Cyprus-Forum.com

[Kikapu]

Andri_cy,

I will not judge your father if he had killed any of the invading forces, because he was protecting his land, but often terrible things happen to the innocent civilians that soilders get caught in the "gang power" mentality and lack of supervision by superiors, or are led by superiors without morals to commit horrific crimes againt humanity. Often, there never is enough punishment for these people other than the punishment they inflict to themselves by going a little mental and sometimes a lot . In San Francisco there are over 4,000 homeless people, mostly men and mostly Vietnam Vets. Most of these people lost themselves way back. I wonder how many from the Iraq war will bring out to the streets in the future. At least your father had his family around to support him.

[andri_cy]

Andri_cy,

I will not judge your father if he had killed any of the invading forces, because he was protecting his land, but often terrible things happen to the innocent civilians that soilders get caught in the "gang power" mentality and lack of supervision by superiors, or are led by superiors without morals to commit horrific crimes againt humanity. Often, there never is enough punishment for these people other than the punishment they inflict to themselves by going a little mental and sometimes a lot . In San Francisco there are over 4,000 homeless people, mostly men and mostly Vietnam Vets. Most of these people lost themselves way back. I wonder how many from the Iraq war will bring out to the streets in the future. At least your father had his family around to support him.

Yes Kikapu I know. As I cannot judge many of the Turkish soldiers because they were following orders. As usual in war, some of them got out of order and raped and killed innocent people. But that happens in every war. I am sure that a lot of civilians on the TC side of the spectrum paid with their lives and their spirits back then also. I cannot be judged by what my father did or didnt do and I cannot judge people because of what language they speak. To me, we are all Cypriots and we all suffered and paid because of a war that our motherlands and some fanatics waged without any sentiment or regard for the rest of us. Its just a shame.

[Kikapu]

All you Cypriots out there. Do you ever wonder what ifs. I mean, do you ever wonder what your life would have looked like today, had there been no wars in Cyprus, and the country just went along as it suppose to since it's independence in 1960. Imagine all those that died, never did. Imagine those people alive and involved in your life. Imagine the people you would have meet, if they had not died. Imagine whether you would have married someone else, if those died, never did. The examples can go on and on. It's a little like the film with James Stewart in " It's a wonderful life". Try to imagine, if you can, what those bastards took away from us by creating the Cyprus problems.

[Natty]

Tell me about it, and the sad thing is that, the 99.9% of the Cypriot population are such peacefull people!! The 1% who had extremest ideas were encouraged by "outside" powers.....they got there way in the end...andri_cy, did you father kill members of the Turkish Army? They were such sad times for Cypriots, I can only imagine..

My father was on holiday in Varosha, Famagusta with his fam, at that point they lived in England, they were staying in my nans village which is near Famagusta, 'Lymia'. They were in the sea one day when they could hear bombs going off in the distance...My Grandmother's sisters husband, my papou Pantelli, had heard on the English radio that Turkish troops had landed, so he advised my Fam to move south to my Grandads village, near the British base Dhekelia...They thought that they would be able to go back after a few days but unfortunately that was not so....I really hope that one day, the Cypriot people will be able to make their own decisions about their future, then people will see that they just want to live together and get on with it....Peace!

[andri_cy]

Tell me about it, and the sad thing is that, the 99.9% of the Cypriot population are such peacefull people!! The 1% who had extremest ideas were encouraged by "outside" powers.....they got there way in the end...andri_cy, did you father kill members of the Turkish Army? They were such sad times for Cypriots, I can only imagine..

My father was on holiday in Varosha, Famagusta with his fam, at that point they lived in England, they were staying in my nans village which is near Famagusta, 'Lymia'. They were in the sea one day when they could hear bombs going off in the distance...My Grandmother's sisters husband, my papou Pantelli, had heard on the English radio that Turkish troops had landed, so he advised my Fam to move south to my Grandads village, near the British base Dhekelia...They thought that they would be able to go back after a few days but unfortunately that was not so....I really hope that one day, the Cypriot people will be able to make their own decisions about their future, then people will see that they just want to live together and get on with it....Peace!

Natty I do not know what my father did he never wanted to talk about it. I am sure though that he either had to kill people or see people getting killed. Not a pretty picture by any account. He was not the kind to go around talking about how he was a hero that killed people defending his country. I think that whatever he saw or did, he felt awful about. The truth is, when we were kids I just didnt want my father's image I had in my head to be spoiled so I didnt care that he wouldnt talk. When I was ready to hear, he wasnt around anymore.

