Cyprus-Forum.com

[insan]

THE 1895 (TAHTAKALE, VADILI, VITSADA AND DOHNI) INCIDENTS


The first ENOSIS-caused mass incidents between Turkish and Greek Cypriots started on 19 April 1895 with a provocative publication by the Alithia newspaper.. The article which stressed that the Greek Cypriots' only ambition was to integrate with Greece read as follows:

"Next Sunday, the voices that come from the bottom of the mournful hearts of the public from Baf to Karpaz, Limasol to Crete and from one end of Cyprus to the other will rise in complete unity and harmony and reflect our final aspiration and hope... The Greek blood that runs in our veins keeps us alive and unites us against the disrespect for our public.. Honorable villagers and Greek Cypriots, run to the meetings at town centers... And declare the foreigners that we, as the honorable villagers of the future, have one single ambition: integration with our great and majestic mother, your and our Greece. Neither Turks, nor Europeans nor another thing. Either we integrate with Greece or we will not consent to any change in our political status. We do not want to be the province of any country. God forbid that. O Greeks, declare the Annexation, make it happen before the last minute comes (1)!" After this publication, massive demonstrations punctuated by slogans of Enosis were held in all major cities and towns in early May. The committees established in towns for this purpose sent letters to priests, teachers, village administrators and intellectuals in all settlement units of the island , calling on them to participate.

The Greek Consul , the major orchestrator of the ENOSIS incidents expended arduous efforts for the election of ferocious ENOSIS supporters especially in the 1895 archbishop elections. The British High Commissioner , wary of the situation informed London of Greek provocation as follows:

"The Kitium bishop negotiated the Greek consul when the archbishop elections drew close, requested support stating that he would work for integration of Cyprus with Greece. The annexation incitement continued during the elections. One of the most frequently used ENOSIS posters was this: Viva Annexation to Greece!" (2).

The British High Commissioner was right in finding out the Greek incitement. Because, Greek Consul Philemon joined "Greek independence day festivals" in his official uniform on 25 March. He was hailed as "the representative of our King" and heard the slogans for early ENOSIS ringing out in the town.

Demonstrations similar to that in Limasol were also held in Larnaka, Nicosia and other major settlements and the British administration was notified of the dacisions taken in this regard.4).

The Greek Cypriots who celebrated 25 March Greek Independence Day instigated the Turks living in Tahtakale, Vadili and Vitsada.

The Turkish public did not remain silent to these provocations and sent the İstanbul and London governments telegrams each that expressed their resentment. The Turkish government acted urgently and entrusted its ambassador to London to protest. British Ambassador to İstanbul Sir Philip Currie over the developments. In addition, the Turkish government stated that the British also had responsibility for what was going on Cyprus and requested that "the instigations by Greek agents be stopped immediately".

Ambassador Currie sent a report to the British Foreign Office on 9 May regarding his talk with Turkish officials, which read:

"When I submitted the content of your telegram dated 3 May to the Bab-ı Ali, Said Paşa told me that there were quite widespread excitement and incitements in Cyprus, that the Muslim community in the island complained and the harassing behaviors of Christians, that Greek cypriots insulted Turks, that Turks feared of Greek cypriot assaults and as a result that many Muslims had to abandon the island. He further stated he hoped that these London would be informed of all these" (5).

In its respond to Said Paşa, the British administration admitted that there were Greek teachers and other professionals in Cyprus that supported ENOSIS and stated that the situation was under control in the island.

Another disturbance that added to the concerns of Turks took place on Easter Day. The Greek cCpriots repeated their ENOSIS requests that day and annoyed, insulted and incited Turks. Seeing that the level of provocation increased day by day, the Turkish public, leaders and intellectuals convened at the Justice Hall and decided to protest the situation and apply to the British administration for relevant measures to be taken against ENOSIS movements.

A letter that included these decisions was signed by Head Judge Mustafa Fevzi, and Mufti Ali Rıfkı handed the letter to the British administration and requests were made for measures against the ENOSIS claims. On 22 April 1895, the High Commissioner was paid a visit , and was provided with concrete evidence of Greek provocations . He was also told in no unclear terms of the Turks' deep resentment .

Some of the evidences included in the report submitted to the British High Commissioner by the Turkish committee corroborated the Greek Cypriots' hatred for Turks , which was injected to the minds of Greek Cpriot students in schools :

1-) "Songs which included the lyrics "We will get our revenge from Turks" were sung at schools and by the public.

2-) Turkish women were abused and Turkish prominent people were insulted. They were shouted "Bum bum" (we will kill you) "dogs" and "donkeys".

3-) There occurred fights between Turkish and Greek Cypriots in Tohni village on Limasol road; and fights which spread among women continued with heighetened tension.

4-) Greek cypriot students threw stones at Turkish schools.

5-) Greek cypriot insulted Turkish police officers in Larnaka" (6).

Turkish leaders attracted the attention to the fact that the annexation meetings could lead to clashes between the two communities as a result of the tense environment which emerged after the ENOSIS incitements and requested necessary measures to be taken and meetings to be prohibited.

