





I have just read your page and found it very interesting.
My father comes from a village very near to Famagusta, and he attended
school in Varosi. In 2003 we were finally able to cross the so called “green”
line and visit the place where my father and grandmother grew up. It was really
very fascinating.
Walking along the beach and seeing the ghost town in the distance was a very
strange feeling, I just hope that one day Cyprus will be one again.
The “Cyprus” problem is such a complicated subject, but it is often
portrayed in such a black and white way. Greek-Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots
were fighting so obviously couldn’t live together. I have leaned so much about
the problems in Cyprus, for instance the involvement of the British who fuelled
the so called ethnic “mistrust” by there divide and rule policy, the Americans
who’s plans for the Island was Partition, as well as the involvement of Turkey,
(Who would not have got involved if it wasn’t for the British) and Greece and
the part the cold war played.
The fighting that broke out between the Greek
Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriots is often used as an excuse for the division of
the Island, but people on both sides were manipulated, bombs were planted by
certain organisations and blamed on others to fuel anger. And the violence that
did occur was often exaggerated for propaganda purposes, I’m not saying that
violence didn’t break out, but it was mainly committed by extremists who were
like pawns in a game of chess for stronger political powers. People have to
remember that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots lived in harmony for such a
long time before all these problems occurred.
You have to look at the village of Pila in the south that contains both
Greek and Turkish Cypriots who live together quite happily.
EOKA has also
been mentioned, even though one of the wants of EOKA, which at that time
reflected the opinion of “the people” did want Enosis, becoming joined with
Greece, it’s main aim was independence from the British. I am sorry to have made
my comment so political, and there are bound to be people who disagree with me
which is what makes us human after all. The Turkish Cypriots when we went
to the north were fantastic, so helpful, kind and friendly.
We went to my
great-grandfathers allotment, and we came across a Turkish Cypriot farmer who
was so friendly, he even gave us some vegetables which made my nans day. As well
as that we met the Man who now owned the land and again to my nans delight we
found out that he was the son of one of my great-grandfather’s best friends! As
well as that in the old town In Famagusta we met and spoke with an old Turkish
Cypriot man whom we found out was stationed in the same regiment as my
grandfather in WW2.
Unfortunately because of it’s strategic position in the Mediterranean,
Cyprus has always had outside interest, especially recently, making it’s
inhabitants, whether they be Turkish Cypriot, Greek Cypriot, maronites,
Armenians, Latins….etc, Puppets in an extremely large World show. I really hope
that Cyprus will be once again joined together, with all it’s people’s living as
one, as it should be!!. (P.S, sorry if I have offended anyone, it was
unintentional! (“,))
C.Sergi
c.sergi@btinternet.com
Was in Southern Cyprus with my family in April this year and we met Thiakos
Zissis whilst we were at his coffee shop. He is a very nice and gentle man
as it seems are the Greek Cypriots. The same cannot be said of the Turks
as you only have to look at their human rights record which tells you
everything. It's an absolute disgrace what Turkey has done and continues
to do to Cyprus. I will never visit Turkey I could never go to a Country
that I don't respect.
LORRAINE
loz@limegroveestates.com
Hi, I am a journalist who is interested in finding out more about Famagusta
and how it is possible to gain access to the city for journalistic purposes.
Please contact me at activista79@hotmail.com...I would really appreciate any
leads you might have, to find out more information about the city. Thank you!
-Orli
Orli <activista79@hotmail.com>San
Francisco, CA USA -
So sorry to see what has been done to your people and beautiful country.Have
just come back from holidays and was sad to see a divided city and the people
that suffered at the hands of the turkish goverment.
emmanuel connolly <e.connolly3@ntlworld.ie>Dublin,
IRELAND -
Cyprus will be free!!
Anette Gustafson <anette.gustafson@comhem.se>Göteborg,
Sweden -
I visited the the viewing tower about 3-4 years ago, this was the 1st i had
heard of this. I feel for all the people, as i think this is a very sad tragedy
to happen to anyone. I think that the UN should keep helping out until this
comes to an end. Alot of people have suffered through this and have lost alot in
their lives. They all have my deepest sympathy.
