Cyprus-Forum.com

[BirKibrisli]

This is a true story told to me by my mother.Her father ,my grandfather, had a GC friend who was also his business partner.They were really like brothers,doing everything together for over 45 years, till the events of 1963 forced them apart.A few years after the civil war started, my grandfather got a message that his GC friend was on his deathbed and he wanted to see him urgently.So my grandfather went to the neighbouring GC village to see his friend who was indeed very ill.After asking everyone else to leave the room,the GC guy said he had a confession to make :"You know when we used to go hunting and you were often irritated because I always walked behind you?There were people urging me to kill you because you were a TC,but I couldn't do that because I loved you like a brother,so I used to stamp on your shadow instead".My grandfather said,"Why do you think I wanted you beside me,and I always had my shotgun ready?I had the same murderous thoughts about you."

They hugged and cried and forgave each other,and the GC guy died soon after.

I think this sad story sums up the whole Cyprus conflict.Two communities who lived side by side for hundreds of years and had so much in common,could not stop themselves from wanting to blow each other up.The key to solving the Cyprus problem lies in understanding the historical and psychological factors at work here.That is why we need a Truth and Conciliation Commission to let get all that pain and bitterness off their chests,before we can go forward as one nation.

[Main_Source]

is that a true story or is it story with a strong morals behind it?

[Sotos]

is that a true story or is it story with a strong morals behind it?

It can not be both? So they were friends and they wanted to kill each other?

[BirKibrisli]

is that a true story or is it story with a strong morals behind it?

Main_Source,
This is a true story.I've heard it from Mother many times.She is 86 now and tends to repeat herself.But she has no reason to make up such a story.And neither do I.
There is of course a moral to it,and that's why I posted it.We need to understand why two people who knew each other probably all their lives,and were business partners for 45 years,and were like brothers,could also harbour murderous thoughts against each other.What was responsible for this?Historical animosity between Turks and Greeks,or anti Turkish/Greek propaganda cannot be solely responsible.These were two seriously disturbed people.Luckily their humanity won and neither carried out his hidden desire.But it disturbs me now that the thought was there.The more I think about it the more I believe in the neccessity of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Cypriots.Others in this forum have suggested that we are not mature enough or ready for such a process.Maybe that is what we should work on.To get the Cypriots ready to face their demons.How to do that is beyond me.

[Kifeas]

is that a true story or is it story with a strong morals behind it?

Main_Source,
This is a true story.I've heard it from Mother many times.She is 86 now and tends to repeat herself.But she has no reason to make up such a story.And neither do I.
There is of course a moral to it,and that's why I posted it.We need to understand why two people who knew each other probably all their lives,and were business partners for 45 years,and were like brothers,could also harbour murderous thoughts against each other.What was responsible for this?Historical animosity between Turks and Greeks,or anti Turkish/Greek propaganda cannot be solely responsible.These were two seriously disturbed people.Luckily their humanity won and neither carried out his hidden desire.But it disturbs me now that the thought was there.The more I think about it the more I believe in the neccessity of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Cypriots.Others in this forum have suggested that we are not mature enough or ready for such a process.Maybe that is what we should work on.To get the Cypriots ready to face their demons.How to do that is beyond me.

There is no magic recipe for this in order to be achieved overnight. Only time and new generations can gradually overcome the fear and mistrust. The younger generations are obtaining better and more education and have the opportunity to travel more extensively. These two factors help people consolidate a more healthy understanding and approach towards the other, can better judge what is right and what is wrong and can also understand and control their feelings and thoughts better. It is also more difficult for them to be influenced, fanatised and manipulated by those who have an agenda to do so and create problems.

Many times I thought that if Cypriots of the 50's and 60's had only half of today's mental capacity that they posses, most of the things that occurred during those years, wouldn't have taken place.

[Main_Source]

I just think its the mentality of old skool Cypriots.

I got TC friends but I dont make a point of going out and finding TC friends for the sake of something good. There are lots of GC and TC friends in the UK and people dont really get hung up about the issue. The only time friendship might fray is when politics or nationalism comes into things.

[cypezokyli]

I think this sad story sums up the whole Cyprus conflict

hey birkibrisli

i will disagree with you completely on this one

i think that it is a beautiful story
not sad but on the contrary...

they didnt trust indeed
but they didnt shoot either

it takes a lot of guts to resist the influence of your environment.
or
it takes a real friendship

plus the fact that they forgave each other
that they were honest to each other (even in the very end)
it is a sign that we can manage.

i mean it could be easy to kill someone under certain conditions
but under what conditions does someone kill a friend?

[Viewpoint]

Arent we all missing the point here, these supposedily 2 "best friends" given the right expolosive situation eg 1974 could have blown each others brains out without even thing twice they had this anger and hate towards each other bottled up. This is very frightening and many examples of this explosive hate was dispalyed in 1974 when many TCs and GCs said that the man who held a gun to our heads was in fact our good neighbour and not a stranger.

Do you all honestly feel that we are any better?? have we really progrossed?? I still sense the hatred and vegence desire in many GCs eg Piratis, Kifeas, Main_Source...of course this may not be a good cross section of GC community but it only takes a few people to influence the rest as we have seen in our history.

Is this a good basis to establish a partnership if we are constantly feel the threat of vegence and repraisals from a community who has a lot of bitterness and anger towards our community, which if ignited could spark the not only the violence of the past but also a need to undermine any agrrements we may reach eg Akritas?

[Kifeas]

Arent we all missing the point here, these supposedily 2 "best friends" given the right expolosive situation eg 1974 could have blown each others brains out without even thing twice they had this anger and hate towards each other bottled up. This is very frightening and many examples of this explosive hate was dispalyed in 1974 when many TCs and GCs said that the man who held a gun to our heads was in fact our good neighbour and not a stranger.

Do you all honestly feel that we are any better?? have we really progrossed?? I still sense the hatred and vegence desire in many GCs eg Piratis, Kifeas, Main_Source...of course this may not be a good cross section of GC community but it only takes a few people to influence the rest as we have seen in our history.

Is this a good basis to establish a partnership if we are constantly feel the threat of vegence and repraisals from a community who has a lot of bitterness and anger towards our community, which if ignited could spark the not only the violence of the past but also a need to undermine any agrrements we may reach eg Akritas?

Viewpoint
Did you tell Talat what you promised to tell him?

[Viewpoint]

Being our President hes a busy man what with EU USA UK and Turkish officials constantly knocking on his door, but if and when I get the oppoprtunity I will pass on your regards and best wishes