ARTICLE IN ENGLISH, TURKISH AND GREEK, PUBLISHED IN YENIDUZEN AND POLITIS NEWSPAPERS…

ARTICLE IN ENGLISH, TURKISH AND GREEK, PUBLISHED IN YENIDUZEN AND POLITIS NEWSPAPERS…

*** Presenting our work on "missing persons" and "mass graves" to Denmark Democracy in Europe Organisation…

In search of truth…

Sevgul Uludag

caramel_cy@yahoo.com

Tel: 00 357 99 966518
00 90 542 853 8436

On the 19th of March 2025 Wednesday morning, we gather at the Home for Cooperation to speak about "missing persons", "mass graves" and our search for truth on this island… It is a big group of 50 persons coming from Denmark… They are members of "Democracy in Europe Organisation" (DEO) which is a "liberal adult education organisation working to promote a participatory European democracy."
Ms. Trine and Mr. Zlatko organised this meeting with the members of Democracy in Europe and I present to them my work with a power point show, with photographs so they can understand better the humanitarian issue of "missing persons" and answer their questions in detail…
Back in 2021 we were supposed to meet in Cyprus but due to the pandemic they could not travel and I had met some of them over a "Zoom meeting" and had answered their questions…

OUR WORK OF THE PAST 24 YEARS…
I tell them stories of "missing" Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, how we have been searching for their possible burial sites for the past 24 years with the extraordinary role played by my readers from both sides, as well as from abroad, including some of the Scandinavian countries like Sweden and Denmark… I tell them about how I had set up with my own two mobiles – one Turkish Cypriot line and one Greek Cypriot line – a "hotline" where my readers would call and give me information about what had happened in their own neighbourhood or village or town, without necessarily disclosing their identity… Years ago, even though I had told them that "You don't need to tell me your name, I don't need to know who you are, just tell me what you have seen or heard so that we can help heal the wounds of the relatives of missing persons", mass majority of those who called me – thousands and thousands of calls over the years – always told me their names since I gave them enough confidence that I would not share who they are… I tell the Danish members of DEO that all the information that my readers would give me, I had shared with my readers in the newspapers where I have been writing, namely YENIDUZEN and POLITIS and that I also shared all the details of these valuable pieces of information with the officials of the Cyprus Missing Persons' Committee… That I did all this not as part of any "project" but as a humanitarian task, voluntarily so that we would be able to help close the wounds of the relatives of "missing persons"…

MASS MURDERS IN CYPRUS…
I tell them about the mass murders in Cyprus where innocent Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots had been killed in both 1963-64 and in 1974… I give examples with photographs and details about the mass murders at Maratha-Sandallaris-Aloa, Palekythre, Galatia, Tochni, Assia-Afania, Epikho and I tell the stories of the relatives of the people killed in such mass murders… I also tell them the story of "Together We Can", the only bicommunal association of the relatives of missing persons and victims of war, how I got them together and how it was set up back in 2006… I tell them of the activities of "Together We Can", telling the story of its members who lost their relatives in such mass murders like the story of Christina Pavlou Solomi Patsia from Komikepir, like Petros Souppouris from Palekythro, like Huseyin Rustem Akansoy from Maratha…

EXHIBITIONS OF ART ABOUT MISSING PERSONS…
I tell them about our first bicommunal exhibition of art entitled "The Colour of Truth" which was opened at the Goethe Institute on the Green Line in Cyprus back in 2013. Our good friend, artist Nilgun Guney was the curator of the exhibition and this year, we have another exhibition entitled "From Pain to Hope" curated by Nilgun and our good friend, ceramics artist Fotos Demetriou… I show photographs of paintings, sculptures and ceramics from both exhibitions – this exhibition was opened in January 2025 at the Stelios Foundation Headquarters and continued to tour Cyprus having exhibitions in Oroklini, Paphos and Limassol… I explain to them that through these exhibitions of art, we try to show both the pain of having someone "missing", the stories of "mass graves", as well as creating hope from sharing this pain for our future on this land…

PAIN OF RELATIVES OF MISSING PERSONS…
I tell them that there is no "Turkish pain", no "Greek pain" – that all the pain that relatives of "missing persons" suffer is HUMAN PAIN and how we tried to show that throughout the years through our work… Why we did this? In order for our communities not to see themselves as the "only victim" of the conflict but to be able to see that all sides in this conflict suffered, that everybody lost…

ANSWERING QUESTIONS…
I also tell them about the work of the official Cyprus Missing Persons' Committee, about their investigations, their exhumations and the process of identification and return of remains to the relatives of "missing persons" for burial…
Comparing the work of such committees from the world, I also talked about my observations and findings: For instance in former Yugoslavia, without losing any time, as soon as the war was over (even before the war was over), they had begun work for the search on "missing persons", using satellite photos to see the differences of colour of the soil in order to find mass graves… But in Cyprus even though the committee was set up in 1981, they would waste years arguing about how it should work and its "terms of reference" and would waste at least 8-9 years on this issue… For instance in former Yugoslavia, during exhumations of mass graves, they would also collect evidence of the crimes committed there but in Cyprus during exhumations that began after 2006, no evidence would be collected. What was the reason for this? The reason was the agreement of the two sides, the Turkish Cypriot side and the Greek Cypriot side to protect their own perpetuators who did these mass killings – they had reached such an agreement while setting up the CMP back in 1981 and agreed not to give "the cause of death" to the relatives of the missing persons in Cyprus. And the UN would agree with such an agreement! And due to this the reports they would give after the remains were found, analysed and identifications were complete, would not be sufficient to go to court because it did not include "the cause of death"… Therefore the relatives of missing persons who got back the remains of their loved ones would have to bring a forensic expert from outside to get a report that would include "the cause of death" if they wanted to be able to go to court and open a case… And all of this had been happening in a member state of the European Union and this reflected how there were "double standards" implemented in Europe…

OPEN DEBATE ABOUT DEMOCRACY…
According to their website, "DEO strives to engage the general public in a nuanced debate on European politics and on the European union. Following a participatory democratic mind-set, the aim is to activate as many as possible in a versatile and open debate about the content and framework of the European Union. DEO is a Danish association working for democracy in Europe." They are "independent of political parties and EU bodies with no specific political agenda but aim to raise political questions, address problems and discuss European issues in their debates."
DEO is supported by the Danish Parliament's European Fund, Europa-Nævnet, and apply for additional funding for specific projects as well. But they also rely on voluntary work and contributions in many of their activities.
DEO holds office in Copenhagen, Denmark…"
According to their website, each year they organise more than 40 public events ranging from debate meetings, seminars and conferences to panel debates. Since 2009 they have been working with teacher training, development of learning materials and activities with students and pupils. They have been doing study trips to Belgium/Brussels, France/Strasbourg, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ireland, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. These are some of their main destinations on their 6-10 political road trips each year. And this year, I am glad that Cyprus was also included in their study trips…
3-4 times per year they also publish a booklet or magazine on a problem or issue within the framework of EU, democracy and Europe. About 3,000 people subscribe to the books as members of DEO.
I thank them for giving me the opportunity to present my work to them…




Danimarka'dan Avrupa Demokrasi Derneği'ne Kıbrıs'ta "kayıplar" ve "toplu mezarlar" ve gerçeği arayışımızı anlattık…

Sevgül Uludağ

19 Mart 2025 Çarşamba günü Lefkoşa'da ara bölgedeki Dayanışma Evi'nde Danimarka'dan Avrupa'da Demokrasi Derneği'nden 50 kişilik bir gruba Kıbrıs'ta kayıplar, toplu mezarlar ve hakikatla ilgili çalışmalarımızı sunduk, sorularını yanıtladık. Danimarka Demokrasi Derneği'nden Bayan Trine ve Bay Zlatko tarafından ayarlanan bu toplantıda Danimarkalı Demokrasi Derneği üyelerinin Kıbrıs'taki kayıplarla ilgili pek çok sorusunu yanıtlama fırsatı bulduk. 2021'de pandemi nedeniyle Kıbrıs'a gelemedikleri için, bu derneğin üyelerine zoom üzerinden sunuş yapmış ve sorularını yanıtlamıştık...
Danimarka'dan Avrupa'da Demokrasi Derneği'ne yaptığımız sunuşta fotoğraflarla son 24 yıldır üzerinde çalışmayı sürdürmekte olduğumuz Kıbrıslıtürk ve Kıbrıslırum "kayıplar"ının öyküleri, onların gömü yerlerini aradığımız süreç içerisinde okurlarımızın oynadığı olağanüstü rol, okularımızın kendi mahallelerinde, kendi köylerinde tanık oldukları veya işittikleri olayları bize aktarmaları hakkında geniş bilgiler verdik.

KIBRIS'TA KATLİAMLAR HAKKINDA BİLGİ…
Danimarka'dan gelerek Kıbrıs'ta incelemeler yapan 50 kişilik gruba Muratağa-Atlılar-Sandallar, Abohor, Palekitire, Galatya, Dohni, Aşşa-Afanya katliamları ve buralarda öldürülen insanların yakınlarının öykülerini de resimlerle aktardığımız sunuşumuzda ayrıca iki toplumlu kayıp yakınları ve savaş mağdurlarının ortak örgütü "Birlikte Başarabiliriz"in faaliyetleri hakkında bilgiler de verdik.

KAYIPLARLA İLGİLİ SERGİLER HAKKINDA BİLGİ…
Ressam Nilgün Güney'in küratörlüğünde 2013'te açılan "Gerçeğin Rengi" başlıklı iki toplumdan sanatçıların resimlerinin yer aldığı serginin yanısıra, bu yıl yine Nilgün Güney ve seramik sanatçısı Fotos Dimitriu'nun küratörlüğünde açılan ve halen adayı dolaşmakta olan "Acıdan Umuda" başlıklı resim sergisinden sanatçılarımızın eserlerini de gösterdiğimiz grubun bu konuda sorularını da yanıtladık.
Ocak ayında Lefkoşa'da Stelyos Vakfı merkezinde açılan "Acıdan Umuda" sergisi, daha sonra Mart ayında Oroklini'de açıldı ve şimdi de önümüzdeki günlerde 3 Nisan 2025'te Baf'ta, ondan sonraki hafta içerisinde 9 Nisan 2025'te ise Leymosun'da açılacak. Sergiye 12 Kıbrıslıtürk ve Kıbrıslırum sanatçı eserleriyle katılıyor.

KAYIP YAKINLARININ ACILARI…
Danimarka'dan gelen Demokrasi Derneği üyelerine "kayıp" yakınlarının acılarının aynı olduğunu, "Türk acısı", "Rum acısı" diye bir acı değil, "İNSAN ACISI" olduğunu seneler boyunca göstermeye çalışmamızı, toplumlarımızın yalnızca kendilerini "kurban" olarak görmekten uzaklaşıp, bu çatışmada tüm tarafların da acı çektiğini, herkesin kaybetmiş olduğunu aktarmaya çalıştığımızı örnekleriyle anlattık.
Kıbrıslıtürk ve Kıbrıslırum kayıp yakınlarını ve savaş mağdurlarını bir araya getirerek 2006 yılında ortak bir örgüt kurmalarını nasıl sağladığımızı anlattık ve "Birlikte Başarabiliriz" adlı bu örgütün köylerde, kasabalarda, şehirlerde, okullarda ne tür etkinlikler yaptığını resimlerle gösterdik. Bu örgütün liderlerinden Muratağa'da ailesinden 30 kişiyi kaybeden Hüseyin Rüstem Akansoy'un, Palekitire katliamında tüm ailesini kaybeden Petros Suppuris, Galatya katliamında babasını ve kardeşini kaybeden Hristina Pavlu Solomi Patça gibi kayıp yakınlarının kendi acılarına rağmen başka "kayıplar"ın bulunması ve barış için nasıl çalıştıklarını örnekleriyle gösterdik.

SORULARI YANITLADIK…
Danimarka Demokrasi Derneği'nden üyelerin ayrıntılı sorularını somut örneklerle yanıtladık ve kendilerine Kıbrıs'ta "kayıplar" konusunda çalışmaları resmi olarak yürütmekte olan Kayıplar Komitesi'nin çalışmaları, kazılar, kimliklendirme ve bulunan "kayıp" kalıntılarının ailelere iadesi hakkında da bilgi verdik. Dünyada yaşanan "kayıplar"la ilgili çalışmalarla Kıbrıs'taki çalışmaları kıyasladık ve bu konudaki gözlemlerimizi aktardık. Eski Yugoslavya'da hiç zaman yitirmeksizin, savaş biter bitmez derhal "kayıplar"ın aranmasına başlandığını, bu amaçla uydu fotoğraflarından yararlanılıp havadan görüntülere bakılarak topraktaki farklı renklerden hareketle toplu mezar arayışına gidildiğini anlattık. Danimarkalılar'a, Kıbrıs'ta çok uzun yıllar kazılar yapılmadan zaman harcandığını, toplu mezar kazılarında herhangi bir "suçlama"ya mahal vermeyecek biçimde, gömü yerlerinden "kanıt" toplanmadığını oysa Yugoslavya'daki toplu mezar kazılarında gömü yerlerinden "kanıt" toplandığını da belirttik. Bunun nedeninin Kıbrıs'ta her iki tarafın da katliamlar gerçekleştirmiş kendi katillerini korumak maksadıyla Kayıplar Komitesi kurulurken vardıkları anlaşma sonucunda, "kayıp" yakınlarına "ölüm nedenini söylemekten kaçınma" üzerinde uzlaştıklarını, Birleşmiş Milletler yetkililerinin de buna göz yumduğunu aktardık Danimarka'dan gelen gruba… Böylelikle, Kayıplar Komitesi'nin görev tanımı ve faaliyet çerçevesi içerisinde, "kayıp" yakınlarına kalıntılar bulunduktan sonra verdikleri raporların da "ölüm nedeni" yazılmadığından Avrupa İnsan Hakları Mahkemesi'nde dava açabilecek nitelikte olmadığından, dava açmak isteyen kayıp yakınlarının dışarıdan adli uzman getirterek kalıntıları inceletmek ve ölüm nedenini de içerecek başka bir rapor almaları gerektiğini anlattık. Tüm bunların bir AB üyesi olan Kıbrıs'ta, bu konuda Avrupa'nın başka bölgelerine göre "çifte standart" uygulandığının bir göstergesi olduğunu, en somut örneğin ise eski Yugoslavya'daki süreç olduğunu belirttik.

DEMOKRASİ DERNEĞİ'NİN AMAÇLARI…
Danimarka'dan Avrupa'da Demokrasi İçin Aydınlanma Derneği'nin amaçları arasında, AB hakkında tartışma ve bilgilerin yaygınlaşması. Derneğin internet sayfasında yazılanlara göre, "Katılımcı bir anlayışla, Avrupa'da işbirliği çerçevesi ve içeriği hakkında açık fikirli ve kapsamlı bir tartışmanın mümkün olduğunca yaygınlaştırılması" için uğraş veriyorlar. Kısa adı DEO DK olan dernek, Danimarka çapında bilgilenerek Avrupa'da demokrasi için çalışmayı öngörüyor. Dernek ülke çapında toplantılar ve konferanslar düzenliyor, "Toplum Düşünüyor" başlığı altında yılda üç-dört kez bu tartışmaları içeren kitaplar ve yayınlar çıkarıyor, eğitim materyalleri hazırlıyor ve AB içerisinde çeşitli ülkelere geziler düzenleyerek yerinde o ülkeden insanlarla bir araya geliyor. Ağırlıkla gönüllülük temelinde çalışan derneğin odaklandığı ana konu demokrasi… "Demokrasinin katılım gerektirdiği ana sloganımızdır. O nedenle demokrasi, pratikte uyguladığımız ve davet ettiğimiz bir şey olmalıdır. Sadece uğrunda çalıştığımız bir ideal değil, aynı zamanda somut pratikte üzerinde çalıştığımız bir şey olmalıdır" deniyor derneğin internet sitesinde… Tüm siyasi partilere ve hareketlere eşit mesafede durmaya özen gösteren dernek, aynı şekilde AB kurumlarından ve örgütlerinden de bağımsız olmayı seçmiş.

(YENİDÜZEN – Kıbrıs: Anlatılmamış Öyküler… Sevgül Uludağ – 24.3.2025)

https://www.yeniduzen.com/danimarkadan-avrupa-demokrasi-dernegine-kibrista-kayiplar-ve-toplu-mezarlar-ve-gerce-23486yy.htm





Παρουσίαση του έργου μας σχετικά με τους «αγνοούμενους» και τους «μαζικούς τάφους» στην Οργάνωση «Δημοκρατία στην Ευρώπη» της Δανίας...

