Monday, October 13, 2025

ARTICLE IN ENGLISH, TURKISH AND GREEK PUBLISHED IN YENİDÜZEN AND POLITIS NEWSPAPERS… STORIES FROM KYRENIA BOGHAZI…

ARTICLE IN ENGLISH, TURKISH AND GREEK PUBLISHED IN YENİDÜZEN AND POLITIS NEWSPAPERS… STORIES FROM KYRENIA BOGHAZI…

*** Our readers contribute with information about possible burial sites…

Stories from the Kyrenia Boghazi…

Sevgul Uludag

caramel_cy@yahoo.com

Tel: 99 966518

One of my Turkish Cypriot readers had a chance to speak with someone who had stories from the area of Kyrenia Boghazi…
He would pass on to me the information he had gathered from one of his acquaintances…
"I found out about several stories in the Kyrenia Boghazi area" he says… "According to a person I know, there was a temporary hospital set up by the military in the area of Kyrenia Boghazi… These were tents… There was also a small hospital in the Kyrenia Boghazi that belonged to the Turkish Cypriot soldiers… In 1974, as he had found out from someone who buried them there, they used to gather all those who had died during the war in 1974 in the area of that "Sahara Hospital". And he claimed that some of them were buried in the area of that "Sahara Hospital". According to what he was told by the person who had buried them, they had dug a big hole and buried some dead persons in that area. At that time there were no buildings around and "Sahara Hospital" was not a proper building but tents set up by the military out of necessity to treat the wounded persons in the war in those days…
The person who supposedly had buried them told my reader's acquaintance that they were burying them there out of necessity – due to the decomposition of the bodies, they had no choice but to bury them immediately…"
All those who had been wounded and who died in the area would be taken to these two places: The hospital of the Turkish Cypriot soldiers and the "Sahara Hospital" which were tents actually – those who needed very urgent care would be sent either to Nicosia or to Adana for treatment.
Later on throughout the years, this area which had included the "Sahara Hospital" would be developed. This place while going from Nicosia to Kyrenia, was to the left side of the road…
I investigated this piece of information and some of my readers from the Kyrenia Boghazi area told me that those who were killed in the war were first being buried in the first 10-15 days at the Aghirdagh cemetery… That around 100-150 Turkish Cypriots and Turkish soldiers were buried at the Aghirdagh cemetery. So after around 20 days, they opened an area which is now the Martyrs' Cemetery at the Kyrenia Boghazi and started burying those killed in the war there… And after some time, they would exhume those who buried in Aghirdagh and carry the remains to rebury them at the Boghazi Martyrs' Cemetery…
One of my readers from Boghazi told me that they were burying the Turkish Cypriots and Turkish soldiers at the Martyrs' Cemetery they had created in those days but he had heard that they had buried some Greek Cypriots further up, above the northeastern area…
In the past some of my readers had in fact shown some possible burial sites around the Boghazi Military Cemetery, to the northeastern part above it. The CMP did some exhumations in the military area of Kyrenia Boghazi and they found some remains but I believe this area could be investigated further by CMP… We don't know if this new information about possible burials near the hospitals are true or not – I have written to the 3 members of CMP and their assistants and coordinators so that they can investigate further and see if this is true or not.

