that the Turkish side would give proposals ten days after the GC side. Klerides was accompanied by Papadopoulos and Triantafillides (At. General). Just before handling over our proposals Papadopoulos and Triantafillides pursuaded Makarios that it was wrong for our side to give proposals first and Makarios called Klerides to tell him to hold back. Klerides argued with Makarios who, came up with a most interesting solution. You are three there, he told Klerides, do what the majority decides! Klerides was hell bent on talks to start so he gave the proposals but he was betrayed by the Turkish side who almost immediately leaked the information (despite agreeing not to go public) and Klerides became the scapegoat for Cyprus politics for many years after.

[Kifeas]

Two years after the invasion talks hadn't started yet because the two sides got stuck on whom will give proposals first. Eventually, Karamanlis pursuaded Makarios that the GC side made the first move. Off went Klerides to meet Denktash in Vienna and the arrangement was that the Turkish side would give proposals ten days after the GC side. Klerides was accompanied by Papadopoulos and Triantafillides (At. General). Just before handling over our proposals Papadopoulos and Triantafillides pursuaded Makarios that it was wrong for our side to give proposals first and Makarios called Klerides to tell him to hold back. Klerides argued with Makarios who, came up with a most interesting solution. You are three there, he told Klerides, do what the majority decides! Klerides was hell bent on talks to start so he gave the proposals but he was betrayed by the Turkish side who almost immediately leaked the information (despite agreeing not to go public) and Klerides became the scapegoat for Cyprus politics for many years after.

Therefore Papadopoullos and Triantafillides were right in their judgement!

[Bananiot]

Absolutely not. Klerides foresaw that time was running against us and he desparately wanted movement before the situation on the ground became irreversible. At the time there were no settlers and not a single house was built on GC land, but it appears that we have a habit of throwing stones against those that see further than their nose.

[Kifeas]

Absolutely not. Klerides foresaw that time was running against us and he desparately wanted movement before the situation on the ground became irreversible. At the time there were no settlers and not a single house was built on GC land, but it appears that we have a habit of throwing stones against those that see further than their nose.

And of course he succeeded in his mission to get the Turks negotiating before the situation on the ground became "irreversible!"

[Bananiot]

He did but unfortunately the Kyprianou era started immediately afterwards where logic and pragmatism where thrown in the bin, just like today.

[cypezokyli]

just to get the counter arguments of klerides interview

http://www.enet.gr/online/online_text?d ... d=83984912

sorry only in greek.

nobody can really tell what would have happened if that was signed. in any case that is where we are heading 30 years later.

[cypezokyli]

as for the article in cyprus mail...

hopefully we can learn from it and not repeat the same mistakes

[gabaston]

Cypriots learn from their mistakes? yeah right

uh-uh not cypriots. the bigger their mistakes the more they blame someone else..

havent you heard "the biggest donkeys in the world are in cyprus".

[MicAtCyp]

In yesterday's "Politis" newspaper there is an interesting interview of former president Klerides which is very enlightening. He referred to events on August 13 1974 when talks were held in Geneva and Turkey asked for geographical federation. At the time the Turkish army occupied a small area in and around Kyrenia. Klerides was representing Makarios at the talks and despite agreeing he had to consult with Makarios who flatly rejected the Turkish proposal. Greece was also divided on this. Karamanlis (senior) accepted but foring Minister Mavros rejected the offer. Thus followed the second push by the Turkish army. Two years later federation on the groung (and not functional federation as Ecevit had asked before the events) became the official policy of Makarios.

Ha, ha, ha, very nice very nice. Why don't you tell the whole truth about what the article said Bananiot? Was Klerides and the rest so idiots to risk it when Turkey was simply holding a few Km of land around Kyrenia? What was the other demand of Turkey Bananiot? Come on tell the forum loud and clear. Everybody is waiting!
Why Klerides said he would risk it and then commit suicide?

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Thank you very much Erol for your effort and your sharing with us of the article. Schocking details indeed. I was always wondering why they set on fire that poor 90 year old TC. Sad article yet shows how the young innocent people were used. What a stupid era. . . .
So in the end all villagers except 22 run out of the village to where though? Most propably inside the Nicosia enclave?

Now I will risk once again say what I said in the past and Erol objected me fiercefully: Was everything perhaps organised by TMT/TC leadership so that Grivas would do the dirty job for them
of pushing all the TC villagers around Kofinou to leave their homes and go inside the enclaves?
Should Grivas not attack would we end up with another enclave on the most important road junction that connects 3 out of 5 of the major Cyprus towns? What else could Grivas do under such conditions other than attacking?
And finally was it necessary for this idiot to order the killing of the few women and old men who stayed inside the village? What for????