Gasman wrote:The carpetbaggers on CY44 have discussed the problem of "Greeks" visiting GC land on several occasions. They always advise that the registration number of the vehicle be noted and the "police" informed. I certainly would not hang around my property in the north if I knew I was likely to be arrested. Having said that some of my cousins visited their house in Komi Kebir and were invited in for a drink by the TCs who lived their, I doubt a carpetbagger would be as hospitable.
They are usually very vague about this and often just 'speculating' that the people they saw were GCs visiting their property. More than half the new builds over there are empty. Some of the largest developments have less than 20 or so people actually living in them.
I've been over so many times in my RoC car and never ever been asked any questions by anyone living there that I wonder about this. The only time I got questioned about property was just after one of the Orams decisions. TC police asked me if I live there. I said no I am just visiting. They then asked me if I had a house there (I was going South to North). I said 'no I am just visiting'.
I've photographed a lot of the property that's been built there showing how it built up over the years, especially along the coast from Famagusta to the Karpaz, and I don't hide to do it. And I drive a bright yellow car lol!
I did once forget to stop at the crossing and had a soldier with a gun running alongside me shouting Oi! oi! oi! I'd been laughing with some pals, gone thro the first one and just kept going! We did all have to get out of the car and answer a few questions about what we were bringing into the South 9
I've tackled Hotel 'owners' whose brochures state that it has been run by their family there and in the UK since the year dot, pointing out to them that it is listed as a GC owned hotel. Ain't been arrested yet. And always welcome back there too.
I've been asked at the crossings where I stayed when they could see I'd been there for several nights. I freely give the name of the hotel. I've never had any negative comment from border personnel. The only thing one said to me once (bloke looked about 40ish) was that he'd never been over there so didn't have a clue where I was talking about really - we both laughed as it seemed daft for him to have asked me where I'd been in the first place!
They've helped me sort out whether NZ pals can come into Ercan from Turkey and travel South to stay with me. In fact it was the GC border bods who told me that the only place they might get a bit sticky about the rules was the SBA crossing - that if they went thro' Metehan they were highly unlikely to get pulled up on anything. His words were 'they turn a blind eye at Metehan'.
Must say I often think these workers have one of the most boring jobs in the world. Hardly ever any incidents. Just stood there all day and night. And all those young GC and TC soldiers standing either side of the line on the lookouts - guns at the ready for their counterparts should they do what I cannot imagine. For quite a length of no mans land, they just stand atop abandoned houses - not on lookout towers. And they all look so young.
Very sad.
I suggest that a British woman in an ROC registered car is seen as less of a threat than a Greek Cypriot man would be. For years before the Green line was opened I was told quite firmly by all the Cypriots I knew "you cannot go to the north" That was what they all believed, that was their perception of the north.
In 2003 I attended a Cyprus WW2 Veterans reunion with my father in Nicosia. I asked the Senior British UN officer present if I could visit the north with the UN. Much to my surprise he said "if you have a British Passport you can go, the TCs can't stop you". The next day I crossed at Ledra Hotel on foot. I asked the quite aggressive TC policeman where I could get a taxi. He walked round to the taxi rank with me and picked out one particular driver. He spoke to him quite firmly, I reckon he was telling him I was of GC descent so to keep an eye on me. I got on well with the driver, I bought him lunch in Bogazi and a beer in Famagusta but I did not ask him to stop outside my father's house because I believed it could lead to trouble. That was my perception at that time because of what I had been told. Having read your post perhaps some Greek Cypriots would be a little more relaxed about visiting their property in the north but I'm not sure I would.
