Teacher's Story

Q. Teacher, what happened between the years 1963 and 1974. What kind of events were you faced with?
As you wish, first of all I want to tell you the beginning of the EOKA. EOKA means "Cyprus Greek Underground Organization." The period of EOKA starts at 1 April 1955. The aim of Greek Cypriots was to put an end to the English domination and to get hold of the sovereignty of the island. All the events start with the dream of getting the sovereignty of Cyprus, I mean ENOSIS. For that they made great preparations. Underhandedly, they stored the weapons stolen from English Army. As a result of organizing their underground organizations, they were ready to start. At April 1 1955 at twelve o'clock they turned off all the lights of the island for five minutes; this was a sign showing that all the organizations all around the island had been completed. The Turkish people were unaware of the event and they became anxious. When Greek Cypriots noticed the Turkish peoples' anxiousness they told then that their fight was not directed against them, it was directed against the English.

Until the year 1957 Greek Cypriots didn't make any attack against the Turkish Cypriots. The English Army came to an impasse in many places, they were bombed by Greek Cypriots. To gain power they [the English] formed a force from Turkish Cypriots. And when Greek Cypriots noticed that, they became angry and they started to torment Turks in 1958. After the year 1958 Turkiye and Greece began to be involved in these events. The English government invited both Turkey and Greece to a meeting. And in 1959, meetings in London started. During this period diplomacy worked frequently.

After the London meetings, the meetings came to an end in Zurich. And according to the result of the meeting in Zurich; the English army would leave the island, the island would be governed by a commission which would be formed by both Turks and Greeks. In this commission 70% would be made up of Greeks and 30% would be made up of Turks. For instance, if ten officers would be employed, seven of them would be Greeks and three of them Turkish. In Zurich a constitution was prepared.

The republic of Cyprus was established in August 16, 1960. After the Zurich agreement, soldiers from both Greece and Turkey came to the island. There were about 1500 Greek soldiers and about 950 Turkish soldiers. After these armies came to the island the republic was official. And the resentment between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots had given way to wonderful peace. This continued for 3 years. These two folks could have been happy together if there was no foreign pressure. But on 21 Dec. 1963 the Greek Cypriot police brought up a pretext and walked over the Turkish Cypriots. Their aim was to make the ENOSIS and Akritas plan to become real -- this plan was to eliminate the Turkish population on Cyprus. However during 1960-63 there is an event which is very important for me. I would like to tell you about this.

I was sent to Arapkoy to fulfill my duty as a lecturer. During that time the resentment between the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots had given way to a wonderful peace. The Greek Cypriots who saw me said, "Look, our Turk teacher has arrived." This really got my attention. To tell the truth I was very touched that they would say, "The Turk teacher is here." They accepted me as a part of them. Like I said before, if there was no foreign pressure these two folks would have lived happily ever after. I believe that this massacre would have never happened if there was no foreign pressure.

Q. You said on 21 Dec. 1963 the Greek, Cypriot police attacked the Cypriot Turks, what happened after that?
After that event, restrictions came to Turkish Cypriots. For example, restriction on freedom of travel. No one Turk was allowed to leave his or her village to visit relatives, because they were afraid. Greek Cypriots had blocked the roads between all the villages. They either killed the traveling Turks or took them hostage. Therefore, it was impossible for the Turks to communicate with their relatives. Our only way of learning what was going on on the island was either the Turkish Radio of the Bayrak Radio. On 25 December 1963, Bayrak radio was established by the Cypriot Turk freedom fighters. They showed a very strong will to organize it, but it was worth it, since it relieved many Turks in the island -- at least gave motivation to stand up.

Until 1974, many Turk villages were burned down. Many people had to leave their villages. They were forced to live for months in tents without food and water.

Q. Did you have any thoughts or ideas or conclusions at that time?
In my opinion, if there was no foreign pressure the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots would have lived peacefully.

Q. Did these thoughts or ideas or conclusions help you in any way?
During these events I was doing my duty as a teacher, and my thoughts helped we not to be prejudiced towards Greek Cypriots.

Q. What were you feeling at that time?
I was very sorry. There was wrong being done to my people. Many of my friends, relatives and many of my people were being killed illegally. In such a bad situation I couldn't have been expected to be in a good morale. I still live through the bad experience of those days. War is something really bad. It tortures the individual in every way.

Q. Were these feelings or emotions a problem for you in any way?
My feelings never caused me any problems. The only thing that caused me a problem was the war and the things it brought with it. These things were the main reason why I am so down. At the conclusion my feelings became like this.

Q. Did you have any questions or confusions at this time?
Yes. I was living through some contradictions. For example in 1960, when Independence was declared. Until 1963 a peace was declared between the Turks and the Greek Cypriots. Then the Greek Cypriots changed their policy. It doesn't matter what their reason was, this change from peace to war mode is very contradictory. Why did all this happen this way?

Q. Was there anything that happened during this time that was helpful for you?
While I was working as a teacher between the years 1960-63, I was sent to a village named Arapkoy for my duty. The Greek Cypriot villages were very friendly to me there. The friendly welcome gave me a positive motivation. This was very helpful to me.

Q. How did this help you?
This was helpful to me because I was thinking it would be hard for me to adapt to the new environment, but I was wrong, the villagers made me feel at home. I felt that I was being protected. I got my self confidence.

Q. Is there anything in your experience during this time that you would say was a "lesson for life?" What is that "lesson for life?"
War. If there are any lessons to be taken out of life, than this is thought through war. Because during a war a person deals with many problems, and learns to survive. This experience makes an individual mature. Life is hard. Humans fight for survival. The same is true in war.

Q. Is there anything you else you would like to say about your experience during this time?
My only hope is that nobody should go through this, I mean war.

DEMOGRAPHICS
Occupation: Retired teacher
Age: 55
Sex: Male
Nationality: Turkish Cypriot
Where now lives (country and city/town/village): Akgdogan.
Where lived during the events described during the interview: Arapkoy and many other places.
Occupation (or life's work) of the main income earner in household when growing up: Teaching.