Cyprus-Forum.com

[zan]

Cyprus
Intercommunal Violence, 1963-67
Three years of peace followed Cypriot independence in 1960. Beneath the peace, however, lay the resentment of some Greek Cypriots at the prevention of enosis and a growing conflict between Greek and Turkish Cypriots over the bicommunal provisions of the constitution. The Cypriot army, which was to consist of 1,200 Greek Cypriots and 800 Turkish Cypriots, never materialized because of differences over the six-to-four formula for integrating the force. EOKA had officially disbanded and surrendered its weapons in 1959, and Grivas had returned to Greece. In fact, however, many former EOKA members had retained their weapons, and some joined groups of armed irregulars. The Turkish Cypriot community responded to the growth of these groups by reviving the TMT in early 1962. These forces received arms and assistance from the Greek and Turkish contingents assigned to the island.

In late November 1963, the president, Archbishop Makarios, introduced a thirteen-point proposal to amend the constitution in a way that would ensure the dominance of Greek Cypriots (see Republic of Cyprus , ch. 1). In the tense atmosphere that ensued, a street brawl broke out on December 21 in Nicosia, between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriot police. This fight was followed by major attacks by Greek Cypriot irregulars in Nicosia and Larnaca. Looting and destruction of Turkish villages forced many Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into defensible enclaves guarded by the TMT paramilitary. Fearful that Turkey might carry out its threat to invade, Makarios agreed to British intervention from its bases on the island. On December 27 British troops assumed positions between opposing irregular units, and the fighting, which had claimed 100 lives on each side during the previous week, subsided temporarily. The cease-fire held in Nicosia, but by mid-February 1964 Greek Cypriot attacks at Limassol brought a renewed threat of Turkish landings. Britain appealed to the UN Security Council, and on March 4, 1964, the UN approved a resolution to establish an international peace-keeping force for duty in Cyprus. Contingents from Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, and Sweden joined the British soldiers already in place; together they made up the 6,500-member United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), which was still present on the island, though at much reduced strength, a quarter of a century later (see United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus , this ch.).

In June 1964, the National Guard was formed by the Greek Cypriot government, which also instituted male conscription. The National Guard absorbed the various private armies into a single national military force loyal to the government and served as a deterrent to a Turkish invasion. Greek Army soldiers were clandestinely transferred to the guard on a large scale; by midsummer the National Guard consisted of an estimated 24,000 officers and men, about half from the Greek Army. Grivas, thought to be the only man who could enforce discipline over the disparate armed Greek Cypriot factions, returned from Athens to command the National Guard.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Cypriot community, in its newly created enclaves, organized militarily under the TMT, supported by conscription of Turkish Cypriot youths. Turkish Army troops trained the Turkish Cypriot forces, totaling an estimated 10,000 fighters, and directed the defense of the enclaves. Outbreaks of fighting continued, although the presence of UNFICYP prevented them from erupting into major hostilities. In August 1964, the National Guard carried out a coordinated sea and land assault against Kokkina on the northwest coast, in an effort to cut off the major Turkish Cypriot supply line to the mainland. Heavy attacks by Turkish jet fighter-bombers, operating beyond the range of the Greek Air Force, halted the Greek Cypriot offensive. Several years of peace followed, while the two communities improved their military readiness.

In November 1967, units of the National Guard, at the instigation of Grivas, launched a massive artillery assault on two Turkish Cypriot villages following a dispute over police patrols. The crisis was defused when United States mediation brought an agreement that endured for the next seven years: all foreign troops in excess of those permitted by the Treaty of Alliance were to be removed from Cyprus, and the National Guard was to be dismantled in exchange for an immediate Turkish demobilization. Grivas was recalled to Athens, along with about 10,000 of the Greek troops assigned to the National Guard. The National Guard, however, was not dissolved.

Data as of January 1991


http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?f ... CID+cy0149)

[zan]

What, no takers on this one. Where are those that said that no TC was killed between 64-74.

