bill cobbett wrote:The "13-year-old Brit's" parents have some explaining to do, as to how they may have come to raise their family on the stolen land belonging to others, and how they have tried to profit from the misery of others.
...so here's the first few paras of another story of the forced exodus from the same village of Agios Amvrosios (aka Esentepe) by a seventeen-year-old, which starts with the flight of some of the women and children of the village...
By Kyriacos Christodoulou
My story begins in 1974, as a 17-year old. I am from a small town in the northern part of Cyprus, called Ayios Amvrosios, where most of the invasion took place. It is difficult to explain my feelings at the time – I couldn’t believe that this was happening. I expected that the international community would not allow a massive country like Turkey to invade a country like Cyprus with 600,000 people, but it was happening before my own eyes.
There were two invasions, on July 20 and August 14. The second invasion saw most of the inhabitants of my town – including me – board whatever vehicles were available and flee to save our lives. We went across the mountain to the sanctuary. I have seen devastation, raging fires, and bombardment from sea, air and land. It was a horrific experience for a youngster like myself.
I will never forget my final journey away from Ayios Ambvosios. We were on a truck; there were maybe 50 people – mainly women and children. I can remember the driver driving around the town once more while we all screamed ‘what are you doing?’ He replied that he wanted all of us to see the town one last time. It was a very moving experience. That final departure from the place of my most carefree and loving times was when I first felt a sense of deep injustice, and that I must do something for as long as I can. And this is what I have been doing for most of the rest of my life.
But this story started in 1974.......What happened before that Pappa. Why have you started reading me the book from the middle and not the beginning.