Αναζητώντας την αλήθεια…

Sevgul Uludag

caramel_cy@yahoo.com

Τηλ: 99 966518

Tο πρωί της Τετάρτης 19 Μαρτίου 2025, συγκεντρωνόμαστε στο Σπίτι της Συνεργασίας για να μιλήσουμε για τους «αγνοούμενους», τους «μαζικούς τάφους» και την αναζήτηση μας για την αλήθεια σε αυτό το νησί... Είναι μια μεγάλη ομάδα 50 ατόμων που έρχονται από τη Δανία... Είναι μέλη της οργάνωσης «Democracy in Europe Organisation» (DEO), η οποία είναι μια «φιλελεύθερη οργάνωση εκπαίδευσης ενηλίκων που εργάζεται για την προώθηση μιας συμμετοχικής ευρωπαϊκής δημοκρατίας».
Η κα Trine και ο κ. Zlatko οργάνωσαν αυτή τη συνάντηση με τα μέλη της «Δημοκρατίας στην Ευρώπη» και τους παρουσιάζω τη δουλειά μου με μια παρουσίαση power point, με φωτογραφίες ώστε να κατανοήσουν καλύτερα το ανθρωπιστικό ζήτημα των «αγνοουμένων» και απαντώ λεπτομερώς στις ερωτήσεις τους...
Το 2021 θα συναντιόμασταν στην Κύπρο, αλλά λόγω της πανδημίας δεν μπόρεσαν να ταξιδέψουν και είχα συναντηθεί με κάποιους από αυτούς μέσω Zoom και είχα απαντήσει στις ερωτήσεις τους...

Το έργο μας τα τελευταία 24 χρόνια...
Τους διηγούμαι ιστορίες «αγνοουμένων» Τουρκοκυπρίων και Ελληνοκυπρίων, πως ψάχνουμε για τους πιθανούς τόπους ταφής τους τα τελευταία 24 χρόνια με τον εξαιρετικό ρόλο που έπαιξαν οι αναγνώστες μου και από τις δύο πλευρές, καθώς και από το εξωτερικό, συμπεριλαμβανομένων κάποιων από τις σκανδιναβικές χώρες όπως η Σουηδία και η Δανία... Τους εξιστορώ για το πως είχα δημιουργήσει μια «τηλεφωνική γραμμή» με τα προσωπικά μου δύο κινητά τηλέφωνα – μία τουρκοκυπριακή γραμμή και μία ελληνοκυπριακή γραμμή – όπου οι αναγνώστες μου καλούσαν και μου έδιναν πληροφορίες για το τι είχε συμβεί στη γειτονιά ή το χωριό ή την πόλη τους, χωρίς απαραίτητα να αποκαλύπτουν την ταυτότητα τους... Πριν από χρόνια, παρόλο που τους έλεγα ότι «δεν χρειάζεται να μου πεις το όνομα σου, δεν χρειάζεται να ξέρω ποιος είσαι, απλά πες μου τι είδες ή άκουσες ώστε να βοηθήσουμε να επουλωθούν οι πληγές των συγγενών των αγνοουμένων», η μαζική πλειοψηφία όσων με καλούσαν – χιλιάδες και χιλιάδες κλήσεις όλα αυτά τα χρόνια – μου έλεγαν πάντα το όνομα τους, αφού τους έδινα αρκετή εμπιστοσύνη ότι δεν θα μοιραζόμουν ποιοι είναι... Λέω στους Δανούς μέλη της DEO ότι όλες τις πληροφορίες που μου έδιναν οι αναγνώστες μου, τις είχα μοιραστεί με τους αναγνώστες μου στις εφημερίδες στις οποίες αρθρογραφούσα, δηλαδή την YENIDUZEN και τον ΠΟΛΙΤΗ και ότι μοιράστηκα επίσης όλες τις λεπτομέρειες αυτών των πολύτιμων πληροφοριών με τους λειτουργούς της Κυπριακής Διερευνητικής Επιτροπής Αγνοουμένων... Ότι όλα αυτά τα έκανα όχι στο πλαίσιο οποιουδήποτε «προγράμματος» αλλά ως ανθρωπιστικό καθήκον, εθελοντικά για να μπορέσουμε να βοηθήσουμε να κλείσουν οι πληγές των συγγενών των «αγνοουμένων»...

Μαζικές δολοφονίες στην Κύπρο...
Τους μιλώ για τις μαζικές δολοφονίες στην Κύπρο, όπου αθώοι Τουρκοκύπριοι και Ελληνοκύπριοι σκοτώθηκαν τόσο το 1963-64 όσο και το 1974... Δίνω παραδείγματα με φωτογραφίες και λεπτομέρειες για τις μαζικές δολοφονίες στα χωριά Μαράθα-Σανταλλάρη-Αλόα, Παλαίκυθρο, Γαλάτεια, Τόχνη, Άσσια-Αφάνεια, Επηχώ και λέω τις ιστορίες των συγγενών των ανθρώπων που σκοτώθηκαν σε αυτές τις μαζικές δολοφονίες... Τους διηγούμαι επίσης την ιστορία του «Μαζί Μπορούμε!», της μοναδικής δικοινοτικής οργάνωσης συγγενών αγνοουμένων και θυμάτων πολέμου, για το πως τους έφερα μαζί και πως ιδρύθηκε το 2006... Τους διηγούμαι τις δραστηριότητες του «Μαζί Μπορούμε!», αφηγούμαι την ιστορία των μελών του που έχασαν τους συγγενείς τους σε τέτοιες μαζικές δολοφονίες, όπως την ιστορία της Χριστίνας Παύλου Σολωμή Πατσιά από την Κώμη Κεπήρ, όπως του Πέτρου Σουππουρή από το Παλαίκυθρο, όπως του Huseyin Rustem Akansoy από τη Μαράθα...

Εκθέσεις τέχνης με θέμα τους αγνοούμενους…
Τους μιλώ για την πρώτη μας δικοινοτική έκθεση τέχνης με τίτλο «Το χρώμα της αλήθειας», η οποία εγκαινιάστηκε το 2013στο Ινστιτούτο Γκαίτε στην Πράσινη Γραμμή στην Κύπρο. Η καλή μας φίλη, καλλιτέχνης Nilgun Guney ήταν η επιμελήτρια της έκθεσης και φέτος, έχουμε μια άλλη έκθεση με τίτλο «Από τον πόνο στην ελπίδα» που επιμελήθηκε η Nilgun και ο καλός μας φίλος, κεραμιστής Φώτος Δημητρίου... Δείχνω φωτογραφίες από πίνακες ζωγραφικής, γλυπτά και κεραμικά και από τις δύο εκθέσεις – αυτή η έκθεση εγκαινιάστηκε τον Ιανουάριο του 2025 στα κεντρικά γραφεία του Ιδρύματος Στέλιος και συνέχισε να περιοδεύει στην Κύπρο με εκθέσεις στην Ορόκλινη, την Πάφο και τη Λεμεσό... Τους εξηγώ ότι μέσα από αυτές τις εκθέσεις τέχνης, προσπαθούμε να δείξουμε τόσο τον πόνο του να έχεις κάποιον «αγνοούμενο», τις ιστορίες των «μαζικών τάφων», όσο και να δημιουργήσουμε ελπίδα από το μοίρασμα αυτού του πόνου για το μέλλον μας σε αυτή τη γη...

Ο πόνος των συγγενών των αγνοουμένων...
Τους λέω ότι δεν υπάρχει «τουρκικός πόνος», δεν υπάρχει «ελληνικός πόνος» – ότι όλος ο πόνος που υφίστανται οι συγγενείς των «αγνοουμένων» είναι ΑΝΘΡΩΠΙΝΟΣ ΠΟΝΟΣ και πως προσπαθήσαμε να το δείξουμε αυτό όλα αυτά τα χρόνια μέσα από τη δουλειά μας... Γιατί το κάναμε αυτό; Για να μην βλέπουν οι κοινότητές μας τον εαυτό τους ως το «μοναδικό θύμα» της σύγκρουσης, αλλά για να μπορέσουν να δουν ότι όλες οι πλευρές σε αυτή τη σύγκρουση υπέφεραν, ότι όλοι έχασαν...

Απαντώντας ερωτήσεις...
Τους μιλώ επίσης για το έργο της επίσημης Κυπριακής Διερευνητικής Επιτροπής Αγνοουμένων, για τις έρευνες τους, τις εκταφές και τη διαδικασία ταυτοποίησης και επιστροφής των οστών στους συγγενείς των «αγνοουμένων» για ταφή...
Συγκρίνοντας το έργο τέτοιων επιτροπών από τον κόσμο, μίλησα επίσης για τις παρατηρήσεις και τα ευρήματα μου: Για παράδειγμα, στην πρώην Γιουγκοσλαβία, χωρίς να χάσουν καθόλου χρόνο, μόλις τελείωσε ο πόλεμος (ακόμη και πριν τελειώσει ο πόλεμος), είχαν αρχίσει τις εργασίες για την αναζήτηση «αγνοουμένων», χρησιμοποιώντας δορυφορικές φωτογραφίες για να δουν τις διαφορές στο χρώμα του εδάφους προκειμένου να βρουν μαζικούς τάφους... Στην Κύπρο όμως, παρόλο που η επιτροπή συστάθηκε το 1981, σπατάλησαν χρόνια για να διαφωνούν για το πως θα έπρεπε να λειτουργεί και τους «όρους εντολής» της και σπατάλησαν τουλάχιστον 8-9 χρόνια για το θέμα αυτό... Για παράδειγμα στην πρώην Γιουγκοσλαβία, κατά τη διάρκεια εκταφών σε μαζικούς τάφους, συνέλεγαν και στοιχεία για τα εγκλήματα που διαπράχθηκαν εκεί, αλλά στην Κύπρο κατά τη διάρκεια εκταφών που άρχισαν μετά το 2006, δεν συλλέγονταν κανένα στοιχείο. Ποιος ήταν ο λόγος για αυτό; Ο λόγος ήταν η συμφωνία των δύο πλευρών, της τουρκοκυπριακής και της ελληνοκυπριακής πλευράς, να προστατεύσουν τους δικούς τους δράστες που διέπραξαν αυτές τις μαζικές δολοφονίες – είχαν καταλήξει σε μια τέτοια συμφωνία κατά τη σύσταση της ΔΕΑ το 1981 και συμφώνησαν να μην δώσουν «την αιτία θανάτου» στους συγγενείς των αγνοουμένων στην Κύπρο. Και ο ΟΗΕ συμφώνησε με μια τέτοια συμφωνία! Και εξαιτίας αυτού οι εκθέσεις που δίνονται μετά την ανεύρεση των οστών, την ανάλυση τους και την ολοκλήρωση των ταυτοποιήσεων, δεν ήταν επαρκείς για να πάνε στο δικαστήριο γιατί δεν περιλαμβάνουν την «αιτία θανάτου»... Ως εκ τούτου, οι συγγενείς των αγνοουμένων που παίρνουν πίσω τα οστά των αγαπημένων τους προσώπων θα πρέπει να φέρουν έναν εξωτερικό ιατροδικαστή για να πάρουν μια έκθεση που θα περιλάμβανε την «αιτία θανάτου», αν ήθελαν να είναι σε θέση να πάνε στο δικαστήριο και να ανοίξουν μια υπόθεση... Και όλα αυτά συνέβαιναν σε ένα κράτος μέλος της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης και αυτό αντανακλούσε το πως υπήρχαν «διπλά πρότυπα» που εφαρμόζονταν στην Ευρώπη...

Ανοικτή συζήτηση για τη δημοκρατία...
Σύμφωνα με την ιστοσελίδα τους, «η DEO προσπαθεί να εμπλέξει το ευρύ κοινό σε μια διαφοροποιημένη συζήτηση για την ευρωπαϊκή πολιτική και την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση. Ακολουθώντας μια συμμετοχική δημοκρατική προσέγγιση, στόχος είναι να ενεργοποιήσει όσο το δυνατόν περισσότερους σε μια πολύπλευρη και ανοιχτή συζήτηση για το περιεχόμενο και το πλαίσιο της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης. Η DEO είναι μια δανέζικη οργάνωση που εργάζεται για τη δημοκρατία στην Ευρώπη». Είναι «ανεξάρτητη από τα πολιτικά κόμματα και τα όργανα της ΕΕ χωρίς συγκεκριμένη πολιτική ατζέντα, αλλά στοχεύει να αναδεικνύει πολιτικά ερωτήματα, να αντιμετωπίζει προβλήματα και να συζητά ευρωπαϊκά θέματα στις συζητήσεις της».
Η DEO υποστηρίζεται από το Ευρωπαϊκό Ταμείο του κοινοβουλίου της Δανίας, Europa-Nævnet, και υποβάλλει επίσης αίτηση για πρόσθετη χρηματοδότηση για συγκεκριμένα έργα. Αλλά βασίζονται επίσης στην εθελοντική εργασία και τις συνεισφορές σε πολλές από τις δραστηριότητές τους.
Η DEO διατηρεί γραφεία στην Κοπεγχάγη στη Δανίας...»
Σύμφωνα με την ιστοσελίδα τους, κάθε χρόνο διοργανώνουν περισσότερες από 40 δημόσιες εκδηλώσεις, από συναντήσεις συζήτησης, σεμινάρια και συνέδρια μέχρι συζητήσεις σε πάνελ. Από το 2009 ασχολούνται με την επιμόρφωση των εκπαιδευτικών, την ανάπτυξη εκπαιδευτικού υλικού και δραστηριότητες με φοιτητές και μαθητές. Έχουν πραγματοποιήσει εκπαιδευτικά ταξίδια σε Βέλγιο/Βρυξέλλες, Γαλλία/Στρασβούργο, Πολωνία, Εσθονία, Λετονία, Λιθουανία, Ιρλανδία, Ελλάδα, Βοσνία-Ερζεγοβίνη, Κροατία, Κόσσοβο, Μαυροβούνιο, Βόρεια Μακεδονία και Σερβία. Αυτοί είναι μερικοί από τους κύριους προορισμούς τους στα 6-10 πολιτικά οδικά ταξίδια τους κάθε χρόνο. Και φέτος, χαίρομαι που η Κύπρος συμπεριλήφθηκε επίσης στα ταξίδια μελέτης τους...
Επίσης 3-4 φορές το χρόνο εκδίδουν ένα έντυπο ή περιοδικό για κάποιο πρόβλημα ή θέμα στο πλαίσιο της ΕΕ, της δημοκρατίας και της Ευρώπης. Περίπου 3.000 άτομα είναι συνδρομητές των βιβλίων ως μέλη της DEO.
Τους ευχαριστώ που μου έδωσαν την ευκαιρία να τους παρουσιάσω το έργο μου...

(POLITIS – Sevgul Uludag – 27.4.2025)

https://www.politis.com.cy/apopseis/stiles/933738/anazitontas-tin-alitheia

ARTICLE IN ENGLISH, TURKISH AND GREEK: LEMONADE FROM TANGERINES AND LEMONS, A DOLL FROM GERMANY…

ARTICLE IN ENGLISH, TURKISH AND GREEK: LEMONADE FROM TANGERINES AND LEMONS, A DOLL FROM GERMANY…

*** Memories of a doll gifted to me by Ahmet Zaim, the first Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to Bonn…

Lemonade from tangerines and lemons, a doll from Germany…

Sevgul Uludag

caramel_cy@yahoo.com

Tel: 99 966518

I take 12 sweet oranges, 10 Clementine tangerines and 10 bitter oranges that I collected from our bitter orange tree in our garden and wash them with hot water… I then split them into two and squeeze them with the old but never actually growing old orange squeezer that belonged to my late mother… I would make chicken in the oven in this juice and it would taste like heaven… When squeezing them, I think of my mother because this orange squeezer had belonged to her… She had all the necessary tools in her kitchen that my father used to buy for her. And this orange squeezer was important… Why? Because we would squeeze Cypriot tangerines and lemons with it and make lemonade from their juice… Since my father had bought this orange squeezer in the 1940s or 1950s, it must be around 70-80 years old…

MAKING LEMONADE…
With this orange squeezer, my mother used to squeeze the Cypriot tangerines that she had collected from our garden… Sometimes, she would collect lemons and squeeze some lemons as well and mix the two juices to make lemonade. When the Cypriot tangerines were squeezed, sometimes I was given the task to mix the sugar in the tangerine juice in order to make lemonade… This was a very difficult task for me since I had to stir it constantly for a very long time and I would feel pain in my arms… But of course, afterwards, we would have very tasty lemonade…
As soon as the lemonade was ready, we would each have a glass with my mother, looking at each other, all smiles… This was the taste of our island – the offer of nature to us, the lovely, juicy Cypriot tangerines with a distinct smell… There was a saying among people that it was not possible to steal Cypriot tangerines from someone's tree as the thief would be caught immediately because of the smell! The moment you touched the Cypriot tangerines, their incredible smell would go around the whole neighbourhood!
When the lemonade was ready, we would carefully put it in glass bottles… We would line them up and when our relatives or visitors came to our house, we would offer them Cypriot lemonade and they would love drinking it… We made lemonade particularly for the summer months since that was the time for consuming it…

LEMONADE WITH LEMONS…
My auntie Sherife Zaim would make lemonade with lemons – I also liked that lemonade… She would give us a bottle to take home and we would enjoy it. But every afternoon when we went to visit her in her house, during the hot summer afternoons, she would always offer us the lemonade she had made from the lemons in her garden… I remember her refrigerator lined up with bottles of lemonade… They were in the old Soumada bottles of Lanitis, the old glass bottles… You never threw out bottles, ever, in those days… We used to use the bottles over and over again… Sometimes we would bring the bottles back to the "bakkalis" (market) and get a few piasters to spend on candy or chewing gum…