[humanist]

That was stupid move on the part of the Greek Speaking population of Cyprus Zan and there is no excuse for it, however, who is now sounding like a broken record? Lets just leave it shall we and start concentrating on how we can bring our two communities together, because if we don't leave it a greek speaker is going to post something that tells us that greek speakers suffered att he hands of turkish speaking cypriots and there we go again round the mill in the meantime, the average bloke and his family in cyprus are under economic isolation and the other bloke and his family have not had access to their property for 32 years.

[zan]

That was stupid move on the part of the Greek Speaking population of Cyprus Zan and there is no excuse for it, however, who is now sounding like a broken record? Lets just leave it shall we and start concentrating on how we can bring our two communities together, because if we don't leave it a greek speaker is going to post something that tells us that greek speakers suffered att he hands of turkish speaking cypriots and there we go again round the mill in the meantime, the average bloke and his family in cyprus are under economic isolation and the other bloke and his family have not had access to their property for 32 years.

And they want to punish us with false claims that we were not harmed in any way and that we have no right to demand that things stay as they are until a fair deal is reached. We have every right and by bringing out the lies that are used against us to get favour with the rest of the world we might actually get our rights. Too many games and tricks have been used against us and as soon as we put them right the only trick people like Piratis have left is to go back thousands of years to prove that we are not worthy of respect, equality and recognition.

[Pyrpolizer]

What, no takers on this one. Where are those that said that no TC was killed between 64-74.

Hey Zan I believe the statement was between 1968-74 (7 years)? But somehow it then changed to 8 years -never understood why

New forum evidence shows 29 persons were killed between 1968-before 74 "peace operation". But no evidence if it was intercommunal fighting or accidental deaths.

Fake bombs ha? Very funny.
But i think people those days had some passion for bullets, don't know why.

[Murataga]

Excellent post Zan. Some people are plane ignorant and totally determined in denying facts staring at them right in the eye beacuse it is simply inconvenient and a blow to their ego. As once a very smart Greek in the name Aristotle said:

"Even God can not change the past"

[humanist]

[Zan said]And they want to punish us with false claims that we were not harmed in any way and that we have no right to demand that things stay as they are until a fair deal is reached. We have every right and by bringing out the lies that are used against us to get favour with the rest of the world we might actually get our rights. Too many games and tricks have been used against us and as soon as we put them right the only trick people like Piratis have left is to go back thousands of years to prove that we are not worthy of respect, equality and recognition.[/quote]

Zan, I hear what you are saying loud and clear and you are right the events in the 60's were traumatic for turkish speaking cypriots, living in Cyprus. That led to a problem that is unsatisfactory on both sides, you guys have safety but your isolated economically and any EU attempt to change that will be on the premise that there will be unification. secondly there are the greek speaking cypriots who have ost their property and a 700,000 greek speaking cypriots who have lost half their homeland. Who will not agree to partition so even if you get EU trade, you will still have to face the social and cultural ramifications your actions to divide the Island which are some that have been mentioned by some others on the forum. So we ned to be focussing on what we can work through.

We know that there needs to be unification, the sticking points are personal safety, property, settlers, army, political power and representation. Solets please concentrate on these issues because we cannot change the past but we can shape the future.

[miltiades]

Zan's entire purpose on this forum , along with VP is to discredit any efforts to unite our people , and to hand the occupied part of Cyprus to Turkey on a permanent basis. He does not have the foresight to see into the future and see how dangerous for all Cypriots this agenda is. He tends to believe that the 200 thousand displaced Cypriots and their descendants as well the other Cypriots will just simply capitulate under the pressure and agree to a part of their country swallowed by a foreign power. Only one solution will ensure stability and peace in Cyprus and this solution must be based on one island , one government one national anthem one flag and one people , all equals with equal rights , no majorities or minorities , the advent of our membership into the most influential union ever in world history will ensure that the old catastrophic ideas will be buried for ever.