Marie Herriman <Marieherriman@aol.co.uk>UK -
I have visited Southern Cyprus once and only when I arrived did I find out
about the atrocities of 1974. I went to a viewing tower on the border where U.N.
troops were patrolling (with their guns armed and ready to fire at invaders) and
we could see clearly the town of Famagusta. The silence was terrifying when
people saw the town. I stared in awe and interest with the cranes still erect 30
years old, 70's style clothing on washing lines that dried in 1974, food still
on tables half-eaten, car doors opened from drivers fleeing the
battle-ground..... I am disgusted at the Turkish because Cyprus is one country
not two. I hope one day this will be resolved and the country given back to it's
rightful owners. Are the Turkish not happy with a country that they have already
got? With 60million people living in it? What difference would the 800,000
Cypriots make to the Turkish?
Paul Rostron <paul.rostron1@ntlworld.com>Manchester,
UK -
I have been to the south of island seven times and i am booked to go again. I
have also been to the North (Kyrenia/Girne) and find both to be fantastic and
welcoming. The unfortunate thing is that although i have several Greek Cypriot
friends i find it very sad that the Greek side choose to say all the bad things
started in 1974. Anyone who research's the truth and reads The Genocide Files by
an non-cypriot British man (Harry Scott Gibbons) will see there is far more to
it than just a Turkish Army invasion. But as they say two wrongs don't make a
right and i truely hope both sides can find a suitable agreement that will let
them all live in peace. I have also driven down the back of Varosha and find it
amazing such an area can be just left fenced off with no one using it and just
the very loud sound of grasshoppers to be heard. The City of Farmagusta is
actually a busy and beautiful town though. The saddest thing i saw in the North
though had to be what has happened to the church's though. I am not religious
but they are mostly falling down, the ones that aren't have been turned into
'Icon Museums' which has totally ruined there character (St. Mama's and St.
Barnabus Monastry to name some). But the saddest of all was the St. Panteleimon
monastery which looked very big but was behind army fencing and looked in a
terrible condition. But as i said every story has two sides.
Peter Preece
<pipreece@aol.com>Manchester, UK -
I was born in Australia,and my parents are from Cyprus. My roots are from
Cyprus and this current situation of North & South is wrong. Cyprus MUST go
back to ONE Island. Chris.
Chris Pallikaros <karos@bigpond.net.au>Melbourne, Vic
Australia -
Regrettably we have been obliged to remove some of the more abusive &
provocative posts from this guestbook - and we will continue to remove them if
they reappear.
We discourage political posts but in the interest of balance
we will not delete them at this time.
Information on Cyprus matters can be
obtained from The United Nations
Force in Cyprus website.
A source we can describe as being
reasonably free of bias.
Thank you - Inhostage Admin. -
The most beautiful holiday island and hospitable people that you could wish
for, hence we return year after year. Our first visit happened to be to the
'south' and that is why and where our loyalty lays. Cant help but remain
fascinated and saddened by Famagusta. Surely, hopefully this town will one day
once again be enjoyed by the people who have every right to live and work there.
Alan Buss <alanbuss@hotmail.com>
- "Non-political"? Give me a break: all the comments here are pro-Greek.
Before taking sides, you British tourists who think the Greeks have been so
badly treated, do a little research into the events of 1970-1972. And try
googling for "EOKA".
Neil Hoskins <neilh.net@boltblue.com>Nottingham,
UK -
Hi Neil - please note that the posts on the page are from members of the general public on-line and as such if their opinions are "pro Greek" then they still have a perfect right to express them. Admin
Just come back from a Lads holiday in Ayia Napa Cyprus, but took time out to
visit Famagusta and found it extremley interesting and very sad. I hope one day
this town gets given back to its rightfull owners, i cnever forget the
quiteness,calmness,motionless sight i saw that day for a long time.It felt like
a timewarp stepping back in time looking at Famagusta,andwhy,because it looked
stunning in the early days.I hope someday the people of Famagusta can return to
their birth places,and the rest of northern Cyprus.
D.REA
CO.ANTRIM,
N.IRELAND -
My wife is originally from Varosha(we now run a travel agency in Paphos) but
I am here in England until July as our son is studying at college.Obviously,I
visted the north many times since we came back to Cyprus to live in 1979 so your
site is of great interest to us and of course my wife has been over there too
after the border was opened last year.How old are the photos on this site?I was
actually lucky enough to be allowed a very short visit to the Edelweiss where
the U.N. have an observation post back in the early 1980's but was not allowed
to take any photos or go and explore anywhere else,including our own house which
is about 15 minutes walk from there! By the way, the B.B.C. crew that was
allowed in a few years ago made several hours of film, but only brief extracts
have been shown on CYBC t.v-do you have any information about it?? Best regards,
Martin.
Martin Standage <cymarprestige@hotmail.com>York,
England -
my wife and i along with our friends went to the viewing point to look at the
now pityfull town of Farmagusta and we were all saddened and moved at what we
saw. I do hope that one day the town will be returned to its rightful owners,
and once again become the jewel it once was.