TOYS MOM MADE AND MY DOLLS…
There were very few kinds of candy and chewing gum in those days… There was the black chewing gum that grew out of proportions in your mouth when you continued to chew it… My mother would take this black chewing gum and would stick it in the empty shells of walnuts, making a flagpole and it would become a toy boat to sail in water… She would take the shiny foil type of paper from cigarette boxes and she would make me cups so that I could offer lemonade or coffee to my dolls when I gave a birthday party to them… I had a collection of dolls – generally all those dolls were presents. I don't ever remember us going and buying a doll…

A DOLL FROM GERMANY…
My auntie's son, Ahmet Zaim would get me a doll when he was the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus in Germany – he was based in Bonn… He had got me a lovely doll – it was a boy, its eyes looked real, it was very hard plastic and it had rosy cheeks… This was my favourite doll and I had named it "Levent"… I must have been about 2 or 3 years old when he had got me this doll from Germany… He had also got me a doll who was sitting in front of a sewing machine and she was sewing stuff! She had long, blond hair and when you put batteries in the sewing machine, it would start giving out colours and patterns and she would look as though she was sewing, even moving her feet at the bottom… In those days, there were no such toys in Cyprus and this doll with the sewing machine, amazed me…
Ahmet Zaim would have a very big conflict with Rauf Denktash and he would be "punished" by being isolated from the community…
My mother had been very close with Ahmet Zaim, she was his auntie, his mother Sherife's sister… I have a lot of photographs of Ahmet Zaim when he was studying that he was sending to my mother… When we would go to Ankara to see my brother who was studying in the university there, we would always go see him at the RoC Embassy… I also remember his last days, I remember how he felt bad that he was so much humiliated even though he was innocent… I remember him in a hospital bed… May he rest in peace… I will give my favourite doll he had got for me from Germany that I still keep to my granddaughter and when she is old enough, I will tell his story to her so it does not disappear from the memory of our family…

WHO WAS AHMET ZAIM…
Ahmet Zaim was born in 1927 in Nicosia and would graduate from the English School. He would be sent on a scholarship to study law in England. He would come back to the island in 1947 and would be practicing law in Famagusta between 1947-1955. Until the declaration of the Republic of Cyprus, he would be representing the Turkish Cypriot community in various delegations in Turkey London and New York, at the UN.
On the 17th of October 1955, Ahmet Zaim would be appointed to be the assistant to Mr. Clements who was the commissar of Nicosia and Kyrenia by the British colonial administration. In 1960 when the Ministry of Defence would be given to the Turkish Cypriot community in the Republic of Cyprus, Osman Orek would be the Minister of Defence and Ahmet Zaim would be the undersecretary at the ministry. On the 25th of November 1960, he would be appointed as Ambassador of RoC to the Bonn Embassy. After the Ambassador of RoC in Ankara gets involved in a "scandal" that he was organising young people to have military training in Turkey, he is dismissed and in his stead, towards the end of 1964, Ahmet Zaim would be appointed as the new Ambassador of Republic of Cyprus to Ankara. He starts his job in Turkey as the new Ambassador of Cyprus on the 31st of October 1964 and Turkey officially accepts him. He continues to serve until 1976 in this post. According to the memories of Dr. Turhan Korun published in POLIS magazine of HAVADIS newspaper on the 27th of January 2013, "During this time, Denktash is not happy with this arrangement and starts campaigning against him. Although Ahmet Zaim wants to leave this job, the Foreign Minister of Turkey of those days, Ibrahim Sabri Chaghlayangil tells him that "You will stay, as long as we want you to stay and serve as ambassador… Don't worry about what they say…"
According to Turhan Korun, "When the Turkish Cypriot Federated State is declared in 1975, Ahmet Zaim applies again to the Turkish Foreign Ministry to close down the Embassy in Ankara and this is accepted but the following day, the Foreign Ministry of Turkey calls him and tells him that this decision was cancelled. According to Turhan Korun's memoirs, "Ahmet Zaim closes down the embassy in Ankara in March 1976, probably with the consent of Turkish government and gives all its documents and its belongings to the Representation of the Turkish Cypriot Federated State… On the 22nd of October 1976, he learns that he has been thrown out of his job by the Cyprus government. Even though with a new law, those who had served in the RoC embassies are employed by the Turkish Cypriot authorities, this is not done in the case of Ahmet Zaim. He struggles between 1976-82 for this but gets no result. Without getting his right to retire, he dies on the 5th of January in 1982…"
May he rest in peace…

19.1.2025



YENİDÜZEN'DE 29 OCAK 2025'TE YAYIMLANAN YAZIM:

Mandarin ve ekşi leymonaddaları, Almanya'dan hediye bir bebek…

Sevgül Uludağ

12 tane şeker portokalı, 10 tane Klementin mandarin ve 10 tane de turunç alıyorum – turunçlar bahçemizdeki turunç ağacının turunçları – bunları sıcak suyla iyice yıkıyorum. Sonra ikiye ayırıyorum, rahmetlik annemin eski ama asla eskimeyen portokal sıkacağıyla sıkıyorum… Bu nefis narenciye suyuyla fırında tavuk yapacağım ve bu yemek muhteşem olacak…
Portokalları ve mandarinleri sıkarken, aklımda anneciğim var çünkü bu portokal sıkacağı ona aitti… Mutfağında her tür "gayıdı" tamamdı, hiçbir şey eksik değildi, bunları ona babam alırdı… "Gayıtın tamam olacak" derdi hep anneciğim ve mutfakta her birinin bir yeri vardı… "O zaman, gözün kapalı bulun, nere goyduğunu bilirsan" derdi…
Bu portokal sıkacağı mutfakta önemli bir aletti. Nedeni da bununla bahçemizdeki mandarinleri ve ekşileri sıkarak leymonadda yapmamızdı… Ekşi suyundan çok, mandarinlerimizle leymonadda yapardık… Babam bu portokal sıkacağını 1940'lı veya 50'li yıllarda almış olmalı – o zaman bu alet, en az 70-80 yaşında olmalı diye düşünüyorum… Çok eski ama neredeyse ilk günkü gibi pırıl pırıl…

LEYMONADDA YAPIMI
Bu portokal sıkacağıyla rahmetlik anneciğim Türkan Uludağ, bahçemizden topladığı Kıbrıs mandarinlerinden leymonadda yapardı. Bazan bahçemizdeki yediveren ekşi ağacından ekşi toplar, bunları da sıkar ve mandarin suyuna karıştırıp öyle yapardık leymonaddayı…
Kıbrıs mandarinleri sıkıldığında bazan mandarinlere şeker karıştırma görevi bana verilirdi… Leymonadda yapmak için şekeri mandarin suyunda eritmek gerekirdi… Bu benim için çok zordu çünkü uzun süre ve sürekli karıştırmak gerekirdi, o zaman kollarıma sızılar girerdi… Ancak sonrasında harika leymonaddalarımız olurdu, şişeler dolusu…
Leymonaddalar hazır olur olmaz, annemle birlikte birer gadef içerdik, birbirimize gülümserdik…
Bu adamızın tadıydı – doğanın bize sunduğu harika, sulu Kıbrıs mandarinlerinin kendine özgü bir kokusu vardır… Kıbrıs'ta her zaman anlatılan bir şey vardır – asla Kıbrıs mandarini çalamaz kimsecikler çünkü mandarini kestikleri anda, kokusu yedi mahalleyi dutar ve mandarin hırsızı derhal yakalanır!  Doğrudur bu! Mandarinlere dokunduğunuz anda, kokularını salıverirler ve tüm mahallenin burnunun direği gırılır bu güzel kokuyla!
Leymonadda hazır olunca, bunları cam şişelere doldururduk… Bunları dizerdik ve akrabalarımız ya da misafirlerimiz bizi ziyarete geldiğinde, onlara Kıbrıs leymonaddası dökerek bu güzel leymonaddayla onları ağırlardık… Bayıla bayıla içerlerdi… Leymonaddayı yaz ayları için yapardık çünkü en çok leymonadda içilen mevsim, yaz mevsimiydi…

EKŞİ LEYMONADDASI…
Rahmetlik Şerife Zaim deyzem (biz ona hep Şerif Deyze derdik), ekşi leymonaddası yapardı – bu leymonaddayı da çok severdim. Ekşi leymonaddası yaptığında mutlaka bir şişe verirdi bize, bunu eve getirip içerdik. Her ikindin Şerif Deyze'yi Köşklüçiftlik'teki sarı daştan yapılmış ferah, bahçe içindeki evinde ziyarete giderdik, sıcak yaz aylarında, ikindin vakti bize gendi bahçesinden topladığı ekşilerle yaptığı bu ekşi leymonaddalarından dökerdi. Şerif Deyze'nin buzluğunda sıra sıra leymonaddalar dururdu, bunu da hatırlarım. Lanitis'in eski cam şişelerinde, Sumada be gül şurubu şişelerinde olurdu deyzemin leymonaddaları…
Eskiden cam şişeleri asla atmazdık, bu şişeleri yıkayıp tekrar tekrar gullanırdık. Bazan bu şişeleri bakkala geri götürüp birkaç guruş alırdık ve bu guruşcukları da ya sakıza, ya da şekerlere yatırırdık derhal…

ANNEMİN YAPTIĞI OYUNCAKLAR…
O günlerde pek az çeşit şeker ve sakız vardı… Garasakız vardı, çiğnedikçe sanki da ağzınızda büyür, çoğalırdı… Bir da "Dandy" marka, çok güzel kokulu sakızlar vardı ama bunlar hem bahalıydı, hem da bir süre çiğneyinca, bütün dadı gaçar, lastik gibi olurdu… Bir da pembe sakızlar vardı ki bunları çiğnerken ağzımızla üfürüp şişirmek, baloncuk yapıp patlatmak, o günlerde en büyük eğlencelerimizden biriydi!
Annem garasakızı alır ve düzgün biçimde, tam ortadan kırdığı ceviz gabuklarının içine bu sakızdan goyar, kibrit çöpünden bir gemi direciğini sakızla bu sandalcığa duttururdu. Böylece bir sandalcığımız olurdu – gerçekten de bunu suda yüzdürür ve eğlenirdik…
Parlak renkli, foili andıran parıldak sarı ya da gümüş rengi sigara paketi içindeki kağıtları alarak bunlardan bana gadefler yapardı – böylece bebeklerim için verdiğim doğumgünü partisinde bu gadeflerden bebeciklere leymonadda ya da çay veya gahve ikram edebilirdim… Büyük bir bebek kolleksiyonum vardı ama bu bebekler genelde hep hediyeydi. Gidip de benim için bir bebek satın aldığımızı hiç hatırlamam…

ALMANYA'DAN BİR BEBEK…
Şerif Deyze'min oğlu Ahmet Zaim, Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti'nin Almanya Büyükelçisi olarak Bonn'a atandığı zaman, bana bir bebek almıştı. Çok güzel bir bebekti bu, gözleri gerçek gibi dururdu, bal rengi gözleri vardı, çok sert bir tür plastikten yapılmıştı ve elma yanakları vardı… Bu benim favori bebeğim olacaktı, adını "Levent" goyduydum… Ahmet Zaim'in bana Almanya'dan bu bebeği aldığı günlerde 2 veya 3 yaşlarında olmalıydım…
Ahmet Zaim bana bir bebek daha getirmişti ki, bu da çok büyüleyici birşeydi… Bir dikiş makinasının önünde oturan, uzun zarı saçlı bir bebekti bu. Batariyayla çalışıyordu ve dikiş makinasına batariyaları dakıp "On" düğmesine ("Çalıştır" düğmesi) bastığınızda bu bebek dikiş dikmeye başlıyor, dikiş makinasından kırmızılı mavili renkler ve desenler yayılıyor, bebecik da ayaklarını dikiş makinasının basamağında ileri geri oynatıyodu… Sanki dikiş dikermiş gibi yapıyordu. O günlerde Kıbrıs'ta görülmemiş tarzda bir oyuncaktı bu ve bu dikiş diken bebek beni büyülüyordu…
Ahmet Zaim, sonraları Rauf Denktaş'la çok büyük bir çatışmaya girecek ve kendi toplumundan izole edilmeye çalışılarak çeşitli yöntemlerle "cezalandırılacak"tı…
Rahmetlik annem, Ahmet Zaim'le çok yakındı, Ahmet Zaim'in deyzesiydi anneciğim – gızgardaşının oğlu, onun gucağında büyümüştü… Anneciğim 2005 yılında öldükten sonra, eşyalarını tertiplerken çok sayıda siyah-beyaz fotoğraf bulduydum, Ahmet Zaim ona sürekli yazıyor, fotoğraf gönderiyordu. Bu fotoğraflar gerek İngiliz Okulu'nda gezilerden veya yurtdışında okumaya gittiği zaman çektiği fotoğraflardı…
Ankara'da Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi'nde okuyan abimi ziyarete gittiğimizde, mutlaka gidip Ahmet Zaim'i de görürdük. Onu ziyaretlerimizi hatırlarım… Çok neşeli, güleryüzlü, kırmızı yanaklı, iri yarı, yakışıklı bir insandı Ahmet Zaim. Sürekli herkesle şakalaşırdı…
Onun Kıbrıs'taki son dönemlerini de hatırlarım – kötü günler yaşamaktaydı – masum olduğu halde onun payına da "cezalandırılmak" düşmüştü, pek çok Kıbrıslıtürk'e, sırf görüşleri farklıdır diye verdikleri cezalar gibi tıpkı… Onu bir hastanede yatakta yatırken da hatırlarım… Nur içinde yatsın…
Almanya'dan benim için satın aldığı favori bebeğim "Levent"i, garajdaki oyuncaklar arasından bulup çıkaracağım… Bunu torunuma vereceğim… Büyüdüğü zaman da bu bebeği bana hediye eden Ahmet Zaim'in kim olduğunu ona anlatacağım, böylece ailemizin belleğinden silinip gitmeyecek…

AHMET ZAİM KİMDİ…
Ahmet Zaim, 1927 yılında Lefkoşa'da dünyaya geldi, İngiliz Okulu'nu bitirdi. Burslu olarak İngiltere'de hukuk okudu… 1947 senesinde adaya dönerek 1947-1955 yıllarında Mağusa'da avukatlık yaptı. Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti ilan edilinceye kadar, Türkiye, Londra ve New York'ta, Birleşmiş Milletler'de çeşitli delegasyonlarla Kıbrıslıtürkler'i temsil etti.
17 Ekim 1955'te Ahmet Zaim, İngiliz sömürge yönetiminin Lefkoşa ve Girne Komiseri olan Bay Clements'in asistanlığına atandı. 1960 yılında Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti Savunma Bakanlığı, Kıbrıslıtürk toplumuna verilince ve Osman Örek Savunma Bakanı olunca, Ahmet Zaim de Savunma Bakanlığı Müsteşarı görevine getirildi. 25 Kasım 1960 tarihinde Bonn Büyükelçiliği'ne Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti Büyükelçisi olarak atandı.
Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti'nin Ankara'daki Büyükelçisi'nin adı siyasi anlamda bir "skandal"a karışınca, Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti'nin kurulmuş ve işliyor olmasına karşın, Türkiye'de genç insanların askeri eğitim almasını sağladığı gerekçesiyle görevinden alındı ve 1964 yılının sonlarına doğru Ahmet Zaim, Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti'nin Ankara Büyükelçisi olarak atandı.
31 Ekim 1964 tarihinde Ankara'da Kıbrıs'ın yeni Büyükelçisi olarak göreve başladı ve Türkiye bu durumu resmi olarak kabul etti. 1976 yılına kadar bu görevde kaldı…