FINDING CLOTHES AND REMAINS BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD…
My reader has information about another possible burial site, to the right side of the road as you are going from Nicosia to Kyrenia… While his acquaintance was doing his military service in the Kyrenia Boghazi around the years 1985-87, one day, one of his commanders ordered him to flatten an area which was an empty plot… This was next to a road close to the Martyrs' Cemetery… Because it was soft soil, it would become muddy and his commander wanted to do training in that area, hence the order to flatten it… So my reader's acquaintance would bring a bulldozer with a driver… But as soon as the bulldozer started working, they saw some clothes and some remains. The acquaintance of my reader told the bulldozer operator to stop. He saw the clothes and the remains… He told the bulldozer operator to dig a bit further to see what there is there, and again they would encounter some clothes and some remains. Soon the first sergeant who saw them digging there, came running and said, "Do what you like in other places, but don't touch this area…"
According to the acquaintance of my reader, when the Turkish paratroopers were landing from planes, they had begun to go towards Dikomo and a group of 20-30 Greek Cypriot soldiers tried to run away from Dikomo… Supposedly this was the group who were killed in the fighting and buried there… We do not know if this information is correct or not – it needs to be investigated by the Cyprus Missing Persons' Committee…
The acquaintance of my reader told my reader that they flattened the area after the first sergeant told them to stop and left it like that, without touching it further… The bulldozer operator who had also been doing his military service in the Kyrenia Boghazi, after completing his military service would die in a traffic accident…
As I said, I have written in detail to the CMP so that they can investigate this area further…

KYRENIA BOGHAZI ROAD…
An old man from Geunyeli also had some information about 1974… He told this to one of my readers and my reader passed it on to me. The old man said:
"In 1974, there was heavy fighting during the war around here… We were at the Kyrenia Boghazi road… There were around 8 Greek Cypriot soldiers who were coming towards Boghazi and during the fight, they were shot and killed. Then we sent news to our unit commander that there were 8 Greek Cypriot soldiers killed in the war and asked our commander what to do with the bodies… He instructed us to bury them somewhere in the area… We dug a big hole under a tree and buried them there… They too were humans… This was the war time: Either you shot or they would shoot you… Or you would think that they could go inside Geunyeli and might kill your family… I feel sad thinking of all this… So many people from both communities died in the war, not only in 1974 but in 1963-64, as well as during the conflicts in 1956- 57 and 58… Instead of sharing this island amongst us and living in peace, we fought… I am now 85 years old and I do not have too many years to live on this earth… I will die, like everyone else… Will this conflict among our communities end? I have not seen the end but I hope that my children and my grandchildren will see it end so that there will be peace and no more war or conflict or killings or mass burials on this beautiful island... I feel very sad and I have never recovered from sadness in my life after all these conflicts... I will pass away with my hope lingering for peace and reconciliation on this island…"
I suspect that this information had been shared with the Cyprus Missing Persons' Committee some years ago and that upon digging somewhere in that area that the old man is mentioning, they did find the remains of 8 Greek Cypriot soldiers… But of course I am not 100% sure… I hope that the Cyprus Missing Persons' Committee will investigate this to see if they have already dug this area where supposedly 8 Greek Cypriot soldiers were buried or not… I have notified CMP about this piece of information so that they can investigate further.
I thank my readers for bringing all this information to me to share with the Cyprus Missing Persons' Committee and my readers… I appreciate all these civic initiatives of ordinary persons who act without expecting anything in return but out of humanity and out of compassion… I thank from the heart all my readers – both Turkish Cypriots, Greek Cypriots and all the others – for helping out all these years quietly and consistently… This is the only way forward – to feel compassion, to feel love for this land, to feel the urge to help no matter what the ethnicity of the "missing persons" are… To help close these open, bleeding wounds of relatives, to give them a chance to heal, to give them a chance to be able to find the remains of their loved ones and bury them according to the way they want, according to their tradition… Let us work together so that we can heal the wounds of our country…