The reactions by Turks against the Greek cypriot movements continued incessantly. On 29 April 1895, Mufti Ali Rıfkı sent a notice to the British High Commissar and stated "the speeches and ENOSIS claims in the meetings of Greek cypriots attacked the national rights of the Turkish public". Therefore, Mufti Ali Rıfkı further expressed that "the Turkish public would get relevant measures to protect their rights" and requested "from the High Commissar copies of the memorandums submitted by Greeks".

On 1 May 1895, Mufti Ali Rıfkı sent a telegram to British Ministry of Colonies and complained about Greek cypriot incitements.

High Commissar Sendal sent a telegram to the Hellenic Club in accordance with the directives of Minister of Colonies Lord Ripon and stated that annexation was not in question (7).

[Piratis]

Do you forget the 100s of years of Ottoman rule, where Greek Cypriots were nothing more than slaves of Turks?

What is your aim? Just more hate propaganda? Where do you think it will lead you?

If your aim here is to make Greek Cypriots hate Turkish Cypriots, how do you think that this will help you today or in the future?

[insan]

If talking about the facts and defending the "political equality" of two communities make GCs to hate TCs, keep hating us; I don't care at all. What kind of logic is it that everything it dislikes label as propaganda and hate pumping but what it likes calls as "truths". Did you find anything not true in above article? It's a well known fact that "Enosis" idea had been initiated by a small group of "Megali idea" ideologists and spreaded to whole GC community in until early 50s. It is a well known fact that TCs objected the Enosis idea and defend the "political equality" of two communities. When in early 50s %97 of GCs signed the Enosis petition and a group of GCs organized for armed struggle, a group of TCs started to shout "Either Taksim or Death."

[Piratis]

I didn't read your whole article. I could copy paste here a ton of articles about the barbarities of Turks. That would be true also, but i will not do it.

If you are trying to promote hate between the two communities to excuse the need of partition then this is your problem. You do this for the last 30 years, you can do it for another 30.

Sooner or later human rights and laws will be applied.

When in early 50s %97 of GCs signed the Enosis petition and a group of GCs organized for armed struggle, a group of TCs started to shout "Either Taksim or Death."

When in the USA they started to give human rights to the black people the KKK was founded. The KKK, just like you, could not accept democracy and human rights and they wanted to pass their own fascist ideas by force. You can want whatever you want, but this doesn't give you any right to violate human rights.

[insan]

I didn't read your whole article. I could copy paste here a ton of articles about the barbarities of Turks. That would be true also, but i will not do it.

The issue is not the barbarities of the Greeks. The issue is how long the TCs have been struggling for "political equality" in Cyprus and what were their reactions agains the GCs Enosis demand.

If you are trying to promote hate between the two communities to excuse the need of partition then this is your problem. You do this for the last 30 years, you can do it for another 30.

I never defended partition. I emphasize it once again with huge letters for you to understand(Because I think you have a understanding problem) I'm defending a united Cyprus under any form of state where two communities share the executive power proportionaly and the legislative/judicial powers equally.


I hope you understand this time and don't try to exploit what I post. OK?

Sooner or later human rights and laws will be applied.

Be sure of that but it's not how you interprete and dream of it...

When in the USA they started to give human rights to the black people the KKK was founded. The KKK, just like you, could not accept democracy and human rights and they wanted to pass their own fascist ideas by force. You can want whatever you want, but this doesn't give you any right to violate human rights.

I'm not trying to violate the human rights. Trying to keep TC community a an equal partner of GC community has nothing to do with violation of human rights; to the contrary you are the one who is trying to violate TCs communal rights and trying to degrade them to the level of a minority.[/quote]

[insan]

I didn't read your whole article. I could copy paste here a ton of articles about the barbarities of Turks. That would be true also, but i will not do it.

The issue is not the barbarities of the Greeks. The issue is how long the TCs have been struggling for "political equality" in Cyprus and what were their reactions agains the GCs Enosis demand.

If you are trying to promote hate between the two communities to excuse the need of partition then this is your problem. You do this for the last 30 years, you can do it for another 30.

I never defended partition. I emphasize it once again with huge letters for you to understand(Because I think you have a understanding problem) I'm defending a united Cyprus under any form of state where two communities share the executive power proportionaly and the legislative/judicial powers equally.


I hope you understand this time and don't try to exploit what I post. OK?

Sooner or later human rights and laws will be applied.

Be sure of that but it's not how you interprete and dream of it...

When in the USA they started to give human rights to the black people the KKK was founded. The KKK, just like you, could not accept democracy and human rights and they wanted to pass their own fascist ideas by force. You can want whatever you want, but this doesn't give you any right to violate human rights.

I'm not trying to violate the human rights. Trying to keep TC community a an equal partner of GC community has nothing to do with violation of human rights; to the contrary you are the one who is trying to violate TCs communal rights and trying to degrade them to the level of a minority.[/quote]