ONUNLA İLGİLİ HATIRALAR…
HAVADİS gazetesinde 27 Ocak 2013 tarihli "Poli" dergisinde yayımlanan Dr. Turhan Korun'un onunla ilgili hatıralarında, Ahmet Zaim'le ilgili özetle şöyle yazıyor:
"…Makarios Hükümeti yaşanan Zir köy skandalından sonra Ankara'ya yeni Büyükelçi olsun diye Ahmet Zaim için akreman istediği görülür. İstenilen bu akreman Türk Hükümeti tarafından olumlu karşılanır. 30 Ekim 1964'te Bonn Büyükelçisi Ahmet Zaim merkezden Ankara'ya Büyükelçi olarak gönderilir. 31 Ekim 1964'te Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Cumhurbaşkanı Cemal Gürsel'e Çankaya'da itimatnamesini Cumhurbaşkanı Makarios adına "sana iyi bir şekilde hizmet edebilecek bir sefirimiz olan Ahmet Zaim'i gönderiyorum. Onun size namıma söyleyeceklerini benim kendimin söylemiş olduğu gibi telakki etmenizi rica ederim" diyen mektubunu sunar. Bu resmi kabul töreninden sonra Ahmet Zaim Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti'nin Ankara nezdindeki yeni büyükelçisi olarak resmen göreve başlar.
8 Ağustos 1964'te Erenköy savaşları yaşanmıştır. Türkiye Erenköy bölgesini bombalamış, biz öğrencilerin ve bölge halkının hayatını kurtarmıştır. Ama 31 Ekim 1964'de Kıbrıs'ın yeni Ankara Büyükelçisi'nin itimatnamesini de kabul etmiştir. Ahmet Zaim Ankara'ya Elçi olarak atanırken Ankara Elçilik Müsteşarı Vedat Çelik, Elçilik mensupları Ekrem Yeşilada ve diğer görevlilerin bazılarının da görevlerine son verildiği görülür… Ahmet Zaim Bonn Büyükelçiliği'nden alınıp Ankara Büyükelçisi olarak atanmadan önce, o sıralar Ankara'da yaşamakta olan Denktaş'ın çağrısı üzerine Lefkoşa'ya dönmeden Ankara'ya geldiği ve Denktaş ile birlikte yaşanan bu Elçilik krizini Dışişleri Bakanlığı yetkilileri ile görüştükleri görülmektedir. Türkiye'nin bu konudaki olumlu yaklaşımını öğrenmişlerdir. Türkiye Ahmet Zaim'in Ankara'ya Elçi olarak atanmasını kabul etmiştir.
1976 yılına kadar Ahmet Zaim Ankara'da Elçilik görevine devam etmiştir. Ancak bu süre zarfında Ahmet Zaim'in Kıbrıs'ın Ankara Büyükelçisi olarak görev yapmasını Ankara'da resmi makamların onaylamalarına ve bu durumu bizzat Denktaş'a söylemelerine rağmen, gerek Ankara'da ve gerekse Kıbrıs'ta Ahmet Zaim'in aleyhine kampanyalar yürütülmüştü. Ona "hain papazın adamıdır" ithamlarında bulunulduğu görülmektedir. Topluma bu şekilde takdim edilen Zaim, çeşitli zamanlarda Türk Dışişlerine müracaat ederek "artık ben bu işi yürütemem. Ayrılacağım" arzusunu ilettiği bilinmektedir.
Ben Ankara'ya yaptığım bir ziyarette Büyükelçi Zaim ile bir görüşmede bana "İhsan beye gittim (İhsan Sabri Çağlayangil-dönemin Dışişleri Bakanı) Elçilik'i bırakmak istediğimi söyledim. Bana 'biz istediğimiz zamana kadar burada elçi olarak göreve devam edeceksin. Kim ne söylerse söylesin. Aldırma. Nasıl ve ne zaman ayrılacağına biz karar vereceğiz'" dediğini aktarmıştır.
Bütün bu olayların perde gerisini bilenlerin maksatlı olarak Ahmet Zaim'in üzerine gitmeleri bir vicdansızlık örneği değil midir?
Kıbrıs Türk Federe Devleti 1975 yılında kurulduğunda Ahmet Zaim Elçilik'i kapatmak için tekrardan Dışişlerine müracaat ettiğini, bu müracaatının kabul edildiğini ama sabah alınan bu kararın bir gün sonra açıklanması kararı alındığı halde ayni günün gecesi geç saatlerde Ahmet Zaim'in Dışişlerine davet edildiği ve alınan kararın Dışişleri tarafından iptal edildiği bildirilmişti.
Ahmet Zaim 1976 Martında aleyhine yapılan kampanyalara dayanamayıp, büyük ihtimalle Türkiye Hükümeti'nin de onayı ile Ankara'daki Büyükelçiliğini kapattığı görülmektedir. Elçiliğin bütün müştemilatı ve evraklarını Kıbrıs Türk Federe Devleti temsilciliğine devreden Zaim, 22 Ekim 1976'da bu defa Kıbrıs Rum Hükümeti tarafından görevden alındığı görülmektedir. Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti temsilciliklerinde görev alanların çıkarılan bir yasa ile Kıbrıs Türk Federe Devleti kadrolarına atanmalarına rağmen Türk yönetimi ayrımcılık yapmış, Ahmet Zaim devlet kadrosuna alınmamıştır. Ahmet Zaim gibi Kahire elçilik müsteşarlığından Ankara Elçilik Müsteşarlığı'na atanan Doğan Erozan'a Kıbrıs'ta savcılık görevi verilirken, 1976-82 yılları arasında bütün uğraşına rağmen Ahmet Zaim kadrolanmamıştır. Yine ayni şekilde Ankara elçilik müsteşarlığından tard edilen Vedat Çelik kadrolanmış politikaya atılmış, Dışişleri ve Savunma Bakanlığı görevlerinde bulunma imkanını bulmuştur…
Birinci Dünya Savaşı'nda Fransa Genel Kurmayı Fransız askerlerini Fransızların beyaz, mavi ve kırmızı renkli üniformaları ve bezden başlıklarla cepheye sürmesi ve ordunun telef olmasına neden olması gibi, Seferberlik Tetkik Kurulu sorumlularının 9 Londralı arkadaşımızı balkabağı gibi uçakla Kıbrıs'a gönderme akılları hem Mehmet Ertuğruloğlu'nun hem de Ahmet Zaim'in yaşamlarını alt üst etmiştir. Yıllardan sonra merhum Denktaş, Cumhurbaşkanlığı'ndan ayrıldıktan sonra Ahmet Zaim dramı hakkında İkinci Cumhurbaşkanı Sayın Mehmet Ali Talat'a yazdığı mektup "hata yaptık, yanlış oldu" kelimeleri ile kalmıştır.
Ahmet Zaim emeklilik hakkını alamadan başta Kıbrıs Türk yetkililerinin ve Türkiye Cumhuriyeti yetkililerinin vefasızlıklarının kurbanı olarak 5 Ocak 1982'de Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu Hastanesi'nde vefat etmiştir. Vefatından bir gün önce meslektaşım, abim Dr. Merhum Vedat Keus ile kendisini hasta yatağında ziyaret ettiğimizde "İşte Vedat geldik gidiyoruz" demişti.
Bir dönemin yöneticilerinin aslında bildiği fakat nedense bir türlü itiraf edemedikleri bu vicdansızlık ve vefasızlığı tarihe not olsun diye yazmak istedim. Geç da kalsak Ahmet Zaim gibi insanlarımıza itibarlarını iade etmek, ailelerine huzur kazandırmak bu toplumun vefa borcu sayılmalıdır."

https://www.yeniduzen.com/mandarin-ve-eksi-leymonaddalari-almanyadan-hediye-bir-bebek-23212yy.htm

(YENİDÜZEN – Kıbrıs: Anlatılmamış Öyküler… Sevgül Uludağ – 29.1.2025)



ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN POLITIS NEWSPAPER ON THE 16TH OF FEBRUARY 2025

***  Αναμνήσεις από μια κούκλα που μου χάρισε ο Ahmet Zaim, ο πρώτος πρέσβης της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας στη Βόννη...

Λεμονάδα από μανταρίνια και λεμόνια, μια κούκλα από τη Γερμανία...

Sevgul Uludag

caramel_cy@yahoo.com

Τηλ: 99 966518

Παίρνω 12 γλυκά πορτοκάλια, 10 κλεμεντίνες και 10 κιτρόμηλα που μάζεψα από την κιτρομηλιά στον κήπο μας και τα πλένω με ζεστό νερό... Στη συνέχεια τα κόβω στα δύο και τα στύβω με τον παλιό αλλά πάντοτε έμπιστο πορτοκαλοστίφτη που ανήκε στην μακαρίτισσα μητέρα μου... Έφτιαξα κοτόπουλο στο φούρνο με αυτό το χυμό και η γεύση του ήταν παραδεισένια... Όταν τα στύβω, σκέφτομαι τη μητέρα μου, γιατί αυτός ο πορτοκαλοστίφτης της ανήκε... Είχε όλα τα απαραίτητα εργαλεία στην κουζίνα της που της αγόραζε ο πατέρας μου. Και αυτός ο στίφτης πορτοκαλιών ήταν σημαντικός... Γιατί; Επειδή στύβαμε με αυτόν τα κυπριακά μανταρίνια και λεμόνια και φτιάχναμε λεμονάδα από το χυμό τους... Εφόσον ο πατέρας μου είχε αγοράσει αυτόν τον πορτοκαλοστίφτη τη δεκαετία του 1940 ή του 1950, πρέπει να είναι περίπου 70-80 ετών...

Φτιάχνοντας λεμονάδα...
Με αυτό τον πορτοκαλοστίφτη, η μητέρα μου συνήθιζε να στύβει τα κυπριακά μανταρίνια που είχε μαζέψει από τον κήπο μας... Μερικές φορές μάζευε λεμόνια και έστυβε επίσης μερικά λεμόνια και ανακάτευε τους δύο χυμούς για να φτιάξει λεμονάδα. Όταν έστυβε τα κυπριακά μανταρίνια, μερικές φορές μου ανέθετε να ανακατεύω τη ζάχαρη στο χυμό των μανταρινιών για να φτιάξω λεμονάδα... Αυτό ήταν μια πολύ δύσκολη δουλειά για μένα, αφού έπρεπε να ανακατεύω συνεχώς για πολύ ώρα και ένιωθα πόνο στα χέρια μου... Αλλά φυσικά, μετά, είχαμε πολύ νόστιμη λεμονάδα...
Μόλις ήταν έτοιμη η λεμονάδα, πίναμε από ένα ποτήρι μαζί τη μητέρα μου, κοιτάζοντας η μια την άλλη, όλο χαμόγελα... Αυτή ήταν η γεύση του νησιού μας – η προσφορά της φύσης σε εμάς, τα υπέροχα, ζουμερά κυπριακά μανταρίνια με την ξεχωριστή μυρωδιά... Υπήρχε μια παροιμία μεταξύ των ανθρώπων ότι δεν ήταν δυνατόν να κλέψει κανείς κυπριακά μανταρίνια από το δέντρο κάποιου, καθώς ο κλέφτης θα συλλαμβανόταν αμέσως λόγω της μυρωδιάς! Τη στιγμή που αγγίζεις τα κυπριακά μανταρίνια, η απίστευτη μυρωδιά τους γεμίζει όλη τη γειτονιά!
Όταν ήταν έτοιμη η λεμονάδα, τη βάζαμε προσεκτικά σε γυάλινα μπουκάλια... Τα βάζαμε σε σειρά και όταν ερχόντουσαν στο σπίτι μας συγγενείς ή επισκέπτες, τους προσφέραμε κυπριακή λεμονάδα και τους άρεσε να την πίνουν... Φτιάχναμε λεμονάδα ιδιαίτερα για τους καλοκαιρινούς μήνες, αφού τότε ήταν η εποχή της κατανάλωσης της...

Λεμονάδα με λεμόνια...
Η θεία μου Sherife Zaim έφτιαχνε λεμονάδα με λεμόνια – μου άρεσε και αυτή η λεμονάδα... Μας έδινε ένα μπουκάλι για να πάρουμε στο σπίτι και το απολαμβάναμε. Αλλά κάθε απόγευμα όταν πηγαίναμε να την επισκεφτούμε στο σπίτι της, τα ζεστά καλοκαιρινά απογεύματα, πάντα μας πρόσφερε τη λεμονάδα που είχε φτιάξει από τα λεμόνια του κήπου της... Θυμούμαι το ψυγείο της να είναι γεμάτο με μπουκάλια λεμονάδας... Ήταν στα παλιά μπουκάλια της σουμάδας του Λανίτη, τα παλιά γυάλινα μπουκάλια... Εκείνη την εποχή ποτέ δεν πετούσες τα μπουκάλια, ποτέ... Χρησιμοποιούσαμε τα μπουκάλια ξανά και ξανά... Μερικές φορές επιστρέφαμε τα μπουκάλια πίσω στο «μπακάλικο» και παίρναμε μερικά γρόσια για να ξοδέψουμε σε καραμέλες ή τσίχλες...

Παιγνίδια που έφτιαχνε η μητέρα μου και οι κούκλες μου…
Εκείνη την εποχή υπήρχαν πολύ λίγα είδη καραμέλας και τσίχλας... Υπήρχε η μαύρη τσίχλα που μεγάλωνε υπερβολικά στο στόμα σου όταν συνέχιζες να τη μασάς... Η μητέρα μου έπαιρνε αυτή τη μαύρη τσίχλα και την έβαζε στα άδεια κελύφη των καρυδιών, φτιάχνοντας ένα κοντάρι σημαίας και γινόταν ένα καραβάκι παιχνίδι για να ταξιδεύει στο νερό... Έπαιρνε το γυαλιστερό χαρτί τύπου αλουμινόχαρτο από τα κουτιά των τσιγάρων και μου έφτιαχνε φλιτζάνια για να μπορώ να προσφέρω λεμονάδα ή καφέ στις κούκλες μου όταν τους έκανα πάρτι γενεθλίων... Είχα μια συλλογή από κούκλες – γενικά όλες αυτές οι κούκλες ήταν δώρα. Δεν θυμούμαι ποτέ να πηγαίνουμε και να αγοράζουμε μια κούκλα...

Μια κούκλα από τη Γερμανία...
Ο γιος της θείας μου, ο Ahmet Zaim, μου αγόρασε μια κούκλα όταν ήταν πρέσβης της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας στη Γερμανία – είχε έδρα τη Βόννη... Μου είχε πάρει μια υπέροχη κούκλα – ήταν αγόρι, τα μάτια του έμοιαζαν αληθινά, ήταν από πολύ σκληρό πλαστικό και είχε ροζ μάγουλα... Αυτή ήταν η αγαπημένη μου κούκλα και τον είχα ονομάσει «Levent»... Πρέπει να ήμουν περίπου 2 ή 3 χρονών όταν μου είχε πάρει αυτή την κούκλα από τη Γερμανία... Μου είχε πάρει επίσης μια κούκλα που καθόταν μπροστά σε μια ραπτομηχανή και έραβε πράγματα! Είχε μακριά, ξανθά μαλλιά και όταν έβαζες μπαταρίες στη ραπτομηχανή, αυτή άρχιζε να βγάζει χρώματα και σχέδια και έμοιαζε σαν να έραβε, κουνώντας ακόμα και τα πόδια της στο κάτω μέρος... Εκείνο τον καιρό, δεν υπήρχαν τέτοια παιχνίδια στην Κύπρο και αυτή η κούκλα με τη ραπτομηχανή, με εντυπωσίασε...
Ο Ahmet Zaim είχε μια πολύ μεγάλη σύγκρουση με τον Rauf Denktash και «τιμωρήθηκε» με απομόνωση από την κοινότητα...
Η μητέρα μου ήταν πολύ δεμένη με τον Ahmet Zaim, ήταν θεία του, ήταν η αδελφή της μητέρας του Sherife... Έχω πολλές φωτογραφίες του Ahmet Zaim όταν σπούδαζε και τις έστελνε στη μητέρα μου... Όταν πηγαίναμε στην Άγκυρα για να δούμε τον αδελφό μου που σπούδαζε στο πανεπιστήμιο εκεί, πηγαίναμε πάντα να τον δούμε στην πρεσβεία της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας... Θυμούμαι επίσης τις τελευταίες μέρες του, θυμούμαι πώς ένιωθε άσχημα που τον ταπείνωσαν τόσο πολύ, παρόλο που ήταν αθώος... Τον θυμάμαι σε ένα κρεβάτι νοσοκομείου... Ας αναπαυθεί εν ειρήνη... Θα δώσω την αγαπημένη μου κούκλα που μου είχε πάρει από τη Γερμανία και την οποία έχω ακόμα, στην εγγονή μου και όταν μεγαλώσει αρκετά, θα της πω την ιστορία του για να μην εξαφανιστεί από τη μνήμη της οικογένειας μας...

