Kemal's Story
Q. Cyprus in 1963
In 1963 every village protected themselves with their
own ability. The Greeks were starting to kill our people.
During those days, we protected our village with hunting guns.
One day, I was waiting outside of the village with my sister`s
husband. He was working as a tanker driver for Mobil petrol, and
he usually carried petrol between Larnaca and Limasol. In the
morning he asked me if I wanted to go with him. He knew the
danger of this work in those days. I didn`t want to go with him,
because I was very tired. He left very early, when the Greek
police cut the road with a check point. We missed him after that
day. His friend who worked in Shell petrol got up early, and
Turkish soldiers who waited near the road told him that the
Greeks had cut the road, and he turned back. After a week
Turkish police found his [my friend's] empty tanker near the
road.
Q. Did you feel, or think something when you hear this
event?
Yes, I felt that God had saved me, and I was chosen to
live. During 1963 events we were missing many people like that.
We learned that it is impossible to live with Greeks.
Q. Is there anything you would like to say about the
questions I have asked or the style of the interview itself?
No. I remember those days. These questions and
interview are very important to teach our history to younger
generations.
DEMOGRAPHICS
Occupation (or life's work): Barber.
Age: 52
Sex: Male
Nationality: TRNC
Where now lives (country and city/town/village): Mutluyaka
village, near Magosa.
Where lived during the events described during the interview:
Mutluyaka in South, near Limassol.
What was the occupation (or life's work) of the main income
earner in the household when growing up: Father was barber; his
father worked in cafeteria at Agroturi Base.
This interview was conducted by Ibrahim
2 April 1996
For the previous page. "1963-1974:
Ethnic
Cleansing."