[cypezokyli]

heres the story from my family.
my father was in that lucky generation that had to serve in the army between 1972-74. he needed a week or so , more to finish with the army , and he had plans to go to canada. he had an aunt there and he thought it was his big opportunity. 15 of july he was working ( his last "holidays" from the army) . after those dumpasses made the coup they were soon all called back in. he was one of the "lucky" people who saw the treason in front of his eyes. he served in the radars in nicosia. wednesday they saw the turkish ships in the sea (some mobilization a? ). there were two young greek officers (obviously not junta supporters) who tried to convince their greek superiors (obviously junta supporters) that turkey is about to invade.
-dont worry they are doing a NATO exercise , was the explanation
- we ve participated in NATO exercises before , and this is not one. the turks will invade cyprus.
this went on wednesday , thirsday , friday , with the young oficers trying to convince their superiors to do sth. call for a general mobilisation , bring the people in the army, dont allow them to land, protect kyrenia.... in vain. they just sat around waiting for the invasion to take place.
saturday , my father was at one end of the radio. on the other it was the other cypriot army radar at kandara (where he was serving some months before) . as far as i understood , those old planes where not so technologically advanced, so the pilots had to go first down for renenaincance , and then come down for a second time to shoot. the young oofficers in kandara , where practically begging for a permission to shoot.
- sir, what should we do? should we shoot ?
- dont shoot you assholes (mi pirovoleite re malakes).
this "dialogue" repeat itself a number of times till....the last thing that came through that radio line was a big BOOM , and then a long beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.
they didnt even allow those people to defend, not their country (which they would have done ) but even their lives.
great ah?
one of the most touching moments in GEEF , was when civilians came to list. according to my father there was also a 70 year old grandpa with his vraka , coming along and asking for a gun. "i am already old ("i have eaten all my breads" ) . just give me a gun, to defend my country" . well guess what ? there were no guns (except some M2..if i am not mistaken). the great putchists ofcource retreated south, and in the few cases they used their guns was to attack civilians tcs.
...
as far as i know he didnot experience a real compat. he stayed in the army till september 1975 - a good 36 months. while a number of our todays respectable members of the society where realeased to go study already in august 74.

...........
from my mothers side , it is a typicall refuggee story. being terrified by the air attacks. panicking , packing their things and going. and like a number of refuggees before they left they went back to re-lock their house , and take the key with them....ironic isnt ?

[Natty]

God why do idoits or rarther "Pouchtis", exist in this world? Gees...I didn't quite get one bot though, was it the greeks wanting to shoot? I'm sorry about your father andri-cy, he seemed like such a peaceful guy, not someone for war!! It's horrible how people get dragged into these terrible things.....And about those stupid ass holes (excuse the naughty words...) killing the TC's for revenge, those few may I add, gees weren't there more importantant things to worry about, how was it innocent TC's fault!?! thankfully it was only a few, show's that the cypriots are naturally peacefull people...(the majority, you know 99.9%)

[michalis5354]

My father was driving his car in the morning on 15th July and noticed a tank along the road and a strange silence everywhere that day! He understood that something wrong will happen. After time gone by some people with guns approached his car entered his car and forced him with guns to bring them to the presidential palace. Not knowing what to do and having no other alternative he was driving into that direction .All of them were so determined to Kill Makarios and they seemed very frustrated and so determined to do anything to kill Makarios. They looked like evils. My father was lucky and one of them suddenly shouted to him STOP here and he was so lucky to leave them there and go! Obviously they had anticipated the risks of approaching the presidential palace and decided to follow other route.

This is one of his stories!

[Natty]

Wow, so i'm guessing thats when the coup happened? Very interesting! I'd like to his othr stories, if that's okay...

Peace!!:)

[michalis5354]

At the invasion he went to collect a gun as he was told but there were no guns left. Then he left . How can anyone fight with no gun given to him? As he was born in Kerynia his mother / father and all relatives were in Kerynia and he was worrying what could have happened to them. He attempted to drive to Kerynia and he was listening to the radio telling people not to worry as it is only a military exercise by the Turks . On his way there he found a tank and being so frightened (thinking it was a Turk Tank) he made a U turn and left . Then he found a cypriot officer telling him that this tank was greek and he was laughing . He came back to Nicosia and saw many Turks landing with parachutes on the mountain.These could have easily been killed If there was a gun point somehwre but there wasnt any. There was chaos everywhere! The radio was providing conflicting and misleading information!