Ποιος ήταν ο Ahmet Zaim...
Ο Ahmet Zaim γεννήθηκε το 1927 στη Λευκωσία και αποφοίτησε από την Αγγλική Σχολή. Σπούδασε νομικά με υποτροφία στην Αγγλία. Επέστρεψε στο νησί το 1947 και άσκησε το επάγγελμα του δικηγόρου στην Αμμόχωστο μεταξύ 1947-1955. Μέχρι την ανακήρυξη της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας, εκπροσωπούσε την τουρκοκυπριακή κοινότητα σε διάφορες αντιπροσωπείες στην Τουρκία στο Λονδίνο και τη Νέα Υόρκη, στον ΟΗΕ.
Στις 17 Οκτωβρίου 1955, ο Ahmet Zaim διορίστηκε βοηθός του κ. Clements, ο οποίος ήταν ο αρμοστής Λευκωσίας και Κερύνειας από τη βρετανική αποικιακή διοίκηση. Το 1960, όταν το Υπουργείο Άμυνας δόθηκε στην τουρκοκυπριακή κοινότητα της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας, ο Osman Orek ήταν Υπουργός Άμυνας και ο Ahmet Zaim ήταν διευθυντής στο Υπουργείο. Στις 25 Νοεμβρίου 1960, διορίστηκε πρέσβης της ΚΔ στην πρεσβεία της Βόννης. Όταν ο Πρέσβης της ΚΔ στην Άγκυρα ενεπλάκη σε ένα «σκάνδαλο» ότι οργάνωνε νέους για στρατιωτική εκπαίδευση στην Τουρκία, απολύθηκε και στη θέση του, προς το τέλος του 1964, ο Ahmet Zaim διορίστηκε νέος Πρέσβης της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας στην Άγκυρα. Ξεκίνησε τη δουλειά του στην Τουρκία ως νέος πρέσβης της Κύπρου στις 31 Οκτωβρίου 1964 και η Τουρκία τον αποδέχτηκε επίσημα. Συνέχισε να υπηρετεί στη θέση αυτή μέχρι το 1976. Σύμφωνα με τις αναμνήσεις του Dr. Turhan Korun που δημοσιεύτηκαν στο περιοδικό POLIS της εφημερίδας HAVADIS στις 27 Ιανουαρίου 2013, «Κατά τη διάρκεια αυτής της περιόδου, ο Denktash δεν είναι ευχαριστημένος με αυτή τη ρύθμιση και αρχίζει εκστρατεία εναντίον του. Παρόλο που ο Ahmet Zaim θέλει να φύγει από αυτή τη θέση, ο υπουργός Εξωτερικών της Τουρκίας εκείνης της εποχής, Ibrahim Sabri Chaghlayangil του λέει ότι «Θα μείνεις, όσο θέλουμε να μείνεις και να υπηρετήσεις ως πρέσβης... Μην ανησυχείς για το τι λένε...».»
Σύμφωνα με τον Turhan Korun, «Όταν το 1975 ανακηρύσσεται το τουρκοκυπριακό ομόσπονδο κράτος, ο Ahmet Zaim υποβάλλει ξανά αίτηση στο τουρκικό υπουργείο Εξωτερικών για να κλείσει την πρεσβεία στην Άγκυρα και αυτό γίνεται δεκτό, αλλά την επόμενη μέρα, το υπουργείο Εξωτερικών της Τουρκίας του τηλεφωνεί και του λέει ότι η απόφαση αυτή ακυρώθηκε. Σύμφωνα με τα απομνημονεύματα του Turhan Korun, «ο Αχμέτ Ζαΐμ κλείνει την πρεσβεία στην Άγκυρα τον Μάρτιο του 1976, πιθανότατα με τη συγκατάθεση της τουρκικής κυβέρνησης και δίνει όλα τα έγγραφα και τα υπάρχοντα της Πρεσβείας στην Αντιπροσωπεία του Τουρκοκυπριακού Ομόσπονδου Κράτους... Στις 22 Οκτωβρίου 1976, μαθαίνει ότι τον έδιωξαν από τη δουλειά του από την κυπριακή κυβέρνηση. Παρόλο που με ένα νέο νόμο, όσοι είχαν υπηρετήσει στις πρεσβείες της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας προσλαμβάνονται από τις τουρκοκυπριακές αρχές, αυτό δεν γίνεται στην περίπτωση του Ahmet Zaim. Αγωνίζεται γι αυτό μεταξύ 1976-82, αλλά δεν χωρίς αποτέλεσμα. Χωρίς να πάρει το δικαίωμά του να συνταξιοδοτηθεί, πεθαίνει στις 5 Ιανουαρίου του 1982...».
Ας αναπαυθεί εν ειρήνη...

https://politis.com.cy/apopseis/stiles/903609/lemonada-apo-mantarinia-kai-lemonia-mia-koykla-apo-ti-germania

ARTICLE IN ENGLISH, TURKISH AND GREEK: DR. BEKIR AZGIN’S MEMORIES FROM ANOTHER TIME… "MIDDLE AGE CONDITIONS IN CYPRUS…"

ARTICLE IN ENGLISH, TURKISH AND GREEK: DR. BEKIR AZGIN'S MEMORIES FROM ANOTHER TIME… MIDDLE AGE CONDITIONS IN CYPRUS…


*** Memories from another time: Middle age conditions in Cyprus…

The lifestyle that Cyprus had once upon a time…

Sevgul Uludag

caramel_cy@yahoo.com

Tel: 99 966518

In his article 11 years ago, on the 29th of December 2013 entitled "From middle ages to current times" published in the "Havadis" newspaper, Dr. Bekir Azgin continued to tell his "Memories from another time…" In this lovely article, this was what he was talking about:
"I encountered a lot of people who would complain that "Our whole life was spent dealing with the Cyprus problem. We opened our eyes and we found EOKA in front of us. Then it was the events of 1958… During our youth we saw the events of 1963 and 1967, right after 1974 – then we came to 1983 and 2004… We grew old and passing away and still the Cyprus problem did not cease to be a problem." Both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots complain about this. There is absolutely no discrimination in that.
But our friend Myrka looks at things from a different angle…
"Our generation is very lucky. We lived through our childhood in the middle ages. We spent our youth in the new age. And now we are living through the age of communication with computers and smart phones. It is very rare to live all three ages at the same time" she says…"

OUR CHILDHOOD…
And Dr. Bekir Azgin continues his article:
"Really, our childhood was spent under primitive conditions. There was neither any electricity, nor any running water or proper roads in the village Potamia… Actually there were roads but these roads were very dusty in the summer and muddy during the winter. Water would accumulate on the road… While trying to jump over these, we would sometimes slip and fall and we would all become muddy. When we got home, we would be told off because of that."

"OLD CAR TYRES, BICYCLE WHEELS…"
"Since there were no cars passing from these roads, they were our playground. Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot kids from our neighbourhood would gather and would play on the road when there would be no mud on the road… We were very skilled at creating games for ourselves. A piece of cane peeled from its bark would become our horse sometimes and sometimes it would become our carriage or car. We would do races with an old bicycle wheel. And if the wheel was an old tyre of a car, you should see our joy… One of us would bend down and go inside the old car tyre and the other kid would roll this… Of course it was very difficult to find an old tyre in the village since there were not many cars in the village. But there were a lot of bicycles. From the inner tyre of the bicycle, we would create a ball. These balls would be very heavy since they were filled. When it hit you, you would be bruised. But we really didn't give a damn about that…"

"STONES OF APRICOTS WOULD BE OUR PIRRILLI…"
"We would prefer games with lots of material to be found. We would put stones on top of each other and play a game called "skadoulliga"… We would take a roundish black stone and try to bring down the stones we had put on top of each other. You would gain points according to the number of stones you would bring down…
We would play pirilli with the stones of apricots. Stones of apricots that had fallen under the tree would be collected and stocked for the game. We would connect the leaves of pumpkins and make pipes… We would carry water from the water from the arch that passed in front of our house and we would water our own garden with these makeshift pipes…"

"PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK…"
"When the sun went down, we would play "hide and seek"… A sort of rhyme would be said like "Either here or there, it is with the daughter of the helva maker" and a player would be chosen called "ebe" ("it"). This would be judged as a just way of choosing that player. Even when there would be an argument about the choice of the "ebe" ("it"), the Greek Cypriot kids would say to us "halvadji re, halvadji" and would ask for the "ebe" to be chosen again. This game would continue until our moms would come out and call out our names. And then we would start singing and dispersing: "Those who have a home, go home… Those who don't have a home, go to the end of a framo (fence)…"

"IN THE GASLIGHT…"
In the evening our homes would be illuminated by gaslight. In the coffeeshops and in richer families, there would be "lux" lights in their homes. But the "lux" lamps were too luxurious for the villagers. The gaslight number four would be more than enough for them… But this lamp required labour every single night. It had to be filled with gasoline and the "fanoz" ("fanous" – the bell glass) would have to be cleaned up.
When I grew a bit older, I started staying upstairs by myself. I would put the lamp on the window and put my bed in such a way that I could read under the lamp light but when I would get sleepy, I would just extend my hand to turn down the wick of the lamp. I would also keep a bottle of gasoline next to the lamp.
Some meals would make a person real thirsty. Especially salty food like "ringa", "tsardelli" and "bakkalyao" (a kind of salted fish). One night our meal was boiled dry broadbeans eaten together with "ringa" fish (a kind of salty, dried fish). I got a bottle of water and I put that bottle of water on the window sill. After I fell asleep, I started having nightmares… I was terribly thirsty… It was raining. I was opening my mouth but not a drop of water would fall in… After struggling some time, I woke up. My mouth was dry… I reached out to the bottle and started drinking. After a few drops, I realized that I got the wrong bottle… It was not nice to drink gasoline… For two days onwards, I would burp gasoline…"

"VALUE OF WATER…"
"I realized the value of water when started carrying water to the house. It was an endless task… The chicken and the turkeys (alinas) in the henhouse needed water, we had two-three goats that we had in the yard, they too wanted water. In the evening bigger animals like horse, mule and donkey would come back home, they needed even more water… We needed to water the flowers and trees during the summer months. There was a huge earthen jug that had some ashes in it, that had to be filled up with water. My mother would wash the clothes with the water and ashes. The soap would become more bubbly with the water that had ashes in it… My mother would use soap to clean the clothes in the washtub and then with a wooden stick, would beat the laundry up (and meanwhile, the buttons would be broken)…
The "kazani" ("cauldron") that was put on open fire must be filled with water in order to take a bath. The water was heated by throwing some bushes and branches in the fire under the cauldron… And then a bucket of hot water would be taken, one would go to a corner of the stable, sit on the stool, mix the hot water with cold water and wash… There was no problem with doing this during the summer months. But in winter, it was terrible. The wind blowing under the doors and from the cracks of the windows would freeze us…
Even I wonder how we survived under these middle age conditions…"

REMEMBERING ALL THIS…
I was born in 1958 and I caught up with what Dr. Bekir Azgin is telling in his article about "middle age conditions"… We were living in Nicosia but when I went to my auntie's village Kredhia, it was exactly the way Bekir Azgin is describing, the way of life in the village… My auntie Pembe's daughter would be baking bread every 10 or 15 days and we would carry water for her to add to the flour…
I remember the gaslight of the lamps and I still have a couple of antique lamps, a heritage from my mother to remind me the kind of life she had since she was born in 1917 and always studied in the gaslight when she was going to school…
I also remember the games we played in the street with neighbour's kids: Hide and seek, dodgeball, hopscotch… These are now "forgotten" games of another era – nowadays, kids only play games on tablets and computers and iPads, not in the street… They wouldn't have heard even the names of such games… That's why, some teachers in some schools are always trying to teach kids such games that once upon a time, kids played in Cyprus…



"Orta çağdan günümüze…"

Dr. Bekir Azgın

(Havadis, 29 Aralık 2013 - Başka bir dünyadan anılar – 3.)

"Ömrümüz Kıbrıs sorunu ile uğraşmakla geçti. Gözümüzü açtık, karşımızda EOKA'yı bulduk. Sonra da 1958 olayları. Gençliğimizde 63 ve 67 olayları arkasından da 74, 83 derken 2004'e geldik. Yaşlandık, gidiyoruz hala Kıbrıs sorunu, sorun olmaktan kurtulamadı" diye yakınanlara çok rastladım. Türkler de yakınıyor Rumlar da. Bu konuda ayrı gayrı yok.
Ne var ki dostumuz Mirka olaylara farklı bir açıdan bakıyor: "Bizim nesil çok şanslı. Çocukluğumuzu orta çağda yaşadık. Gençliğimizi Yeni çağda geçirdik. Şimdi de bilgisayarlı, akıllı telefonlu İletişim çağında yaşıyoruz. Üç çağı bir arada yaşamak az rastlanır bir olay."
Gerçekten de çocukluğumuz, ilkel koşullarda geçti. Köyde ne elektrik vardı, ne akar su, ne de doğru dürüst yol. Yani yol vardı da yazın toz toprak deryasıydı, kışın da çamur deryası. Yolun içinde su birikintileri oluşurdu. Onları atlamaya çalışırken bazan ayağımız kayar, yere düşerdik ve üstümüz başımız berbat olurdu. Eve geldiğimizde de azar işitirdik.
Yollardan araba geçmediği için oraları bizim oyun alanımızdı. Mahalle çocukları Türk, Rum toplanır; çamur olmadığı zamanlar orada oynardık. Kendimize oyun yaratmakta mahirdik. Kabukları sıyrılmış bir kamış, bazan atımız olurdu, bazan da arabamız. Eski bir bisiklet tekerleği ile yarışlar yapardık. Hele tekerlek eski bir araba lastiği ise keyfimize diyecek olmazdı. Birimiz kıvrılır içine girerdi, öteki de onu yuvarlardı. Kuşkusuz eski araba lastiği bulmak çok zordu çünkü köyde araba pek yoktu. Buna karşılık bisiklet boldu. Bisikletin iç lastiğinden top yapardık. Bu toplar, içleri dolu olduğu için ağır olurdu. Vurduğu yeri morartırdı. Ama hiç umurumuzda olmazdı.
Ham maddesi bol olan oyunları tercih ederdik. Taşları üst üste dizer ve "skadulliga" diye bir oyun oynardık. Elimize aldığımız yuvarlakça bir karataşla, belli bir mesafeden, dizdiğimiz taş yığınını yıkmaya çalışıdık. Kaç taş yıkabilirsen o kadar puan kazanıyordun.
Zerdali çekirdeğine pirilli oynardık. Zerdali ağaçlarının altına düşmüş kurtlu veya çürümüş zerdalilerin çekirdekleri toplanır ve sermaye birikimi yapılırdı, oyun için. Balkabağı yapraklarını birbirine ular ve künk yapardık. Evimizin önünden geçen akardan bu künkle yola su taşır ve orada oluşturduğumuz bahçemizi sulardık.
Güneş batınca çoğunlukla "saklambaç" oynardık. "Ya ondadır, ya bunda; helvacının kızında" diyerek ebe tayin edilirdi. Bu adil bir ebe tayini olarak algılanırdı. Hatta oyun içinde ebe tartışması olduğu zamanlar Rumlar bize "halvaci re, helvaci" der ve ebe tayininin yeniden yapılmasını isterlerdi. Oyun, annelerimiz avluya çıkıp da isimlerimizi çağırıncaya kadar sürerdi. Ondan sonra "Evi olan evine, evi olmayan framo (çit) dibine" der ve dağılırdık.
Akşamları evlerimiz gaz lambası ile aydınlatılırdı. Kahvehanelerde ve zengince kişilerin evlerinde lüks lambası bulunurdu. Ama lüks lambası, adı üstünde, çoğu köylüler için fazla lükstü. Dört numara lamba nelerine yetmezdi? Ancak lamba da her akşam üzeri iş gerektirirdi. Lambasuyu ile doldurulması ve fanusun (bizler fanoz derdik) temizlenmesi gerekirdi.
Ben palazlanınca hanayda tek başıma kalmaya başladım. Lambayı pencerenin içine koyar ve karyolayı da öyle ayarlamıştım ki hem kitap okuyabileyim hem de uyuklayınca elimle uzanıp lambanın fitilini kısabileyim. Lambanın yanında bir şişe de lambasuyu bulunduruyordum.
Bazı yemekler insanı susatır. Hele renga (ringa), tsardelli (sardalye), bakalyao (kurutulmuş tuzlu bir balık türü) gibi tuzlu yiyecekler. Bir akşam, yemeğimiz kuru bakla ile renga idi. Yanıma bir şişe su aldım ve onu da pencereye koydum. Uyuyakaldıktan bir süre sonra kâbus görmeye başladım. Korkunç susamışım. Yağmur yağıyor. Ağzımı açıyorum ama bir damla bile ağzıma düşmüyor. Bir süre böyle cebelleştikten sonra uyandım. Ağzım kupkuru. Elimi uzattım, şişeyi aldım ve başıma diktim. Birkaç yudum içtikten sonra farkettim ki yanlış şişeyi almışım. Lambasuyu içmek hiç de hoş bir şey değilmiş. İki gün boyunca lambasuyu genirdim.
Evde akar su olmanın değerini, su taşımaya başlayınca anladım. Taşı, taşı bitmez. Kümesteki tavuklar, hindiler (alo veya alina) su ister, evde beslenen iki-üç keçimiz vardı; onlar su ister. Akşama eve at, katır, eşek gibi büyük hayvanlar gelecek, onlar çok su ister. Avludaki çiçekleri ve ağaçları yaz aylarında sulamak gerekirdi. İçinde kül bulunan kocaman bir küp vardı, onun doldurulması gerekirdi. Annem küllü su ile çamaşır yıkardı. Sabun, küllü su ile daha iyi köpürürmüş. Çamaşır teknesinde elbiseleri sabunladıktan sonra elindeki tahta tokmakla onları bir güzel döverdi. (Bu arada düğmeler de kırılırdı.)
Yıkanmak için ocak üstüne oturtulmuş kazan, su ile doldurulmalıydı. Ocağa atılan çalı-çırpı ile su ısıtılırdı. Ondan sonra kazandan bir lenger su alınır ve ahırın bir köşesine gidilir, oradaki tokmağa oturulur; sıcak su ile soğuk su karıştırılır ve yıkanılırdı. Yazın bunda bir sorun yoktu. Ama kışın bu bir felâketti. Pencere ve kapı aralığından esen rüzgâr insanı dondururdu.
Bu orta çağ koşullarında varlığımızı nasıl sürdürdüğümüze ben bile şaşar şaşar kalırım…

(Dr. Bekir Azgın - Havadis, 29 Aralık 2013 - Başka bir dünyadan anılar – 3.)




Αναμνήσεις από μια άλλη εποχή: Συνθήκες μεσαίωνα στην Κύπρο…

Ο τρόπος ζωής που είχε κάποτε η Κύπρος...