Girne Boğazı'ndan öyküler…

Sevgül Uludağ

Kıbrıslıtürk okurlarımızdan birisi, Girne Boğazı'ndan bazı yaşanmışlıkları anlatan bir şahitle konuşma olanağı bulmuş… Bu tanıdığının aktardıklarını bana yazıyor… Şöyle diyor:
"Girne Boğazı bölgesinden bazı öyküler işittim… Tanıdığım bu şahsa göre, Girne Boğazı'nda 1974'te geçici bir "Sahra Hastanesi" kurulmuşmuş. Bunlar çadırlardan oluşmaktaymış. Ayrıca Kıbrıslıtürk mücahitlere ait Girne Boğazı'nda bir de küçük hastane varmış… 1974'te savaşta öldürülenleri öncelikle bu "Sahra Hastanesi"nin bulunduğu yerde topluyorlarmış. Tanıdığımın duyumlarına göre, başlangıçta buraya bir çukur kazarak savaşta ölenleri buraya gömmüşler… O dönem bu "Sahra Hastanesi" bölgesinde herhangi bir bina yokmuş, yalnızca çadırlardan oluşan bu "Sahra Hastanesi,", zorunluluktan, yaralıları tedavi etmek maksadıyla oluşturulmuş geçici bir yermiş. Aşırı sıcaklar nedeniyle bozulmakta olan naaşları derhal gömmekten başka çareleri yokmuş…"
Savaşta yaralanan ve ölenler bu iki noktaya götürülmekteymiş: Kıbrıslıtürkler mücahitlerin hastanesine ve çadırlardan oluşan bu "Sahra Hastanesi"ne… Çok acil bakım isteyenler ise ya Lefkoşa'ya, ya da Adana'ya gönderilmekteymiş…
Geçen yıllar içerisinde ise bu bölgeye çeşitli binalar yapılmış… Lefoşa'dan Girne'ye giderken bu bölge, yolun sol tarafında kalmaktaymış.
Okurumun aktardığı bu bilgileri, Girne Boğazı'ndan bazı başka okurlarımla konuşarak araştırmaya çalıştım ve onlar da bana ilk 10-15 gün içerisinde savaşta ölenlerin Ağırdağ mezarlığına defnedildiklerini, o günlerde 100-150 kadar Kıbrıslıtürk ve Türk askerinin Ağırdağ mezarlığına defnedildiğini anlattılar. Sonrasına yaklaşık 20 gün sonra, şimdilerde Girne Boğaz Şehitliği olarak bildiğimiz yere definler başlatılmış ve savaşta ölenleri buraya defnetmeye başlamışlar. Bir süre sonra da Ağırdağ'da defnedilmiş olanlar da buraya, yani Girne Boğazı Şehitliği'ne taşınarak oraya defnedilmişler.
Girne Boğazı'ndan bir okurum o günlerde Girne Boğazı Şehitliği'ne Kıbrıslıtürk ve Türk askerleri defnedilirken, o günlerde şehitliğin kuzeydoğusuna bazı Kıbrıslırumlar'ın da gömüldüğünü işittiklerini anlattı.
Geçmişte bazı okurlarım Kayıplar Komitesi'ne sözü edilen bölgeyle ilgili bilgi vermiş ve burada bazı kazılar yürütülmüştü. İnanıyorum ki bu bölgeyle ilgili Kayıplar Komitesi, daha ayrıntılı bir araştırmayı bir kez daha yürütebilir. Sahra Hastanesi ve Kıbrıslıtürk mücahitlerin hastanesi dışına bazı gömüler yapıldığı yönündeki bilgilerin doğru olup olmadığını bilmiyorum. Ancak geçtiğimiz Ağustos ayında Kayıplar Komitesi Kıbrıslıtürk Üyesi Hakkı Müftüzade, Kıbrıslırum Üyesi Leonidas Pandelidis ve Üçüncü Üye Pierre Gentile'in yanısıra asistanları ve koordinatörlerine bir mektup göndererek bu bilgilerin doğru olup olmadığını araştırmalarını önerdim…

