Turkey to pay record compensation to Greek Cypriots

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled for Turkey to pay 90 million euros in compensation to Cyprus for the Turkish military’s 1974 intervention in one of the largest judgments in its history.

30 million euros of the compensation package would be reserved for the missing Greek Cypriots and distributed to their living relatives, while 60 million euros in damages will be paid for "the enclaved Greek-Cypriot residents of the Karpas peninsula," according to the ECHR ruling.

London council highlights issue of cultural heritage destruction in occupied Cyprus. -Much has also been done by the organised Cypriot diaspora in the UK.

By Thanasis Gavos – London

It’s been very frequently in recent years that the issue of the destruction and desecration of the Greek Cypriot cultural/religious heritage in the occupied northern part of Cyprus has been discussed. International reports and the work by people such as Tasoula Hadjitofi from the ‘Walk of Truth’ organisation have highlighted concerns about the behaviour of the occupying force.

Much has also been done by the organised Cypriot diaspora in the UK, people residing in one of the guarantor powers with a say in what’s going on in the island. The latest initiative concerns the occupied Morphou and comes from its twinned London council of Barnet.

Mayor of Famagusta organizes anti-occupation rally.

by Christos T. Panagopoulos

Famagusta Municipality has asked the support of Famagusta citizens, other refugees and all the people of Cyprus requesting, through the town’s Mayor, Alexis Galanos, their presence at the anti-occupation rally to take place on August 3rd in Dherynia village, which borders the Turkish occupied town of Famagusta.

Speaking to the press about the rally under the slogan “Famagusta Now”, to be addressed by Cyprus President, Nicos Anastasiades, Galanos noted that recently there has been some movement on the issue of Famagusta both at the US and on a European level, with the linking of the opening of chapters 23 and 24 in the EU accession negotiations with Turkey with the Cyprus problem and particularly the issue of Famagusta.

Cypriots determined to protect their cultural heritage in the occupied north.

 The setting was an emotionally charged and unusually hot summer evening at the Theatro Technis facilities in north London. A number of UK Cypriots gathered in order to hear four distinguished speakers share their experiences and thoughts on the destruction or desecration of sites and monuments of Cyprus’s cultural heritage – mainly of religious importance – in the occupied north.
According to the latest reports 575 churches have been desecrated, 19 have been demolished and 41 have been turned into mosques or have been used in irreverent ways. But a group of dedicated Cypriots have tried to actively show that they don’t tolerate such contempt for a people’s history and tradition.