Sevgul Uludag

caramel_cy@yahoo.com

Τηλ: 99 966518

Στο άρθρο του στις 29 Δεκεμβρίου 2013, πριν από 11 χρόνια, με τίτλο «Από τον μεσαίωνα στη σημερινή εποχή» που δημοσιεύτηκε στην εφημερίδα «Havadis», ο Dr. Bekir Azgin συνέχισε να διηγείται τις «Αναμνήσεις από μια άλλη εποχή...». Σε αυτό το υπέροχο άρθρο, μιλούσε για τα ακόλουθα:
«Συνάντησα πολλούς ανθρώπους που παραπονιόντουσαν ότι «Όλη μας η ζωή πέρασε ασχολούμενοι με το Κυπριακό. Ανοίξαμε τα μάτια μας και βρήκαμε μπροστά μας την ΕΟΚΑ. Μετά ήταν τα γεγονότα του 1958... Στα νιάτα μας είδαμε τα γεγονότα του 1963 και του 1967, αμέσως μετά το 1974 – μετά ήρθαμε στο 1983 και το 2004... Μεγαλώσαμε και πεθαίνουμε και όμως το Κυπριακό δεν έπαψε να είναι πρόβλημα». Τόσο οι Τουρκοκύπριοι όσο και οι Ελληνοκύπριοι διαμαρτύρονται γι αυτό. Δεν υπάρχει καμία απολύτως διάκριση σε αυτό.
Αλλά η φίλη μας η Μίρκα βλέπει τα πράγματα από μια διαφορετική οπτική γωνία...
«Η γενιά μας είναι πολύ τυχερή. Ζήσαμε τα παιδικά μας χρόνια στον μεσαίωνα. Περάσαμε τα νιάτα μας στη νέα εποχή. Και τώρα ζούμε την εποχή της επικοινωνίας με τους υπολογιστές και τα έξυπνα τηλέφωνα. Είναι πολύ σπάνιο να ζεις και τις τρεις εποχές ταυτόχρονα» λέει...»

Η παιδική μας ηλικία...
Και ο Δρ Bekir Azgin συνεχίζει στο άρθρο του:
«Πραγματικά, η παιδική μας ηλικία πέρασε κάτω από πρωτόγονες συνθήκες. Στο χωριό Ποταμιά δεν υπήρχε ούτε ηλεκτρικό ρεύμα, ούτε τρεχούμενο νερό, ούτε σωστοί δρόμοι... Στην πραγματικότητα υπήρχαν δρόμοι, αλλά αυτοί οι δρόμοι ήταν πολύ σκονισμένοι το καλοκαίρι και λασπωμένοι το χειμώνα. Το νερό συσσωρευόταν στο δρόμο... Ενώ προσπαθούσαμε να πηδήξουμε από πάνω, μερικές φορές γλιστρούσαμε και πέφταμε και λασπωνόμασταν όλοι. Όταν γυρίζαμε σπίτι, μας θύμωναν γι αυτό».

«Παλιά λάστιχα αυτοκινήτων, τροχοί ποδηλάτων…»
«Εφόσον δεν περνούσαν αυτοκίνητα από αυτούς τους δρόμους, ήταν η παιδική μας χαρά. Τουρκοκύπρια και Ελληνοκύπρια παιδιά από τη γειτονιά μας μαζεύονταν και έπαιζαν στο δρόμο όταν δεν υπήρχε λάσπη στο δρόμο... Ήμασταν πολύ επιδέξιοι στο να δημιουργούμε παιχνίδια για να παίξουμε. Ένα κομμάτι καλαμιού ξεφλουδισμένο από το φλοιό του γινόταν κάποτε το άλογο μας και κάποτε γινόταν άμαξα ή αυτοκίνητο. Κάναμε αγώνες με ένα τροχό παλιού ποδηλάτου. Και αν ο τροχός ήταν ένα παλιό λάστιχο αυτοκινήτου, πρέπει να βλέπατε τη χαρά μας... Ένας από εμάς έσκυβε και έμπαινε μέσα στο παλιό λάστιχο του αυτοκινήτου και το άλλο παιδί το κυλούσε... Βέβαια ήταν πολύ δύσκολο να βρεις ένα παλιό λάστιχο στο χωριό, αφού δεν υπήρχαν πολλά αυτοκίνητα στο χωριό. Αλλά υπήρχαν πολλά ποδήλατα. Από το εσωτερικό λάστιχο του ποδηλάτου φτιάχναμε μια μπάλα. Αυτές οι μπάλες ήταν πολύ βαριές αφού ήταν γεμάτες. Όταν σε χτυπούσε, μωλωπιζόσουν. Αλλά πραγματικά δεν μας ένοιαζε καθόλου...»

«Τα κουκούτσια από χρυσόμηλα ήταν τα ππιριλιά μας...»
«Προτιμούσαμε παιχνίδια με πολλά υλικά που έπρεπε να βρεθούν. Βάζαμε πέτρες τη μία πάνω στην άλλη και παίζαμε ένα παιχνίδι που λέγεται «σκατούλικα»... Παίρναμε μια στρογγυλή μαύρη πέτρα και προσπαθούσαμε να ρίξουμε κάτω τις πέτρες που είχαμε βάλει τη μία πάνω στην άλλη. Κερδίζαμε πόντους ανάλογα με τον αριθμό των πετρών που ρίχναμε...
Παίζαμε ππιριλιά με τα κουκούτσια των χρυσομήλων. Τα κουκούτσια των χρυσομήλων που είχαν πέσει κάτω από το δέντρο συλλέγονταν και αποθηκεύονταν για το παιχνίδι. Ενώναμε τα φύλλα των κολοκυθιών και φτιάχναμε σωλήνες... Μεταφέραμε νερό από το νερό της καμάρας που περνούσε μπροστά από το σπίτι μας και ποτίζαμε τον κήπο μας με αυτούς τους αυτοσχέδιους σωλήνες...»

«Παίζοντας κρυφτό...»
«Όταν έδυε ο ήλιος, παίζαμε «κρυφτό»... Λέγαμε ένα είδος ρίμας όπως «Είτε εδώ είτε εκεί, είναι με την κόρη του χαλβατζή» και επιλέγαμε έναν παίκτη που λεγόταν «ebe» («αυτό»). Αυτό θα κρινόταν ως ένας δίκαιος τρόπος επιλογής αυτού του παίκτη. Ακόμη και όταν υπήρχε διαφωνία για την επιλογή του «ebe» («αυτό»), τα ελληνοκύπρια παιδιά μας έλεγαν «halvadji re, halvadji» και ζητούσαν να επιλεχθεί ξανά ο «ebe». Αυτό το παιχνίδι συνεχιζόταν μέχρι να βγουν οι μαμάδες μας και να μας φωνάξουν. Και τότε αρχίζαμε να τραγουδάμε μέχρι να διαλυθούμε: «Όσοι έχουν σπίτι, να πάνε σπίτι τους... Όσοι δεν έχουν σπίτι, να πάνε στην άκρη του φραμού (φράκτη)...»

«Στο φως του γκαζιού...»
Το βράδυ τα σπίτια μας φωτίζονταν με φως του γκαζιού. Στα καφενεία και στις πλουσιότερες οικογένειες, υπήρχαν φώτα «lux» στα σπίτια τους. Αλλά οι λάμπες «lux» ήταν μεγάλη πολυτέλεια για τους χωριανούς. Το φως γκαζιού νούμερο τέσσερα ήταν υπεραρκετό γι αυτούς... Αλλά αυτό το φως απαιτούσε εργασία κάθε βράδυ. Έπρεπε να γεμίσει με βενζίνη και να καθαριστεί ο «φανός» (το γυάλινο μέρος).
Όταν μεγάλωσα λίγο, άρχισα να μένω μόνος μου στον πάνω όροφο. Τοποθετούσα τη λάμπα στο παράθυρο και έβαζα το κρεβάτι μου με τέτοιο τρόπο ώστε να μπορώ να διαβάζω κάτω από το φως της λάμπας, αλλά όταν με έπιανε ύπνος, απλώς άπλωνα το χέρι μου για να σβήσω το φυτίλι της λάμπας. Κρατούσα επίσης ένα μπουκάλι βενζίνη δίπλα στη λάμπα.
Κάποια γεύματα έκαναν κάποιον πραγματικά διψασμένο. Ιδιαίτερα τα αλμυρά φαγητά όπως η «ρέγκα», το «τσαρτέλλι» και ο «μπακαλιάρος» (ένα είδος αλμυρού ψαριού). Ένα βράδυ το γεύμα μας ήταν βραστά ξερά φασόλια που τρώγονταν μαζί με ψάρι «ρέγκα» (ένα είδος αλμυρού, αποξηραμένου ψαριού). Πήρα ένα μπουκάλι νερό και το έβαλα στο περβάζι του παραθύρου. Όταν αποκοιμήθηκα, άρχισα να βλέπω εφιάλτες... Διψούσα τρομερά... Έβρεχε. Άνοιγα το στόμα μου αλλά δεν έπεφτε ούτε μια σταγόνα νερό... Μετά από αρκετή ώρα αγώνα, ξύπνησα. Το στόμα μου ήταν στεγνό... Άπλωσα το χέρι μου στο μπουκάλι και άρχισα να πίνω. Μετά από λίγες σταγόνες, συνειδητοποίησα ότι πήρα λάθος μπουκάλι... Δεν ήταν ωραίο το να πίνεις βενζίνη... Για δύο μέρες και μετά, ρευόμουν βενζίνη...»

«Αξία του νερού...»
«Συνειδητοποίησα την αξία του νερού όταν άρχισα να μεταφέρω νερό στο σπίτι. Ήταν μια ατελείωτη δουλειά... Η κότα και οι γαλοπούλες ((γ)αλίνες) στο κοτέτσι χρειάζονταν νερό, είχαμε δύο-τρεις κατσίκες στην αυλή, ήθελαν κι αυτές νερό. Το βράδυ τα μεγαλύτερα ζώα, όπως το άλογο, το μουλάρι και το γαϊδούρι, επέστρεφαν στο σπίτι και χρειάζονταν ακόμα περισσότερο νερό... Τους καλοκαιρινούς μήνες έπρεπε να ποτίζουμε τα λουλούδια και τα δέντρα. Υπήρχε μια τεράστια πήλινη κανάτα με λίγη στάχτη μέσα, που έπρεπε να γεμίζει με νερό. Η μητέρα μου έπλενε τα ρούχα με το νερό και τη στάχτη. Το σαπούνι γινόταν πιο αφρώδες με το νερό που είχε στάχτη μέσα... Η μητέρα μου χρησιμοποιούσε το σαπούνι για να καθαρίσει τα ρούχα στη σκάφη και μετά με ένα ξύλινο ραβδί, χτυπούσε τα ρούχα (και στο μεταξύ έσπαζαν τα κουμπιά)...
Το «καζάνι» που έβαζαν σε ανοιχτή φωτιά έπρεπε να γεμίσει με νερό για να κάνουμε μπάνιο. Το νερό ζεσταινόταν ρίχνοντας μερικούς θάμνους και κλαδιά στη φωτιά κάτω από το καζάνι... Και μετά παίρνοντας έναν κουβά με ζεστό νερό, πήγαινε κανείς σε μια γωνιά του στάβλου, καθόταν στο σκαμνί, ανακάτευε το ζεστό νερό με κρύο νερό και πλενόταν... Δεν υπήρχε πρόβλημα να το κάνεις αυτό τους καλοκαιρινούς μήνες. Αλλά το χειμώνα, ήταν απαίσιο. Ο αέρας που φυσούσε κάτω από τις πόρτες και από τις χαραμάδες των παραθύρων μας πάγωνε...
Ακόμα και εγώ αναρωτιέμαι πώς επιβιώσαμε κάτω από αυτές τις συνθήκες του μεσαίωνα...»

Ενθυμούμενη όλα αυτά...
Γεννήθηκα το 1958 και πρόλαβα αυτά που λέει ο Dr. Bekir Azgin στο άρθρο του για τις «συνθήκες του μεσαίωνα»... Ζούσαμε στη Λευκωσία αλλά όταν πήγαινα στο χωριό της θείας μου, τα Κρίδεια, ο τρόπος ζωής στο χωριό ήταν ακριβώς όπως περιγράφει ο Bekir Azgin... Η κόρη της θείας μου της Pembe έψηνε ψωμί κάθε 10-15 μέρες και κουβαλούσαμε νερό για να το προσθέσει στο αλεύρι...
Θυμούμαι το φως του γκαζιού από τις λάμπες και έχω ακόμα μερικές λάμπες αντίκες, μια κληρονομιά από τη μητέρα μου για να μου θυμίζει το είδος της ζωής που έζησε αφού γεννήθηκε το 1917 και πάντα μελετούσε στο φως του γκαζιού όταν πήγαινε στο σχολείο...
Θυμούμαι επίσης τα παιχνίδια που παίζαμε στο δρόμο με τα παιδιά των γειτόνων: Κρυφτό, κουτσό… Αυτά είναι πλέον «ξεχασμένα» παιχνίδια μιας άλλης εποχής – σήμερα, τα παιδιά παίζουν παιχνίδια μόνο σε tablets και υπολογιστές και iPads, όχι στο δρόμο... Δεν θα έχουν ακούσει ούτε τα ονόματα τέτοιων παιχνιδιών... Γι αυτό, κάποιοι δάσκαλοι σε κάποια σχολεία προσπαθούν πάντα να διδάξουν στα παιδιά τέτοια παιχνίδια που κάποτε τα παιδιά έπαιζαν στην Κύπρο...

(Article published in Greek on my page in POLITIS entitled "Underground Notes" on the 2nd of February 2025…)

Link to the article:
https://politis.com.cy/apopseis/stiles/897427/anamniseis-apo-mia-alli-epochi-synthikes-mesaiona-o-tropos-zois-kapote-stin-kypro

(Note: All photos in this article are from the archive of our friend Sotiris Savva…)

IN ENGLISH, TURKISH AND GREEK: TURKISH CYPRIOTS, MARONITE CYPRIOT AND GREEK CYPRIOTS WHO SAVED THE LIVES OF EACH OTHER… (1)

IN ENGLISH, TURKISH AND GREEK: TURKISH CYPRIOTS, MARONITE CYPRIOT AND GREEK CYPRIOTS WHO SAVED THE LIVES OF EACH OTHER… (1)

*** Turkish Cypriots, Maronite Cypriot and Greek Cypriots who saved the lives of each other…

Putting acts of humanity on the map of Cyprus… (1)

Sevgul Uludag

caramel_cy@yahoo.com

Tel: 99 966518

Over the years, as I was searching for "untold stories of Cyprus", I came across another "taboo subject": That of those who saved each other's lives… Just like atrocities, humanity was also a "repressed subject" that no one wanted to discuss… People knew but unless someone asked them, they would not bring it up… And of course, as you can imagine, no one really asked them… On the contrary, the atmosphere created by "nationalisms" of both sides compelled them to keep silent on both subjects: Atrocities, as well as humanitarian acts of people from our communities…

"NO DIFFERENCE" BETWEEN KILLING OR SAVING ACCORDING TO NATIONALISM…
According to the "nationalisms", killing someone or saving someone did not "count" in our communities in Cyprus: They carried the same "invisibility"… According to nationalism, neither killing, nor saving lives is important in Cyprus considering our recent history… Just as the atrocities are made "invisible" and only "allowed" to talk about "the other side's atrocities", acts of humanity are also not "allowed" to surface and not talked about… This is the result of the ideology of "nationalism" pushed on our communities: They want to show that only their own side was the "sole victim" and any facts or any information or proof that goes against that claim must be suppressed and silenced. And both sides have managed this to a great extent… Except that we continue to investigate and we continue to write about not just one side but both sides and show the atrocities as well as the humanitarian acts from all sides, without making any discrimination whatsoever…

THOSE WHO SAVED HUMAN LIVES…
DJENGIZ RATIP…
*** Djengiz Ratip saved the lives of a busload of Greek Cypriot youngsters from Polis – students who had been kidnapped and taken as a hostage by some Turkish Cypriots from the Tylliria area… He went to Kokkino and negotiated with the Turkish Cypriots there to release the busload of Greek Cypriot students who were taken in retaliation for two Turkish Cypriots who had gone "missing" from around Pyrgos… Djengiz Ratip was a Member of Parliament in the Republic of Cyprus. He was kidnapped together with a Turkish Cypriot teacher Turgut Sitki who was accompanying him in Polis on the 14th of February 1964… He and Turgut are still "missing"…

STAVROS POYRAZIS
*** Stavros Poyrazis was the mukhtar of Strongylos village and he saved the lives of Turkish Cypriots from his village both in 1963 and in 1974… In 1963, some Greek Cypriots from other villages had come to Strongylos to kill some Turkish Cypriots and Stavros Poyrazis stopped them and did not allow them to come inside Strongylos. He said to them "Go back to your villages! You cannot touch the Turkish Cypriots!" And he repeated the same thing in 1974 when some Greek Cypriots attempted to come inside the village and kill some Turkish Cypriots – he stopped them and told them to go away. After all this, in 1974 he was taken with seven others and had been "missing" until their remains were found at Abalestra area in Sinda vicinity and after DNA tests, he was returned to his family and buried in December 2016 in Latsia, Nicosia.