Nigel Shields <n.shields@bmhconstruction.co.uk>Herts,
England -
My wife and I spent a great deal of our early holidays in the Greek Islands and particularly Crete, which we found delightful. We have visited Southern Cyprus on three occasions and were struck by the blatant commercialism and outrageous sprawl of cheap hotels for the low class market. The majority of the Greek Cypriots were welcoming but their attitude to the visitor seemed to be money driven and influenced by the large number of mainland Greeks who seem to control the "seedier" side of things.
Our experience has confirmed to us that Southern Cyprus is not a place we wish to return to. Earlier this year we visited Northern Cyprus and stayed in a first class hotel in Girne (Kyrenia). Our reception could not have been more different; the people were friendly, happy and quite obviously had a good standard of living.
We felt our welcome was not driven by money and nowhere were the prices inflated because we were visitors. We visited the church in Famagusta, which was photographed in another piece written on the web as evidence of the Turkish desecration of the Christian faith. The actuality was quite different.
The church had been converted to a mosque some centuries before and the Christian tombs had been carefully and respectfully preserved and were proudly shown to us. The "Church" appeared empty "apart from a few rugs" because this is how the inside of a mosque appears. (Visit the mosque of Mohammed Ali in Egypt or the Buddhist temple in Cumbria to see the difference between Christian and other churches)
I am sure the division of Cyprus had rights and wrongs from both sides, but
as an Englishman I am well aware of the tactics of EOKA in the 1960s when the
Greeks were pressing their case. I am all for re-unification of Cyprus but let
the Island remain divided into Turkish and Greek Cypriot sectors as the old
tribal differences will never heal all the time their is external influence from
Mainland Greece and Turkey.
Chris Edgecombe <edgecombe_chris@hotmail.com>UK
-
this site is what ive been looking for for over two years now. it is very
sad, a terrific injustice, we love cyprus,so much that we are marrying there
this july, 2004.i congratulate the author for his work here on the site, it is a
monument to all famagusta victims, we hope that soon the island may be
re-united,but....... only if the land and property is returned to all rigtful
owners.i feel that the media coverage of the recent vote does not do justice to
the greek cypriots.
darren&gina <shadzz@ntlworld.com>oldham, england -
i just got back from cyprus and whilst i was there i took a look at the green
line that went throught the middle of the town and it was very sad indeed. we
went to the top of woolworths and you could see the turkish flag up on the
mountains.
dionne <dionne_cusden@hotmail.com>england
-
i like this site a lot. please keep on going.
siakoulis serafeim <seraphs69@yahoo.gr>
vagia , greece - looking for Zacchaeus xenophontos, or family members.
Wonderful site, that underlines the mass suffering the 'powers that be'
continually do to the meek.
joseph joyner <JOEJOYNER@HOTMAIL.COM>CANADA -
I was 15.5 when on August 14 1974 my family and I fled from the advancing
Turkish troops - for a couple of days we thought. That was nearly 30 years ago.
Thanks to a Turkish friend I was able to revisit in November 2002 and walking on
the beach again was an incredible feeling. In the words of Stelios Chiotis (the
songwriter) in his song Ammohostos roughly translates from Greek "Soil that I
have walked on, land that I miss, soil that has resurrected me, (that is)
Ammohostos"...
Alexis Hadjisoteriou <alexis@stenasoft.com>London, United
Kingdom -
i STAYED WITH MY PARENTS IN THE LORDOS ETOILLE COURT NEXT TO THE SANDY
BEACH HOTEL IN SEPTEMBER 1973.i WILL TRY FOREVER TO GET INSIDE THE FORBIDDEN
ZONE FOR DESPITE THE LOOTING AND VANDALISM LIES THE ECHOES OF GOOD GREEK AND
TURKISH CYPRIOTS WHO WERE DONE A GREAT INJUSTICE BY THE TURKISH MILITARY.IF
ANYBODY HAS ANY PHOTOS PAST OR PRESENT FRO M THE JOHN KENNEDY AVE AREA PLEASE
SEND TO MIKEOG007@NTLWORLD.COM I PRAY FOR A SOLUTION INMAY THAT WILL BENEFIT
BOTH GREEK AND TURKISH CYPRIOTS. MIKE
mike <mikeog007@ntlworld.com>manchester,
ENGLAND !!!! -
This years I was for the third time at your beuatifull island. I was in teh
area of Derynea. Visiting the 'Famagusta-centre'I was impresses about the
emational pictures I saw and the stories they told me. I t is unbelieveable that
such a green line exist in 2003. Even more unbelievable that things had happende
in the seventies. I hope, I wish that there will be one Cyprus.