YOL KENARINDAKİ GİYSİLER…
Girne Boğazı'yla ilgili olarak bana yazan okurum, Lefkoşa'dan Girne'ye giderken, yolun sağ tarafındaki bir bölgeyle ilgili olası bir gömü yeri hakkında da bigi veriyor. Tanıdığı bir şahıs Girne Boğazı'nda 1985-87 yıllarında askerliğini yaparken bir gün komutanı ona boş bir araziyi düzleştirmesi için emir vermiş. Bu bölge de Şehitlik yakınında bir yermiş. Burası yumuşak toprak olduğu için çamur oluyormuş – komutanı da bu bölgede askerlerine eğitim yaptırmak istiyor ve bu yüzden orasının düzleştirilmesini istiyormuş. Okurumun tanıdığı bir şiro getirerek burada çalışma başlatmış ancak şiro çalışır çalışmaz bazı giysilere ve bazı insan kalıntılarına rastgelmişler. Okurumun tanıdığı şirodaki şahsa durmasını söylemiş. Giysileri ve kalıntıları görmüş. Şirocuya biraz daha ileriye gitmesini söylemiş, orada da bazı giysiler ve kalıntılar görmüşler…
Okurumun tanıdığı devamla olayı şöyle anlatmış: "Bizim orayı kazdığımızı gören bir Başçavuş vardı. O koşarak yanımıza geldi ve hemen durmamızı söyledi. 'Diğer taraflara ne istersen yap, ama buraya dokunma' dedi. Bildiğiniz gibi 1974'te Türkiye çıkarma yaptığında uçaklardan atlayan paraşütçüler Dikmen'e doğru yürümüşlerdi. Türk askerinin Dikmen'e doğru gittiğini gören Kıbrıslırumlar oradan kaçmaya başlamışlardı. 20-30 kişi bu tarafa kaçmaya çalışmış. Girdikleri çatışmada öldürülen Kıbrıslırum askerler buraya gömülmüşmüş… Biz bunun üzerine orayı düzleştirdik ve öylece bıraktık. O kepçeyi süren çocuk, askerliğini bitirdikten kısa süre sonra trafik kazasında ölmüştü. Ona da çok üzülmüştüm."
Bu bilginin doğru olup olmadığını bilmiyoruz ancak Kayıplar Komitesi tarafından araştırılması gerekiyor. Dediğim gibi, bu konuda da Kayıplar Komitesi'ne yazdığım mektupta bilgi vermiş bulunuyorum – böylece bu bilgiyi de ayrıntılı biçimde araştırabilirler…

LEFKOŞA-GİRNE YOLU'NDA…
Yine Lefkoşa-Girne yoluyla ilgili olarak bir diğer bilgiyi de Gönyelili yaşlı bir adam okuruma aktarmış bulunuyor. Yaşlı adam okuruma şöyle demiş:
"1974 yılında çok çetin bir savaş vardı buralarda. Biz Boğaz yolunu tutuyorduk. Orada 8 tane Rum askeri vardı. Üstümüze geliyorlardı. Çatıştık ve onları vurduk. Sonra takım komutanımıza haber verdik. 'Burada 8 tane ölü Rum askeri var ne yapalım?' diye. Bize orada uygun bir yere gömmemizi söyledi. Biz de uygun bir yerde ağaç altında büyük bir çukur kazarak bunları gömmüştük. Biz onları gömdüydük. Yattıkları yerde uyur onlar. Onlar da insan sonuçta. İsterler miydi savaşsınlar. Ama o savaş halinde, sen vurmasaydın, o seni vurabilirdi. Ya da içeri girip Gönyeli'de senin çoluğunu çocuğunu öldürebilirdi gibi düşünürdün... Her iki toplumdan insanlar 74'te da, 63'te da, 1956-57-58'de da öldüler. Bu güzel adayı paylaşıp barış içinde yaşamak varıken savaştık, birbirimizi öldürdük. Ben 85 yaşındayım, çok zamanım yok, herkes gibi öleceğim. Ama toplumlarımız arasındaki bu çatışmalar bitecek mi? Ben bunun sonunu göremedim, umarım ki evlatlarım ve angonilerim görür ve bu güzel adada öldürmeler, toplu mezarlar olmadan bir hayat kurulabilir…"
Bu yaşlı adamın sözünü ettiği yerin Kayıplar Komitesi'ne yıllar önce gösterilmiş olduğundan ve sözü edilen sekiz Kıbrıslırum askerin kalıntılarının yapılan kazılarda bulunmuş olabileceğinden kuşkulanıyorum ama yüzde yüz emin değilim bundan. Bu yüzden Kayıplar Komitesi'ne gönderdiğim mektupta bu bilgiyi de araştırılmak üzere kendilerine sundum.
Değerli okurlarıma tüm bu bilgileri benimle paylaştığı için çok teşekkür ederim. Yurdumuzun yaralarını ancak bu şekilde sarabiliriz çünkü…