ALPAY TOPUZ
*** Alpay Topuz from Epiho (Abohor/Cihangir) village was responsible for more than 600 Greek Cypriot prisoners of war at the camp created in Voni in 1974… After he was appointed to this position, he managed to stop the rapes and helped women with small children, finding them milk and bringing the kids toys and treated the prisoners of war in a just and humanitarian way. Before he had been appointed to the camp, there had been rapes and killings but Alpay Topuz stopped these…

ERTAN AKINCIOGHLOU
*** Ertan Akincioghlou was a shepherd in the Lapathos village. In 1974, he saved the lives of 8-9 Greek Cypriots in Gypsou from being killed. He also saved some other Greek Cypriots in some other villages from being killed.

CHRISTOFIS POSEIDIAS
*** Christofis Poseidias was from Dali and together with his Greek Cypriot neighbours' help, he saved the Turkish Cypriot women and children from Dali from being raped by EOKA-B who had been threatening to do that in 1974. He kept the women and children in his own house, protecting them from any harm…

TWO MUKHTARS AND A PRIEST FROM DROMOLAXIA AND KITI…
*** The priest Kleanthis from Dromolaxia village, together with the mukhtar Yorgis Mouzouros and the mukhtar of Kiti Panayiotis Costi Patsalou, saved the Turkish Cypriots from Dromolaxia from being killed by EOKA-B. The EOKA-B arrested all Turkish Cypriot men and took them to Kiti in order to kill them in 1974. Their lives were saved by the papaz and the two mukhtars who followed the EOKA-B and insisted to stay with the Turkish Cypriots, saving their lives.

CHRISTOS KYPRIANOU AND AHMET YORGANDJI
*** Christos Kyprianou from Lefkoniko had hidden Ahmet Yorgandji from Chatoz during the coup in 1974 at one of his friend's house, saving his life. And during the war in 1974, this time Ahmet Yorgandji saved the life of his maestro Christos Kyprianou from being killed in Chatoz.

HASAN SALIH KASAP…
*** Hasan Salih Kasap from Vatyli village saved the lives of a busload of Greek Cypriots from Vatyli as well as people's lives from Lysi in 1974. Greek Cypriots who had returned to their village between the two military operations of Turkey in 1974 were arrested and taken to the cinema in Vatyli as prisoners of war. When the news of the Maratha-Sandallaris-Aloa massacres of EOKA-B who had killed women and children and buried them in mass graves started coming out, some Turkish Cypriots came and tried to take these prisoners and kill them "in retaliation". Hasan Salih Kasap did not allow this to happen, saving the lives of dozens of Greek Cypriots.

ANDREAS CHRISTODOULOU FROM LAPATHOS
*** Andreas Christodoulou who was the mukhtar of Lapathos in 1974 managed to stop some Greek Cypriots who were coming from the Arnadi village to try to kill the Turkish Cypriots from Lapathos. He had heard that some EOKA-B guys from Arnadi were going to go to the headquarters in Trikomo, take some Greek Cypriot soldiers and come to Lapathos to kill the Turkish Cypriots there. The EOKA-B had already dug ditches to bury the ones they would kill… The ditches were between Lapathos and Arnadi… He told the Turkish Cypriots, "So long as I am alive, nothing will happen to you. If I disappear or get killed, leave the village immediately, it would mean that you are in danger…" He called the headquarters of the military in Trikomo and spoke with the commander and asked him to send someone to see that the Turkish Cypriots had no guns. Someone in fact came and with the cooperation of the Turkish Cypriot mukhtar Kemal Ali Osman, they collected the hunting guns and managed to avoid the massacre of Turkish Cypriots of Lapathos. Because of the clever and peaceful way he managed this crisis, EOKA-B could not come to the village…

PANAYOTIS THEODOSIOU DIGHENIS
*** The same thing happened in Pyla where Panayotis Theodosiou Dighenis who was responsible for the military in the village managed to stop his co-villagers Turkish Cypriots from being killed by some Greek Cypriots coming from outside the village. This was the same EOKA-B team that tried to go to Lapathos to kill the Turkish Cypriots there. Panayotis Theodosiou Dighenis heard gunshots outside the village. He took the Turkish Cypriot mukhtar of the village in 1974, Ahmet Sakalli and together they went outside the village to encounter this gang of EOKA-B. Panayotis Theodosiou Dighenis told them, "You will not touch the Turkish Cypriots here… First you need to touch me before you kill them… If you are so strong, you go to Kyrenia and fight there…" and managed to send them away… He had also managed to save some Turkish Cypriots from Pyla who had been arrested in Varosha…

MEHMET ERCHIKA
In 1974, some people changed the tabella showing the way to the Dhekelia British Bases and turned it towards Pergamos. Due to this "trap", many Greek Cypriots ended up in Turkish Cypriot controlled Pergamos, instead of the British military base Dhekelia…
The Turkish Cypriot commander of Pergamos Mehmet Erchika was a great humanitarian and he was not the one who had done that… Instead, he sent all those Greek Cypriots who ended up in Pergamos safe and sound to the Dhekelia bases area in buses, including a family with a car. He, himself accompanied the buses and the car to make sure that they reached their destination safe and sound…

(To be continued next week)

Photos: Djengiz Ratip, Stavros Poyrazis, Hasan Salih Kasap, Andreas Christodoulou, Panayotis Theodosiou Digenis and Mehmet Erchika…
And photo of Kyriacos Andreou together with Hasan Salih Kasap. Kyriacos Andreou from Lyssi was one of those whose life was saved by Hasan Salih Kasap…




*** Birbirinin hayatını kurtaran Kıbrıslıtürk, Kıbrıslımaronit ve Kıbrıslırumlar…

İnsani jestleri Kıbrıs haritasına yerleştirmek… (1)

Sevgül Uludağ

Yıllar içerisinde Kıbrıs'ın "anlatılmamış öykülerini" araştırırken, bir diğer "tabu" konuya rastlayacaktım: Birbirinin hayatını kurtaranlarla ilgiliydi bu tabu... Tıpkı katliamlar, insanlığa sığmayan suçlar gibi, insaniyete dair öyküler de "bastırılmış bir konu"ydu ve kimse de bu konuyu tartışmak istemiyordu...
İnsanlar biliyordu ancak birileri gidip onlara bunu sormadığı sürece, kendiliklerinden bu konuyu açmıyorlardı, tartışmıyorlardı... Ve tahmin edilebileceği gibi de kimsecikler onlara bunu sormuyordu... Tam tersine, her iki taraftaki "milliyetçilikler" tarafından yaratılmış olan atmosfer onları, her iki konuda da suskun kalmaya mahkum ediyordu: Hem katliamlar konusunda, hem de insani jetler konusunda sessiz kalmak, daha "güvenli" bir yoldu...

MİLLİYETÇİLİĞE GÖRE ÖLDÜRMEK YA DA KURTARMAK ARASINDA "BİR FARK YOK"...
"Milliyetçilikler"e göre, birisini öldürmek ya da birinin hayatını kurtarmak, Kıbrıs'taki toplumlarımız açısından "kayda değer" bir konu değildi: Aynı "görünmezlik" zırhı altındaydı bu konular... Milliyetçiliğe göre, öldürmek de,hayat kurtarmak da yakın tarihimize baktığımızda önemli değildi... Tıpkı katliamların "görünmez" kılınarak ancak "öteki tarafın işlediği katliamlar ve suçlardan" söz etmeye "izin verilirken", insani jetler hakkında konuşmak ya da bunların yüzeye çıkmasını sağlamaya da "izin verilmiyordu"... Bu, toplumlarımıza dayatılan "milliyetçi" ideolojinin bir sonucuydu: Her iki taraf da her daim kendi taraflarının "tek kurban" olduğunu göstermek istiyordu ve buna karşı herhangi bir bilgi ya da kanıt derhal bastırılmalı ve susturulmalıydı... Ve her iki taraf da büyük oranda bunu başardılar. Ancak bizler araştırmaya ve yazmaya devam ediyoruz: Tek bir tarafın değil, her iki tarafın da işlediği suçların yanısıra, insani jetleri de yazıyoruz, herhangi bir ayırımcılığa kapılmaksızın bunu yapmaya çalışıyoruz.

İNSANLARIN HAYATLARINI KURTARANLAR...
İnsanların hayatlarını kurtaranlardan örnekler vererek bu yazımıza devam etmek istiyoruz...

CENGİZ RATİP...
*** Cengiz Ratip, 1963'te, Poli'den bir otobüs dolusu Kıbrıslırum öğrencinin hayatını kurtarmıştı... Bu öğrenciler, Dillirga bölgesinden bazı Kıbrıslıtürkler tarafından kaçırılarak rehin alınmışlardı... Cengiz Ratip, Goççina'ya giderek oradaki Kıbrıslıtürkler'le konuşarak, sözkonusu Kıbrıslırum öğrencilerin serbest bırakılmasını sağladı. Sözkonusu Kıbrıslıtürkler, bölgede "kayıp" edilen iki Kıbrıslıtürk'e "karşılık", bir otobüs dolusu Kıbrıslırum öğrenciyi kaçırmışlardı. Ve nihayetinde Cengiz Ratip onların serbest bırakılmasını sağlamıştı. Cengiz Ratip, Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti'nde Milletvekili olarak görev yapmaktaydı. 14 Şubat 1964'te Poli'de beraberindeki öğretmen Turgut Sıtkı'yla birlikte bazı Kıbrıslırumlar tarafından kaçırılarak "kayıp" edildi. Her ikisi de hala "kayıp"tır.

STAVROS POYRAZİS...
*** Stavros Poyrazis, Stroncilo (Turunçlu) köyü muhtarıydı ve köylüsü Kıbrıslıtürkler'in hayatlarını hem 1963'te, hem de 1974'te kurtarmıştı. 1963'te köyün dışından başka köylerden bazı Kıbrıslırumlar köye gelmişler ve Stroncilo'daki Kıbrıslıtürkler'i öldürmek istiyorlardı. Stavros Poyrazis onları durdurdu ve Stroncilo'ya girmelerine izin vermedi. Onlara "Köylerinize geri dönünüz! Kıbrıslıtürkler'e dokanamazsınız!" dedi. Aynı şeyi, 1974'te yine dıştan bazı Kıbrıslırumlar köye gelerek Kıbrıslıtürkler'i öldürmek istedikleri zaman da tekrarladı ve yine onların köye girmesine izin vermedi. Tüm bunlardan sonra yedi diğer Kıbrıslırum'la birlikte alınarak "kayıp" edildi Stroncilo muhtarı 1974'te ve Sinde yakınlarındaki Abalestra bölgesinde kalıntıları bulununcaya kadar "kayıp" idi. Kayıplar Komitesi'nin kazılarında kalıntıları bulunanlara yapılan DNA testleri sonucunda kimliklendirildiler ve Stavros Poyrazis küçük bir tabut içinde ailesine Aralık 2016'da defnedilmek üzere verildi. Latça bölgesine Aralık 2016'da ailesi tarafından defnedildi.

ALPAY TOPUZ...
*** Abohor köyünden (Epikho/Cihangir) Alpay Topuz, 600'den fazla savaş esirinin tutulduğu Voni kampı sorumluluğuna 1974'te atandığında insaniyetini sergiledi. O atanmadan önce bu kampta tecavüzler yaşanmaktaydı, Alpay Topuz bu tecavüzleri durdurmayı başardı ve küçük çocukları olan kadınlara süt buldu, çocuklara oyuncaklar getirdi, buradaki Kıbrıslırum savaş esirlerine adil ve insancıl davrandı. O bu kampın sorumluluğuna atanmadan önce hem tecavüzler, hem de öldürme olayları yaşanmıştı ancak Alpay Topuz bunları durdurmayı başardı.

ERTAN AKINCIOĞLU...
*** Ertan Akıncıoğlu, Lapatoz köyünde bir çobandı. 1974'te Yipsu'da (İpsoz/Akova), 8-9 Kıbrıslırum'u öldürülmekten kurtardı. Başka yerlerde başka Kıbrıslırumlar'ın hayatlarını da kurtardı.

HRİSTOFİS POSEİDİAS...
*** Hristofis Poseidias Dalili idi ve Kıbrıslırum komşularının yardımlarıyla birlikte, Dali'deki köylüsü Kıbrıslıtürk kadınlar ve çocukları EOKA-B'nin hışmından koruyup kurtardı, EOKA-B'ciler kadınlara tecavüz etmekle tehdit etmekteydi onları 1974'te. Kadınlarla çocukları kendi evinde tutarak, onların zarar görmemesini sağladı.

DROMOLAKŞA VE ÇİTE'DEN BİR PAPAZ VE İKİ MUHTAR...
*** Dromolakşa (Mormenekşe) köyünden Papaz Klenthis, Dromolakşa Muhtarı Yorgis Muzuros ve Çite (Kiti) Muhtari Panayotis Kosti Batsalu'yla birlikte, Dromolakşa (Mormenekşe) köyünden Kıbrıslıtürkler'in EOKA-B'ciler tarafından öldürülmesini engelledi. EOKA-B, Kıbrıslıtürk erkekleri tutuklayarak onları öldürmek maksadıyla 1974'te Çite'ye götürmüştü. Papaz ve iki muhtar, EOKA-B'cileri takip ederek ve köylülerinin güvenliklerini sağlamak maksadıyla yanlarından hiç ayrılmayarak ve onların güvenlik içinde olmalarında ısrarcı olarak bu Kıbrıslıtürkler'in hayatlarını kurtardılar.

HRİSTOS KİPRİANU VE AHMET YORGANCI
*** Hristos Kiprianu Lefkonuklu bir ustaydı, yanında çalışan Çatozlu Ahmet Yorgancı'yı 1974 darbesinde bir arkadaşının evinde saklayarak onun hayatını kurtardı. 1974'te savaş esnasında bu kez de Çatoz'da öldürülmek üzere tutulan Hristos Kiprianu'nun hayatını Ahmet Yorgancı kurtarmayı başardı. İkisi de büyük bir insaniyet sergilediler.

HASAN SALİH KASAP…
*** Vadilili Hasan Salih Kasap, bir otobüs dolusu Vadilili ve Lisili Kıbrıslırum'un hayatını 1974'te kurtardı. 1974'te iki askeri harekat arasında köylerine dönen Kıbrıslırumlar tutuklanmışlar ve Vadili'deki sinemaya savaş esiri olarak konmuşlardı. Muratağa-Atlılar-Sandallar'da EOKA-B'cilerin yaptığı katliamların haberi ortaya çıkınca, bazı Kıbrıslıtürkler Vadili'deki tutukluları "intikam" gerekçesiyle öldürmek istemişlerdi. Hasan Salih Kasap buna izin vermedi ve pek çok Kıbrıslırum'un hayatını böylece kurtardı.

LAPATOZ MUHTARI ANDREAS HRİSTODULU...
*** 1974 yılında Lapatoz'un Kıbrıslırum muhtarı olan Andreas Hristodulu, Arnadi (Kuzucuk) köyünden gelerek Lapatozlu Kıbrıslıtürkler'i öldürmek isteyen bazı Kıbrıslırumlar'ı durdurmayı başarmıştı. Arnadi'den bazı EOKA-B'cilerin Trikomo'daki merkeze giderek yanlarına bazı Kıbrıslırum askerler alıp Lapatoz'a Kıbrıslıtürkler'i öldürmeye geleceklerini duymuştu. EOKA-B'ciler, Lapatoz ile Arnadi arasında öldürecekleri Kıbrıslıtürkler'i gömmek üzere hendekler kazıp bunları hazırlamışlardı. Lapatoz muhtarı Andreas, Kıbrıslıtürkler'e, "Ben sağ olduğum sürece, size hiçbir şey olmayacak. Ola ki kayıp olursam ya da öldürülürsem, o zaman derhal köyü terkediniz, o zaman tehlikedesiniz demektir" diye konuşmuştu. Trikomo'daki askeri kampı arayarak buradaki askeri komutanla konuştu ve komutandan, Kıbrıslıtürkler'in herhangi bir silaha sahip olmadıklarını görmesi için birisini göndermesini istedi. Gerçekten de kamptan birisi gönderildi ve Lapatoz'un Kıbrıslıtürk muhtarı Kemal Ali Osman'ın da işbirliğiyle, avtüfekleri toplandı, böylece Lapatozlu Kıbrıslıtürkler, öldürülmekten kurtarıldı. Lapatoz muhtarı Andreas Hristodulu'nun bu krizi akıllı ve barışçıl biçimde çözümlendirmesi sonucunda, EOKA-B'ciler köye gelip katliam yapamadı.

PANAYOTİS THEODOSİU DİĞENİS...
*** Aynı şey, Pile'de de oldu, burada da köyde askeri yetkili olan Panayotis Theodosiu Diğenis, köy dışından Pileli Kıbrıslıtürkler'i öldürmek maksadıyla gelen Kıbrıslırumlar'ı durdurmayı başardı. Sözkonusu Kıbrıslırumlar, Lapatoz'daki Kıbrıslıtürkler'i öldürmeyi planlamak üzere Lapatoz'a gitmeye çalışan aynı EOKA-B timi idi. Panayotis Theodosiu Diğenis köyün dışından silah sesleri duymuştu. 1974'te köyün Kıbrıslıtürk muhtarı olan Ahmet Sakallı'yı da yanına alarak köyün dışında bu EOKA-B çetesiyle yüzleşmeye gitti. Onlara, "Bu köydeki Kıbrıslıtürkler'e dokanamazsınız... Onları öldürmeden önce, bana dokanmanız gerekir... Eğer o kadar güçlü hissediyorsanız kendinizi, Girne'ye gidin da orada savaşın" diyerek onları yollatmayı başardı... Panayotis Theodosiu Diğenis ayrıca Maraş'ta tutuklanmış olan bazı Kıbrıslıtürkler'in hayatlarını da kurtarmıştı...