There are many who share my views , and all fall into one category , they are all CYPRIOTS , not bloody mainland Greeks or bloody mainland Turks , and YES we are allowed to criticize the mainland Greeks , call them name where necessary , dislike them if we so wish , write articles ridiculing them if we must , unlike our T/C brothers who have no such freedom under article 301 of the Turkish Republic. You mentioned some time ago that the time was here for a new future and a new world for the T/Cs , are you kidding , take your head out of your "motherlands" knickers and smell the air in Turkey.

[zan]

[Zan said]

And they want to punish us with false claims that we were not harmed in any way and that we have no right to demand that things stay as they are until a fair deal is reached. We have every right and by bringing out the lies that are used against us to get favour with the rest of the world we might actually get our rights. Too many games and tricks have been used against us and as soon as we put them right the only trick people like Piratis have left is to go back thousands of years to prove that we are not worthy of respect, equality and recognition.

Zan, I hear what you are saying loud and clear and you are right the events in the 60's were traumatic for turkish speaking cypriots, living in Cyprus. That led to a problem that is unsatisfactory on both sides, you guys have safety but your isolated economically and any EU attempt to change that will be on the premise that there will be unification. secondly there are the greek speaking cypriots who have ost their property and a 700,000 greek speaking cypriots who have lost half their homeland. Who will not agree to partition so even if you get EU trade, you will still have to face the social and cultural ramifications your actions to divide the Island which are some that have been mentioned by some others on the forum. So we ned to be focussing on what we can work through.

We know that there needs to be unification, the sticking points are personal safety, property, settlers, army, political power and representation. Solets please concentrate on these issues because we cannot change the past but we can shape the future.

The RoC has been built on lies and deceit Humanist. We are where we are today with a false picture of what happened and people as old as Miltiades are still quoting these lies. Even you seem to think that the RoC has every right to demand things in the fashion it does because it is on the side of the truth at times. It has got to where it is today by deception so without putting that right we cannot move on. I am not going to be known as the pariah in all of this and I will not allow my people to be known as such, be they Turkish Cypriots or Turks.

[zan]

Zan's entire purpose on this forum , along with VP is to discredit any efforts to unite our people , and to hand the occupied part of Cyprus to Turkey on a permanent basis. He does not have the foresight to see into the future and see how dangerous for all Cypriots this agenda is. He tends to believe that the 200 thousand displaced Cypriots and their descendants as well the other Cypriots will just simply capitulate under the pressure and agree to a part of their country swallowed by a foreign power. Only one solution will ensure stability and peace in Cyprus and this solution must be based on one island , one government one national anthem one flag and one people , all equals with equal rights , no majorities or minorities , the advent of our membership into the most influential union ever in world history will ensure that the old catastrophic ideas will be buried for ever.

There are many who share my views , and all fall into one category , they are all CYPRIOTS , not bloody mainland Greeks or bloody mainland Turks , and YES we are allowed to criticize the mainland Greeks , call them name where necessary , dislike them if we so wish , write articles ridiculing them if we must , unlike our T/C brothers who have no such freedom under article 301 of the Turkish Republic. You mentioned some time ago that the time was here for a new future and a new world for the T/Cs , are you kidding , take your head out of your "motherlands" knickers and smell the air in Turkey.

You make statements against VP and when asked to back them up you squirm like a worm. You made a statement about no one being killed between 64-74 and now you squirm once again. One minute you’re a nice old man that wants unification for all his Cypriot brothers and then you want to kick half of them out because they have different views to yours. What sort of game are you playing. Has no one ever told you that to play good cop, bad cop, you need two people to assume the role. You are taking the role of both. You backed your claim up with your own eyewitness account and experience. Does the article above prove you wrong or not. Are you willing to tell me that you made a mistake and know nothing about the Cyprus problem???? The alternative is that you are lying through your teeth and are taking sides with the RoC rather than your empty words about Cypriotism.


Ultimately I want unity but not at the expense of my peoples’ rights and dignity. The Eurovision is close. Have you made your banner yet.