(YENİDÜZEN – 25.9.2005)

https://www.yeniduzen.com/girne-bogazindan-oykuler-24435yy.htm


Οι αναγνώστες μας συμβάλλουν με πληροφορίες σχετικές με πιθανούς τόπους ταφής…

Ιστορίες από το Μπογάζι Κερύνειας…

Sevgul Uludag

caramel_cy@yahoo.com

Τηλ: 99 966518

Ένας από τους Τουρκοκύπριους αναγνώστες μου είχε την ευκαιρία να μιλήσει με κάποιον που είχε ιστορίες από την περιοχή του Μπογαζιού Κερύνειας...
Μου μετέφερε τις πληροφορίες που είχε συγκεντρώσει από έναν γνωστό του...
«Έμαθα διάφορες ιστορίες για την περιοχή του Μπογαζιού Κερύνειας», λέει... «Σύμφωνα με ένα γνωστό μου, υπήρχε ένα προσωρινό νοσοκομείο που είχε στήσει ο στρατός στην περιοχή του Μπογαζιού Κερύνειας... Ήταν αντίσκηνα... Υπήρχε επίσης ένα μικρό νοσοκομείο στο Μπογάζι Κερύνειας που ανήκε στους Τουρκοκύπριους στρατιώτες... Το 1974, όπως έμαθε από κάποιο που τους έθαψε εκεί, συνήθιζαν να συγκεντρώνουν όλους όσους είχαν πεθάνει κατά τη διάρκεια του πολέμου του 1974 στην περιοχή του «Νοσοκομείου Σαχάρα». Και ισχυρίστηκε ότι μερικοί από αυτούς θάφτηκαν στην περιοχή του «Νοσοκομείου Σαχάρα». Σύμφωνα με όσα του είπε το άτομο που τους είχε θάψει, είχαν σκάψει ένα μεγάλο λάκκο και είχαν θάψει μερικούς νεκρούς σε εκείνη την περιοχή. Εκείνη την εποχή δεν υπήρχαν γύρω κτίρια και το «Νοσοκομείο Σαχάρα» δεν ήταν ένα κανονικό κτίριο, αλλά αντίσκηνα που είχαν στήσει οι στρατιωτικοί από ανάγκη για να περιθάλψουν τους τραυματίες του πολέμου εκείνη την εποχή...
Το άτομο που υποτίθεται ότι τους είχε θάψει είπε στον γνωστό του αναγνώστη μου ότι τους έθαψαν εκεί από ανάγκη – λόγω της αποσύνθεσης των πτωμάτων, δεν είχαν άλλη επιλογή από το να τους θάψουν αμέσως...»
Όλοι όσοι είχαν τραυματιστεί και πέθαναν στην περιοχή μεταφέρονταν σε δύο μέρη: στο νοσοκομείο των Τουρκοκυπρίων στρατιωτών και στο «Νοσοκομείο Σαχάρα», που στην πραγματικότητα ήταν αντίσκηνα – όσοι χρειάζονταν επείγουσα περίθαλψη μεταφέρονταν για θεραπεία είτε στη Λευκωσία, είτε στα Αδάνα.