Jan LGJ Morsink <m-inter@home.nl>Borne, The Netherlands - J
ust returned from Cyprus went to Nicosia saw how the City was Divided and on
a boat trip to View Famagusta, such a vast place so sad that the people that
built and lived in the Town were made to leave, we all hope that very soon North
Cyprus will be given back to the Rightfull Owners And Everyone can return to
there Homes.
lesley jenkins <lesleyjenkinsuk@yahoo.co.uk>redditch, uk -
Thank you Thiakos for providing these pictures inside Famagusta. With my family we left Famagusta to escape the 2nd invasion by the Turks only to never return again.
At the time I was 12 years old and was injured by a stray bullet during the coup. Although some people have gone and seen their homes recently I'm still unable to see my house as it's inside the part of Famagusta which is held hostage to this day. In fact I was able to see my street in a photo of the cemetary gate and fence.
If only the photographer turned around, exactly behind him he would of
captured a photo of the Police flats which we used to live in until 1974. I
clearly remebered most of the sites appearing in Thiakos website and I have once
again shed a tear by remembering my home town, Varosi. Philip Koumides
Philip Koup Koumides <philk@vbc.vic.edu.au>Melbourne, Vic Australia -
I'm looking for my old friend, Andreas Loutsious from Famagusta. Please have
him contact me 847-480-0131, 2125 Vale in until 1974. I clearly remebered most
of the sites appearing in Thiakos website and I have once again shed a tear by
remembering website and I have once again shed a tear by remembering my home
town, Varosi. Philip Koumides
Philip Koup Koumides <philk@vbc.vic.edu.au>
Melbourne,
Vic Australia -
I have just come back from cyprus it being my 5th visit to this beautiful
country where the people are so friendly last year i went on a boat trip from
Protaras to view Famagusta from a distance , this year however we learned via a
trip we were actulay allowed to access onto the beach and view the sad sights of
this once beautiful thriving area it is a absoloute disgrace what Turkey has
done to this place and i shed a tear of anger and pity for these poor people who
fled from thier houses and buisnesses for no apparent reason i bathed in the sea
and walked along the coastline as far as i was permitted as it is barracaded off
with wire also being watched by a turish soldier in his sentry box ,the now
discarded empty and falling down hotels are indeed a sad sight to see , i wont
visit Turkey at all but thats my own personal choice the cypriot people are the
warmest welcoming people you could wish to meet and did not deserve for this
terrible ordeal to happen to the town of Famagusta which is now a deserted ghost
town and anyone who is visiting or plans to visit woud be well worth the effort
on going on this trip as it brings home to what these people must have suffered
well worth listening to the actual story on what happened in the 70's ,
my heart goes out to these people , so sad
XdiamondgalxX@aol.com
I came 2 times to Cyprus and I will be back soon - my heart belongs to a
Turkish Cypriot girl.
I went to Famagusta - this place is heavy with history,
I felt ill-at-ease seeing that.
I came as neutral in this north/south
problem. Looking at websites,articles and other documents... and what is said
about the 'turkish occupation'. what goes out from all my researchs is that
Greek Cypriots have a bigger voice but not a white role in the
story.
People should know the whole truth. Why don't we talk about
EOKA? Turkish cypriot genocide? Nothing happened without reasons. Greeks have a
big responsabilities in this story, Turkish have their part too. No one is all
black or all white. No one is innocent.
Only cypriots people: the
victims of few people madness and sellfishness. Both parts are guilty,
both parts have suffered, both parts are in pain.
I can tell that
people in the south are very kind people ! Very helpful and nice! And in the
north : the same! (but maybe lazier workers,:-) ) But they are also very kind
and welcoming!
The food you eat is very similar, the music you listen looks
like each others,your angers and fears are also similar ...
I believe it is
time for childrens to grow up. It is time old brothers drops the hate and
forgive each others...
Hi
It's was very interesting for me to
look att all photos of Famagusta
I was a
UN-soldier in 1977 and the Swedish batallion had 4 OP (ObseravtionsPost) in
Varhosa so I have had very close look on the
ghost town
And I hope soon that the town will be
open for visiter
I wonder, have You a banner
that I can put on my homepage to link to Your site?
Cheers Erik
Min svenska hemsida
http://web.telia.com/~u62002328
My
english homepage http://web.telia.com/~u62003510