Cyprus-Forum.com

[Omer Seyhan]

Denying that a Cypriot identity (separate to Greek / Turkish) exists can be very dangerous....

A genocide survivor, Manouk lived in Nicosia in the 1960s in the Turkish Cypriot quarter. One day there was a fire at his house and Manouk was upstairs. In a bid to escape he dangled out of the top window waiting for the fire brigade to arrive (which in 1960s Cyprus was unlikely to arrive any time soon...)

Anyway, a crowd of Turkish Cypriots gathered below stretching out a blanket. They begged Manouk to jump to save his life. But Manouk said: "No, you Turks hate us Armenians. If I jump you'll pull the blanket away. Put the blanket on the floor then I'll jump....."

Surprised, the crowd told Manouk: "We're Cypriot Manouk, you know us we're your neighbours" but Manouk wouldn't accept it: "No such thing!" he said. The crowd eventually accepted Manouk's terms. And as the flames grew more violent, Manouk jumped.....to his death.

[halil]

he must be another brain washed IDIOT.

[Oracle]

Admin, please delete this particularly racist and degrading (to all humanity) thread!

[kafenes]

Denying that a Cypriot identity (separate to Greek / Turkish) exists can be very dangerous....

A genocide survivor, Manouk lived in Nicosia in the 1960s in the Turkish Cypriot quarter. One day there was a fire at his house and Manouk was upstairs. In a bid to escape he dangled out of the top window waiting for the fire brigade to arrive (which in 1960s Cyprus was unlikely to arrive any time soon...)

Anyway, a crowd of Turkish Cypriots gathered below stretching out a blanket. They begged Manouk to jump to save his life. But Manouk said: "No, you Turks hate us Armenians. If I jump you'll pull the blanket away. Put the blanket on the floor then I'll jump....."

Surprised, the crowd told Manouk: "We're Cypriot Manouk, you know us we're your neighbours" but Manouk wouldn't accept it: "No such thing!" he said. The crowd eventually accepted Manouk's terms. And as the flames grew more violent, Manouk jumped.....to his death.

You forgot to mention who sat the fire.

[halil]

Armenian and Turkish Cypriots relation ship by Alkan Chaglar from:

http://www.azad-hye.net/article/article ... re=172js59



Although the Armeno-Turkish conflict in Anatolia left many bitter memories, Cypriot Armenians enjoyed closer ties with the Turkish Cypriots than with other Cypriots. Whatever transpired in Anatolia had no bearing on their relations with Turkish Cypriots. Both were Turkish speaking; Armenians had arrived in Cyprus from Southern and Eastern Anatolia and their culture and traditions were Turkish. From their names one can clearly see the centuries long experience of living with Turks, Bichakjian (Bicakcioglu), Ouzunian (Uzunoglu), and even Shishmanian (Sismanoglu) -ian denotes ‘son of’ in Armenian. Often these names have a geographical origin, so a family from Antep would be Antepian, or it would suggest noble ancestry or a profession or physical trait, such as Karagozian (blackeyed) or Boyatzian (painter). They may also have Muslim and Turkic names, Azizian, Turfanian and even Osmanian.
In Cyprus, they not only established their businesses among the Turkish Cypriots but built friendships with them and exchanged visits to each other’s homes. Even though the Greeks formed the majority of Cyprus’ population, the Armenians had more contact with Turkish Cypriots, as few of them spoke Greek. They already knew Turkish as a mother tongue and most of them continued to converse in Turkish on the island, in order to communicate among themselves and with their Turkish Cypriot neighbours. Often it was necessary to tell certain stories, anecdotes or jokes within the family in Turkish, as they sounded better in that language.



Like Turkish Cypriots, Armenians have a similar passion for Bastirma (a traditional dried spicy sausage) and Soujouk, which the newly arrived Armenians would sell. Unaware of prejudice they made good business from transporting their Anatolian delights to Cypriot kitchens. While the elders worked, their children would happily play games in the streets, and by evening they would sleep in each other’s arms. Even the odd Armenian –Turkish Cypriot love story was not uncommon.

Many Turkish Cypriots like my grandparents have fond memories of coexistence with Armenians, but also with Greeks and Maronites. At their annual village Panayia, in Ayios Theodoros, similar to the Feria, a village festival in Southern France, many of the confectioners who made the tastiest sweet and sticky treats, and many of the regular tradesmen and shopkeepers in the old city with whom the Turkish Cypriots dealt with on a day to day basis were Armenians.



By the 1950s the Armenians founds themselves caught in the middle of inter-communal conflict in Cyprus. Sue Pattie, recounts a story in her book “ Faith in history”, when during the peak of Greco-Turkish conflict, an Armenian risked their lives to help their Turkish neighbours by sheltering them in their home after a rumour of an imminent attack by militiamen. “One Turkish family that lived just on the river’s edge came to us and asked if we would protect them for the night. We were Armenians and we wouldn’t be attacked (by the Greeks). They were very good neighbours. The mother had stayed with me when my father was dying. The boys used to play together, how could we say no?”

Many Armenians reacted to the troubles by emigrating abroad. Many went to Australia and Britain.



Engaged in the invidious task of discussing Armeno-Turkish relations, an issue seldom brought to people’s attention, it seems the two peoples have enjoyed a special relationship on the island. This could be used to Cyprus’ advantage if we are to seek a lasting peace. Even if one considers the historical; dimensions of the Armenian Question, it would be incongruent with the truth to suggest that Armeno-Turkish relations in Cyprus were poor, amid the political problems this would be an easy assumption to make. But memories like this remind us that they were often amicable and at times even brotherly.

[Gasman]

FLASH REPORT ON RACISM & XENOPHOBIA IN CYPRUS
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2010/jan/cyprus-racism-report-august-2009.pdf
Maronite, Armenian, Latin, Gypsy and Anglican minority inhabitants in Cyprus

[kafenes]

FLASH REPORT ON RACISM & XENOPHOBIA IN CYPRUS
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2010/jan/cyprus-racism-report-august-2009.pdf
Maronite, Armenian, Latin, Gypsy and Anglican minority inhabitants in Cyprus

What does this have to do with the title of this thread?

[kafenes]

Halil, don't give me this rubbish copy/pastes. I know what happened first hand from my grandparents and mother who lived there at the time.

[halil]

FLASH REPORT ON RACISM & XENOPHOBIA IN CYPRUS
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2010/jan/cyprus-racism-report-august-2009.pdf
Maronite, Armenian, Latin, Gypsy and Anglican minority inhabitants in Cyprus

thanks for the Link.

[Gasman]

What does this have to do with the title of this thread?

Armenian connection darlinks.