Countries of the World/COUNTRYS.BIN/dp/0104/01047.txt

Text File | 1991-06-25 | 26KB | 486 lines

$Unique_ID{COW01047}
$Pretitle{222}
$Title{Cyprus
The Oppression Myth and the Real Aim of Turkey in Cyprus}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Embassy of Cyprus, Washington DC}
$Affiliation{Embassy of Cyprus, Washington DC}
$Subject{turkish
cyprus
cypriots
greek
cypriot
turkey
ankara
denktash
tmt
turks}
$Date{1988}
$Log{Turkish Propaganda Poster*0104701.scf
}
Country:     Cyprus
Book:        Cyprus, Torn Apart by Warring Factions
Author:      Embassy of Cyprus, Washington DC
Affiliation: Embassy of Cyprus, Washington DC
Date:        1988

The Oppression Myth and the Real Aim of Turkey in Cyprus

[See Turkish Propaganda Poster: Courtesy Embassy of Cyprus, Washington DC]

     The Denktash regime and, more often than not, Denktash personally, accuse
the Greek Cypriots of having between 1963 and 1974 treated the Turkish
Cypriots inhumanely and even savagely, to the extent of committing mass murder
and attempting genocide. It is because of this, it is advanced, that the two
communities have got, regrettably to live separately from each other.

     Although it is obviously true that in times of unrest, there have been
atrocities on both sides, as there always are in such situations, what we
shall maintain here is that the atrocities committed against Turkish Cypriots
were not in any sense organised or part of a plan but were rather isolated
instances, whereas the atrocities committed against Greek Cypriots were
organised and part of a plan to divide the two communities with the ultimate
aim of the annexation of, at least, part of Cyprus by Turkey. Ample evidence
for the truth of this view is provided by a host of statements by Turkish
officials past and present.

     Firstly, let us establish the fact that there were indeed atrocities
against the Greek Cypriot civilian population and also against Turkish
Cypriots who disagreed with Turkey's policy as applied by the TMT.

     Mr. Denktash himself in an interview with the "Times" (20.1.78) admits to
having set up the terrorist organisation TMT. He says: "I had to set up the
TMT with a few friends to organise the individuals who were rushing around
doing things."

     Let us see what "things" these "individuals" were doing. Emin Dirvana in
an article published in "Milliyet" (15.5.64) gives us a clue revealing at the
same time quite an interesting and not so well-known aspect of Denktash's
character. Dirvana says:

     "Denktash has also accused me of not allowing the memory of the Turks who
fell in 1958 to be honoured and flags to be hoisted at half mast. I feel
ashamed on his behalf because he distorts the truth to such an extent. I am
sorry but I must give an answer. The Turks of Cyprus honour the memory of
their dead on the 28th of January. On that day in 1958 a number of Turkish
Cypriots were killed in a clash with the British. On that day I too attended
the ceremony with all the staff of the Embassy and the Contingent officers.
Denktash, however, wanted also the 7th of June to be celebrated. Dr. Kuchuk
was hesitant and came to consult me. I was informed that on the 7th of June,
1958, a bomb had been planted in the Turkish Press Office in Nicosia by
persons, who, as was established later, had nothing to do with the Greek
Cypriots. The Turks of Nicosia were then incited `to be overwhelmed by holy
indignation' and perpetrated acts similar to those committed on the 6th and
the 7th of September, 1955, in Istanbul."

     Nancy Crawshaw, in her book "Cyprus Revolt," p. 288, is more clear on the
bomb incident. "...circumstantial evidence strongly pointed to the fact that
the bomb was of Turkish origin. This, however, did not deter Turkey from
making a formal protest to Britain the next day alleging that the Cyprus
administration had failed to give the Turkish minority adequate protection."

     The climax of the "holy indignation" Dirvana refers to, was the massacre
by Turks near the Turkish village of Geunyeli, of 8 unarmed Greek Cypriots
and the severe wounding of 5, on June 12, 1958, i.e. five days after the
explosion. The victims were taken by colonial "security forces" from the
neighbouring Greek village of Kondemenos and were left in Geunyeli to walk
home through the fields. There they were savagely murdered by "excited" Turks
in a wild pursuit in the fields.

     The following extract from the Findings of the Commission of Inquiry,
under the chairmanship of the then Chief Justice of Cyprus appointed in June,
1958, to investigate the facts concerning the incidents leading to the
massacre, speaks for itself:

     "For some days prior to the 12th June, in fact from the 7th June,
intercommunal feeling was running very high in the Island and there had been
many instances of attacks by Turks, particularly in Nicosia, upon members of
the Greek community and upon Greek property."

     "The attack was of a most savage nature and the injuries inflicted
indicate an extraordinary blood lust."

     What TMT's aim was in engaging in such acts was proclaimed unequivocally
by a TMT leaflet which was circulated on 7th May 1958 and which aaid:

     "Onward Turkish Youth!

     The day is near when you will be called upon to sacrifice your life and
blood in the PARTITION struggle - the struggle for freedom... You are a brave
Turk. You are faithful to your country and nation and are entrusted with the
task of demonstrating Turkish might. Be ready to break the chains of slavery
with your determination and willpower and with your love of freedom.

     All Turkdom, right and justice and God are with you. PARTITION OR DEATH".

     But there is still another aspect of TMT's glorious (!) history, which
the TMT eulogists would like the Turkish Cypriots to forget. It is the record
of murders and intimidation of progressive peace-loving Turkish Cypriots who
strubbornly refused to adhere to the TMT drive for segregation from their
Greek Cypriot compatriots.

     In his interview with the "Times" (20.1.78), Denktash says:

     "It was now in the late 1950s and there was bitter intercommunal strife.
Eventually the TMT became more than a military force, it became a moral
force."

     It follows from Denktash's statement that the murders of unarmed
peace-loving Turkish Cypriots and the terror that the TMT staged against the
Turkish Cypriot community were moral acts!! Here are a few of those "moral"
acts:

     - 22.5.58: Murder attempt against Ahmet Sadi, Director of the Turkish
Office of the Pancyprian Workers Federation (PEO). In order to save his life,
Sadi left Cyprus soon after and settled in England.

     - 24.5.58: Murder of Fazil Onder, age 32, Chief Editor of the democratic
weekly paper "Inkilapci."

     - 29.5.58: Murder of Ahmet Yahya, Committee member of the Progressive
Turkish Cypriot Athletic -Cultural Centre.

     - 5.6.58: Murder attempt against Hasan Ali, member of a Construction
Workers Committee of PEO.

     - 30.6.58: Murder of Ahmet Ibrahim, a barber from Limassol, because he
had friendly relations with Greeks and expressed himself in favour of
Greek-Turkish cooperation.

     - 3.7.58: Murder attempt against Arif Hulusi Barudi, aged 29. He was
working in a business owned by a Greek. Before the attempt he had received a
threatening letter to leave his job.

     But, inspite of the TMT terror and the divisive elements of the Zurich
Agreement the spirit of friendship and cooperation with their Greek
compatriots survived among the peace-loving Turkish Cypriots, and found its
expression in a new weekly newspaper, "Cumhuriyet" published by two young
lawyers and journalists, Ayhan Mustafa Hikmet and Ahmet Muzaffer Gurkan. For
TMT the voice of "Cumhuriyet" was intolerable. Denktash himself called the two
publishers to his office and warned them that if they did not close their
paper, their life would be in danger. As the intimidation campaign was
culminating, "Cumhuriyet" in its 23.4.62 issue warned that it would soon
unmask the terrorists and provocateurs who were planning new intercommunal
strife.

     That was "Cumhuriyet's" last edition