Αργότερα, με την πάροδο των χρόνων, η περιοχή που περιλάμβανε το «Νοσοκομείο Σαχάρα» αναπτύχθηκε. Το μέρος αυτό, καθώς πηγαίνουμε από τη Λευκωσία προς την Κερύνεια, βρισκόταν στην αριστερή πλευρά του δρόμου...
Ερεύνησα αυτή την πληροφορία και μερικοί από τους αναγνώστες μου από την περιοχή του Μπογαζιού Κερύνειας μου είπαν ότι όσοι σκοτώθηκαν στον πόλεμο θάβονταν αρχικά τις πρώτες 10-15 μέρες στο νεκροταφείο της Αγύρτας... Ότι περίπου 100-150 Τουρκοκύπριοι και Τούρκοι στρατιώτες θάφτηκαν στο νεκροταφείο της Αγύρτας. Έτσι, μετά από περίπου 20 μέρες, άνοιξαν μια περιοχή που είναι τώρα το Νεκροταφείο των Μαρτύρων στο Μπογάζι της Κερύνειας και άρχισαν να θάβουν εκεί όσους σκοτώθηκαν στον πόλεμο... Και μετά από κάποιο χρονικό διάστημα, ξέθαψαν όσους είχαν θαφτεί στην Αγύρτα και μετέφεραν τα οστά για να τα ξαναθάψουν στο Νεκροταφείο των Μαρτύρων του Μπογάζι...
Ένας από τους αναγνώστες μου από το Μπογάζι μου είπε ότι έθαβαν τους Τουρκοκύπριους και τους Τούρκους στρατιώτες στο Νεκροταφείο των Μαρτύρων που είχαν δημιουργήσει εκείνη την εποχή, αλλά είχε ακούσει ότι είχαν θάψει μερικούς Ελληνοκύπριους πιο ψηλά, πάνω από τη βορειοανατολική περιοχή...
Στο παρελθόν, μερικοί από τους αναγνώστες μου είχαν πράγματι δείξει μερικούς πιθανούς τόπους ταφής γύρω από το Στρατιωτικό Νεκροταφείο του Μπογαζιού, στο βορειοανατολικό τμήμα πάνω από αυτό. Η ΔΕΑ πραγματοποίησε κάποιες εκταφές στη στρατιωτική περιοχή του Μπογαζιού Κερύνειας και βρήκε κάποια οστά, αλλά πιστεύω ότι αυτή η περιοχή θα μπορούσε να διερευνηθεί περαιτέρω από την ΔΕΑ... Δεν γνωρίζουμε αν αυτές οι νέες πληροφορίες σχετικά με πιθανές ταφές κοντά στα νοσοκομεία είναι αληθινές ή όχι – έχω γράψει στα 3 μέλη της ΔΕΑ και στους βοηθούς και συντονιστές τους, ώστε να διερευνήσουν περαιτέρω και να διαπιστώσουν αν αυτό είναι αλήθεια ή όχι.