MEHMET ERÇİKA...
1974'te bazı Kıbrıslıtürkler, Dikelya İngiliz Üsleri'ne giden yolu gösteren tabellanın yönünü değiştirmişler ve bunu Pergama'ya doğru yöneltmişlerdi. Bu "tuzak" üzerine pek çok Kıbrıslırum, Kıbrıslıtürk köyü Pergama'ya gitmişti yanlışlıkla, Dikelya İngiliz Üsleri yerine...
Pergama köyünün Kıbrıslıtürk komutanı Mehmet Erçika, büyük bir yüreğe sahip, insancıl biriydi – tabellaların yönünü değiştiren de o değildi, başkalarıydı... Bu şekilde Pergama'ya gelen Kıbrıslırumlar'ı güvenlik içinde Dikelya İngiliz üsler bölgesine otobüslerle gönderdi, bunlar arasında arabalarıyla bir aile de vardı. Bizzat kendisi otobüslere ve arabaya eşlik ederek varmaları gereken yere güvenlik içerisinde varmalarını sağlamıştı...

(YENİDÜZEN- Kıbrıs: Anlatılmamış Öyküler… Sevgül Uludağ – 26.11.2024)

(Devam edecek)

https://www.yeniduzen.com/insani-jestleri-kibris-haritasina-yerlestirmek-1-22901yy.htm




*** Τουρκοκύπριοι, Μαρωνίτες Κύπριοι και Ελληνοκύπριοι που έσωσαν ο ένας τη ζωή του άλλου...

Βάζοντας τις πράξεις ανθρωπιάς πάνω στο χάρτη της Κύπρου… (1)

Sevgul Uludag

caramel_cy@yahoo.com

Τηλ: 99 966518

Με την πάροδο των χρόνων, καθώς ερευνούσα για τις «ανείπωτες ιστορίες της Κύπρου», έπεσα πάνω σε ένα άλλο «θέμα ταμπού»: Αυτό των ανθρώπων που έσωσαν ο ένας τη ζωή του άλλου... Όπως ακριβώς οι θηριωδίες, έτσι και η ανθρωπιά ήταν επίσης ένα «καταπιεσμένο θέμα» που κανένας δεν ήθελε να συζητήσει... Οι άνθρωποι γνώριζαν, αλλά αν δεν τους ρωτούσε κάποιος, δεν το ανέφεραν... Και φυσικά, όπως μπορείτε να φανταστείτε, κανένας δεν τους ρώτησε πραγματικά... Αντιθέτως, η ατμόσφαιρα που δημιουργούσαν οι «εθνικισμοί» και των δύο πλευρών τους ανάγκαζε να σιωπούν και για τα δύο θέματα: Φρικαλεότητες, καθώς και ανθρωπιστικές πράξεις ανθρώπων από τις κοινότητες μας...

«Καμία διαφορά» μεταξύ του να σκοτώνεις ή να σώζεις σύμφωνα με τον εθνικισμό…
Σύμφωνα με τους «εθνικισμούς», το να σκοτώσεις κάποιον ή να σώσεις κάποιον δεν «μετρούσε» στις κοινότητες μας στην Κύπρο: Κουβαλούσαν την ίδια «αορατότητα»... Σύμφωνα με τους εθνικισμούς, ούτε το να σκοτώνεις, ούτε το να σώζεις ζωές είναι σημαντικό στην Κύπρο, λαμβάνοντας υπόψη την πρόσφατη ιστορία μας... Όπως ακριβώς οι θηριωδίες γίνονται «αόρατες» και «επιτρέπεται» να μιλάμε μόνο για «τις θηριωδίες της άλλης πλευράς», έτσι και οι πράξεις ανθρωπιάς δεν «επιτρέπεται» να βγουν στην επιφάνεια και δεν συζητούνται... Αυτό είναι το αποτέλεσμα της ιδεολογίας του «εθνικισμού» που έχει επιβληθεί στις κοινότητες μας: Θέλουν να δείξουν ότι μόνο η δική τους πλευρά ήταν το «μοναδικό θύμα» και κάθε δεδομένο ή όποια πληροφορία ή απόδειξη που έρχεται σε αντίθεση με αυτόν τον ισχυρισμό πρέπει να κατασταλεί και να αποσιωπηθεί. Και οι δύο πλευρές το έχουν καταφέρει αυτό σε μεγάλο βαθμό... Μόνο που εμείς συνεχίζουμε να ερευνούμε και συνεχίζουμε να γράφουμε όχι μόνο για τη μία πλευρά, αλλά και για τις δύο πλευρές και να δείχνουμε τις θηριωδίες αλλά και τις ανθρωπιστικές πράξεις από όλες τις πλευρές, χωρίς να κάνουμε καμία απολύτως διάκριση...

Αυτοί που έσωσαν ανθρώπινες ζωές…
Djengiz Ratip…
Ο Djengiz Ratip έσωσε τη ζωή Ελληνοκύπριων νέων από την Πόλη που βρίσκονταν σε ένα λεωφορείο – μαθητές που είχαν απαχθεί και κρατηθεί όμηροι από κάποιους Τουρκοκύπριους από την περιοχή της Τηλλυρίας... Πήγε στα Κόκκινα και διαπραγματεύτηκε με τους εκεί Τουρκοκύπριους για να απελευθερώσουν τους Ελληνοκύπριους μαθητές στο λεωφορείο που πιάστηκαν ως αντίποινα για δύο Τουρκοκύπριους που είχαν «εξαφανιστεί» από την περιοχή του Πύργου... Ο Djengiz Ratip ήταν βουλευτής της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας. Απήχθη μαζί με τον Τουρκοκύπριο δάσκαλο Turgut Sitki που τον συνόδευε στην Πόλη στις 14 Φεβρουαρίου 1964... Αυτός και ο Turgut εξακολουθούν να «αγνοούνται»...

Σταύρος Ποϊράζης
Ο Σταύρος Ποϊράζης ήταν ο μουχτάρης του χωριού Στρογγυλός και έσωσε τις ζωές Τουρκοκυπρίων από το χωριό του, τόσο το 1963 όσο και το 1974... Το 1963 κάποιοι Ελληνοκύπριοι από άλλα χωριά είχαν έρθει στο Στρογγυλό για να σκοτώσουν κάποιους Τουρκοκύπριους και ο Σταύρος Ποϊράζης τους σταμάτησε και δεν τους επέτρεψε να μπουν μέσα στο Στρογγυλό. Τους είπε: «Γυρίστε πίσω στα χωριά σας! Δεν μπορείτε να αγγίξετε τους Τουρκοκύπριους!» Και επανέλαβε το ίδιο πράγμα το 1974 όταν κάποιοι Ελληνοκύπριοι προσπάθησαν να μπουν μέσα στο χωριό και να σκοτώσουν κάποιους Τουρκοκύπριους – τους σταμάτησε και τους είπε να φύγουν. Μετά από όλα αυτά, το 1974 τον πήραν μαζί με επτά άλλους και ήταν «αγνοούμενος» μέχρι που βρέθηκαν τα οστά τους στην περιοχή Abalestra στην περιοχή της Σίντας και μετά από εξετάσεις DNA, επέστρεψε στην οικογένεια του και θάφτηκε τον Δεκέμβριο του 2016 στα Λατσιά της Λευκωσίας.

Alpay Topuz
Ο Alpay Topuz από το χωριό Επηχώ (Abohor/Cihangir) ήταν υπεύθυνος για περισσότερους από 600 Ελληνοκύπριους αιχμαλώτους πολέμου στο στρατόπεδο που δημιουργήθηκε το 1974 στη Βώνη... Αφού διορίστηκε σε αυτή τη θέση, κατάφερε να σταματήσει τους βιασμούς και βοήθησε τις γυναίκες με μικρά παιδιά, βρίσκοντας τους γάλα και φέρνοντας παιχνίδια στα παιδιά και αντιμετώπισε τους αιχμαλώτους πολέμου με δίκαιο και ανθρωπιστικό τρόπο. Πριν διοριστεί στο στρατόπεδο, υπήρχαν βιασμοί και δολοφονίες, αλλά ο Alpay Topuz τα σταμάτησε αυτά...

Ertan Akincioghlou
Ο Ertan Akincioghlou ήταν βοσκός στο χωριό Λάπαθος. Το 1974 έσωσε τη ζωή 8-9 Ελληνοκυπρίων στη Γύψου. Έσωσε επίσης μερικούς άλλους Ελληνοκύπριους σε κάποια άλλα χωριά από τη δολοφονία.

Χριστοφής Ποσείδιας
Ο Χριστοφής Ποσείδιας ήταν από το Δάλι και μαζί με τη βοήθεια των Ελληνοκυπρίων γειτόνων του, έσωσε τις Τουρκοκύπριες γυναίκες και τα παιδιά από το Δάλι από το βιασμό τους από την ΕΟΚΑ Β που απειλούσαν να το κάνουν αυτό το 1974. Κράτησε τις γυναίκες και τα παιδιά στο σπίτι του, προστατεύοντας τους από κάθε κακό...

Δύο μουχτάρηδες και ένας ιερέας από τη Δρομολαξιά και το Κίτι…
Ο ιερέας Κλεάνθης από το χωριό Δρομολαξιά, μαζί με τον μουχτάρη Γιώργη Μούζουρο και τον μουχτάρη του Κιτίου Παναγιώτη Κωστή Πάτσαλου, έσωσαν τους Τουρκοκύπριους της Δρομολαξιάς από τη δολοφονία τους από την ΕΟΚΑ Β. Η ΕΟΚΑ Β συνέλαβε το 1974 όλους τους Τουρκοκύπριους άντρες και τους πήρε στο Κίτι για να τους σκοτώσει. Οι ζωές τους σώθηκαν από τον ιερέα και τους δύο μουχτάρηδες που ακολούθησαν την ΕΟΚΑ Β και επέμειναν να μείνουν με τους Τουρκοκύπριους, σώζοντας τη ζωή τους.

Χρίστος Κυπριανού και Ahmet Yorgandji
Ο Χρίστος Κυπριανού από το Λευκόνοικο κατά τη διάρκεια του πραξικοπήματος του 1974 είχε κρύψει τον Ahmet Yorgandji από το Τζιάος στο σπίτι ενός φίλου του, σώζοντας του τη ζωή. Και κατά τη διάρκεια του πολέμου του 1974, αυτή τη φορά ο Ahmet Yorgandji έσωσε τη ζωή του μάστρου του Χρίστου Κυπριανού από δολοφονία του στο Τζιάος.

Hasan Salih Kasap…
Ο Hasan Salih Kasap από το χωριό Βατυλή έσωσε τη ζωή των Ελληνοκυπρίων από τη Βατυλή που βρίσκονταν σε ένα λεωφορείου καθώς και τη ζωή ανθρώπων από τη Λύση το 1974. Ελληνοκύπριοι που είχαν επιστρέψει στο χωριό τους μεταξύ των δύο στρατιωτικών επιχειρήσεων της Τουρκίας το 1974 συνελήφθησαν και οδηγήθηκαν στο σινεμά στη Βατυλή ως αιχμάλωτοι πολέμου. Όταν άρχισαν να βγαίνουν στη δημοσιότητα τα νέα για τις σφαγές της ΕΟΚΑ Β στα χωριά Μαράθα-Σανταλλάρης-Αλόα, που είχαν σκοτώσει γυναίκες και παιδιά και τους είχαν θάψει σε μαζικούς τάφους, κάποιοι Τουρκοκύπριοι ήρθαν και προσπάθησαν να πάρουν αυτούς τους αιχμαλώτους και να τους σκοτώσουν «σε αντίποινα». Ο Hasan Salih Kasap δεν επέτρεψε να συμβεί αυτό, σώζοντας τη ζωή δεκάδων Ελληνοκυπρίων.

Αντρέας Χριστοδούλου από τη Λάπαθο
Ο Ανδρέας Χριστοδούλου που ήταν ο μουχτάρης της Λαπάθου το 1974, κατάφερε να σταματήσει κάποιους Ελληνοκύπριους που έρχονταν από το χωριό Αρνάδι για να προσπαθήσουν να σκοτώσουν τους Τουρκοκύπριους της Λαπάθου. Είχε ακούσει ότι κάποιοι τύποι της ΕΟΚΑ Β από το Αρνάδι επρόκειτο να πάνε στο αρχηγείο στο Τρίκωμο, να πάρουν μερικούς Ελληνοκύπριους στρατιώτες και να έρθουν στη Λάπαθο για να σκοτώσουν τους Τουρκοκύπριους εκεί. Η ΕΟΚΑ Β είχε ήδη σκάψει χαντάκια για να θάψει αυτούς που θα σκότωναν... Τα χαντάκια ήταν ανάμεσα στη Λάπαθο και το Αρνάδι... Είπε στους Τουρκοκύπριους: «Όσο είμαι ζωντανός, δεν θα σας συμβεί τίποτα. Αν εξαφανιστώ ή σκοτωθώ, φύγετε αμέσως από το χωριό, αυτό θα σημαίνει ότι κινδυνεύετε...». Τηλεφώνησε στο αρχηγείο του στρατού στο Τρίκωμο και μίλησε με τον διοικητή και του ζήτησε να στείλει κάποιον να δει ότι οι Τουρκοκύπριοι δεν είχαν όπλα. Πράγματι κάποιος ήρθε και με τη συνεργασία του Τουρκοκύπριου μουχτάρη Kemal Ali Osman, μάζεψαν τα κυνηγετικά όπλα και κατάφεραν να αποφύγουν τη σφαγή των Τουρκοκυπρίων της Λαπάθου. Λόγω του έξυπνου και ειρηνικού τρόπου που διαχειρίστηκε την κρίση, η ΕΟΚΑ Β δεν μπόρεσε να έρθει στο χωριό...

Παναγιώτης Θεοδοσίου Διγενής
Το ίδιο συνέβη και στην Πύλα όπου ο Παναγιώτης Θεοδοσίου Διγενής που ήταν υπεύθυνος για το στρατό στο χωριό κατάφερε να αποτρέψει τους Τουρκοκύπριους συγχωριανούς του από το να σκοτωθούν από κάποιους Ελληνοκύπριους που έρχονταν από έξω από το χωριό. Αυτή ήταν η ίδια ομάδα της ΕΟΚΑ Β που προσπάθησε να πάει στη Λάπαθο για να σκοτώσει τους εκεί Τουρκοκύπριους. Ο Παναγιώτης Θεοδοσίου Διγενής άκουσε πυροβολισμούς έξω από το χωριό. Πήρε τον Τουρκοκύπριο μουχτάρη του χωριού το 1974, Ahmet Sakalli και μαζί πήγαν έξω από το χωριό για να αντιμετωπίσουν αυτή τη συμμορία της ΕΟΚΑ Β. Ο Παναγιώτης Θεοδοσίου Διγενής τους είπε: «Δεν θα αγγίξετε τους Τουρκοκύπριους εδώ... Πρώτα πρέπει να αγγίξετε εμένα πριν τους σκοτώσετε... Αν είστε τόσο δυνατοί, πηγαίνετε στην Κερύνεια και πολεμήστε εκεί...» και κατάφερε να τους διώξει... Είχε επίσης καταφέρει να σώσει κάποιους Τουρκοκύπριους από την Πύλα που είχαν συλληφθεί στο Βαρώσι...

Mehmet Erchika
Το 1974 κάποιοι άλλαξαν την ταμπέλα που έδειχνε το δρόμο προς τις Βρετανικές Βάσεις Δεκέλειας και την έστρεψαν προς το χωριό Πέργαμος. Λόγω αυτής της «παγίδας», πολλοί Ελληνοκύπριοι κατέληξαν στο τουρκοκυπριακό χωριό Πέργαμος, αντί στη Βρετανική στρατιωτική βάση Δεκέλειας…
Ο Τουρκοκύπριος διοικητής της Περγάμου Mehmet Erchika ήταν μεγάλος ανθρωπιστής και δεν ήταν αυτός που το έκανε… Αντίθετα, έστειλε με λεωφορεία όλους τους Ελληνοκύπριους που κατέληξαν στην Πέργαμο σώους και αβλαβείς στην περιοχή των Βάσεων της Δεκέλειας, μεταξύ των οποίων και μια οικογένεια με αυτοκίνητο. Ο ίδιος συνόδευσε τα λεωφορεία και το αυτοκίνητο για να βεβαιωθεί ότι έφτασαν στον προορισμό τους σώοι και αβλαβείς…

(Published in POLITIS on the 22nd of December 2024, Sunday)…

(Συνεχίζεται την επόμενη εβδομάδα)

https://politis.com.cy/apopseis/stiles/879440/praxeis-anthropias-stin-kypro-1