Βρίσκοντας ρούχα και οστά στην άκρη του δρόμου...
Ο αναγνώστης μου έχει πληροφορίες για έναν άλλο πιθανό τόπο ταφής, στη δεξιά πλευρά του δρόμου καθώς πηγαίνεις από τη Λευκωσία προς την Κερύνεια... Κατά τη διάρκεια της στρατιωτικής θητείας του γνωστού του στο Μπογάζι Κερύνειας γύρω στο 1985-87, μια μέρα, ένας από τους διοικητές του του έδωσε εντολή να ισοπεδώσει μια περιοχή που ήταν ένα άδειο οικόπεδο... Αυτό ήταν δίπλα σε έναν δρόμο κοντά στο Νεκροταφείο των Μαρτύρων... Επειδή το έδαφος ήταν μαλακό, λασπωνόταν και ο διοικητής του ήθελε να κάνει εκπαίδευση σε εκείνη την περιοχή, γι αυτό και έδωσε την εντολή για να ισοπεδωθεί... Έτσι, ο γνωστός του αναγνώστη μου έφερε μια μπουλντόζα με οδηγό... Αλλά μόλις η μπουλντόζα άρχισε να δουλεύει, είδαν κάποια ρούχα και κάποια οστά. Ο γνωστός του αναγνώστη μου είπε στον χειριστή της μπουλντόζας να σταματήσει. Είδε τα ρούχα και τα οστά... Είπε στον χειριστή της μπουλντόζας να σκάψει λίγο πιο πέρα για να δει τι υπάρχει εκεί, και πάλι βρήκαν κάποια ρούχα και κάποια οστά. Σύντομα ο λοχίας που τους είδε να σκάβουν εκεί, έτρεξε και είπε: «Κάντε ότι θέλετε σε άλλα μέρη, αλλά μην αγγίζετε αυτή την περιοχή...»
Σύμφωνα με τον γνωστό του αναγνώστη μου, όταν οι Τούρκοι αλεξιπτωτιστές προσγειώνονταν από τα αεροπλάνα, είχαν αρχίσει να κατευθύνονται προς το Δίκωμο και μια ομάδα 20-30 Ελληνοκυπρίων στρατιωτών προσπάθησε να διαφύγει από το Δίκωμο... Υποτίθεται ότι αυτή ήταν η ομάδα που σκοτώθηκε στη μάχη και θάφτηκε εκεί... Δεν γνωρίζουμε αν αυτή η πληροφορία είναι σωστή ή όχι – πρέπει να διερευνηθεί από την Κυπριακή Διερευνητική Επιτροπή Αγνοουμένων...
Ο γνωστός του αναγνώστη μου είπε στον αναγνώστη μου ότι ισοπέδωσαν την περιοχή αφού ο λοχίας τους είπε να σταματήσουν και την άφησαν έτσι, χωρίς να την αγγίξουν περαιτέρω... Ο χειριστής της μπουλντόζας, ο οποίος επίσης είχε κάνει τη στρατιωτική του θητεία στο Μπογάζι της Κερύνειας, μετά την ολοκλήρωση της στρατιωτικής του θητείας σκοτώθηκε σε τροχαίο ατύχημα...
Όπως είπα, έχω γράψει λεπτομερώς στη ΔΕΑ, ώστε να διερευνήσουν περαιτέρω αυτή την περιοχή...

Δρόμος Μπογαζιού Κερύνειας…
Ένας ηλικιωμένος άντρας από το Κιόνελι είχε επίσης κάποιες πληροφορίες για το 1974... Τις είπε σε έναν από τους αναγνώστες μου και ο αναγνώστης μου τις μετέφερε σε μένα. Ο ηλικιωμένος άντρας είπε:
«Το 1974, εδώ γύρω υπήρξαν σφοδρές μάχες κατά τη διάρκεια του πολέμου... Βρισκόμασταν στον δρόμο Κερύνειας-Μπογαζιού... Υπήρχαν περίπου 8 Ελληνοκύπριοι στρατιώτες που κατευθύνονταν προς το Μπογάζι και κατά τη διάρκεια της μάχης πυροβολήθηκαν και σκοτώθηκαν. Στη συνέχεια, ενημερώσαμε τον διοικητή της μονάδας μας ότι 8 Ελληνοκύπριοι στρατιώτες είχαν σκοτωθεί στον πόλεμο και ρωτήσαμε τον διοικητή μας τι να κάνουμε με τα πτώματα... Μας έδωσε εντολή να τα θάψουμε κάπου στην περιοχή... Σκάψαμε ένα μεγάλο λάκκο κάτω από ένα δέντρο και τα θάψαμε εκεί... Ήταν και αυτοί άνθρωποι... Ήταν καιρός πολέμου: Ή θα πυροβολούσες εσύ ή θα σε πυροβολούσαν αυτοί... Ή θα σκεφτόσουν ότι θα μπορούσαν να μπουν στο Κιόνελι και να σκοτώσουν την οικογένεια σου... Νιώθω θλίψη όταν σκέφτομαι όλα αυτά... Τόσοι πολλοί άνθρωποι και από τις δύο κοινότητες έχασαν τη ζωή τους στον πόλεμο, όχι μόνο το 1974, αλλά και το 1963-64, καθώς και κατά τη διάρκεια των συγκρούσεων το 1956-57 και το 1958... Αντί να μοιραστούμε αυτό το νησί μεταξύ μας και να ζήσουμε ειρηνικά, πολεμούσαμε... Είμαι τώρα 85 χρονών και δεν μου μένουν πολλά χρόνια ζωής σε αυτόν τον κόσμο... Θα πεθάνω, όπως όλοι... Θα τελειώσει αυτή η σύγκρουση μεταξύ των κοινοτήτων μας; Δεν έχω δει το τέλος, αλλά ελπίζω ότι τα παιδιά και τα εγγόνια μου θα το δουν, ώστε να υπάρξει ειρήνη και να μην υπάρχουν πλέον πόλεμοι, συγκρούσεις, δολοφονίες ή μαζικοί τάφοι σε αυτό το όμορφο νησί... Νιώθω πολύ λυπημένος και δεν έχω ξεπεράσει ποτέ τη θλίψη στη ζωή μου μετά από όλες αυτές τις συγκρούσεις... Θα πεθάνω με την ελπίδα μου για ειρήνη και συμφιλίωση σε αυτό το νησί...»
Υποψιάζομαι ότι αυτή η πληροφορία είχε κοινοποιηθεί στην Κυπριακή Διερευνητική Επιτροπή Αγνοουμένων πριν από μερικά χρόνια και ότι, όταν έσκαψαν κάπου στην περιοχή που αναφέρει ο ηλικιωμένος, βρήκαν τα οστά 8 Ελληνοκυπρίων στρατιωτών... Αλλά φυσικά δεν είμαι 100% σίγουρη... Ελπίζω ότι η Κυπριακή Διερευνητική Επιτροπή Αγνοουμένων θα το διερευνήσει για να δει αν έχουν ήδη σκάψει αυτή την περιοχή όπου υποτίθεται ότι θάφτηκαν 8 Ελληνοκύπριοι στρατιώτες ή όχι... Έχω ενημερώσει τη ΔΕΑ για αυτή την πληροφορία, ώστε να διερευνήσουν περαιτέρω.
Ευχαριστώ τους αναγνώστες μου που μου έφεραν όλες αυτές τις πληροφορίες για να τις μοιραστώ με την Κυπριακή Διερευνητική Επιτροπή Αγνοουμένων και τους αναγνώστες μου... Εκτιμώ όλες αυτές τις πρωτοβουλίες πολιτών, απλών ανθρώπων, που ενεργούν χωρίς να περιμένουν αντάλλαγμα, αλλά από ανθρωπιά και συμπόνια... Ευχαριστώ από καρδιάς όλους τους αναγνώστες μου – Τουρκοκύπριους, Ελληνοκύπριους και όλους τους άλλους – που βοήθησαν όλα αυτά τα χρόνια σιωπηλά και με συνέπεια... Αυτός είναι ο μόνος τρόπος να προχωρήσουμε – να νιώθουμε συμπόνια, να νιώθουμε αγάπη για αυτή τη γη, να νιώθουμε την ανάγκη να βοηθήσουμε ανεξάρτητα από την εθνικότητα των «αγνοουμένων»... Να βοηθήσουμε να κλείσουν αυτές οι ανοιχτές, αιμορραγούσες πληγές των συγγενών, να τους δώσουμε την ευκαιρία να επουλώσουν, να τους δώσουμε την ευκαιρία να βρουν τα οστά των αγαπημένων τους και να τα θάψουν με τον τρόπο που θέλουν, σύμφωνα με την παράδοση τους... Ας δουλέψουμε μαζί ώστε να θεραπεύσουμε τις πληγές της χώρας μας...

(POLITIS – 12.10.2025)

https://www.politis.com.cy/apopseis/stiles/961968/istories-apo-to-mpoghazi-keryneias

Monday, April 28, 2025

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

Sunday, February 16, 2025

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

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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

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

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…)