Ali's Story

Q. Please can you tell me something about your pleasant days before or after 1974?
Yes, I can say something about after 1974. Greeks have bad character, they did many bad things. For example, they killed many Turkish Cypriot people, even babies, and also they attacked our women.

Before 1974, I lived in Gormeli village but after 1974 I moved with my parents from South to North and I began to live in the Northern part. Our new village name is Incirli. When I began to live in Incirli, first of all the government gave a house to me and my parents.

In Gormeli village, Turks and Greeks lived together, but all the time we were afraid of them. For this reason we were on guard all night until morning, but in this village which is called Incirli, all the people are Turks so we are now sleeping until morning. I can say that Gormeli is more beautiful than Incirli, but in Incirli everything is good. We are not afraid of anything, our wives and children can go everywhere and also our children can play games with their friends, because we know that there is not any danger for them.

In this village, we are very peaceful and comfortable. My children are married.

If I compare these two villages, I can say that Gormeli is more beautiful than Incirli, but we had no peace there. In Incirli, we have good and bad days but the sources of bad days are not the Greeks. The reason is, that we are missing Gormeli. In conclusion, I can say that when we came to this village, our pleasant days started.

DEMOGRAPHICS
Occupation (or life's work): Retired official.
Age: 60.
Sex: Male.
Nationality: Turkish Cypriot.
Where now lives (country and city/town/village): Incirli village near Magosa.
Where lived during the events described during the interview: Gormeli, near Paphos.
What was the occupation (or life's work) of the main income earner in the household when growing up: An Official.


This interview was conducted by Damla.
31 May 1996.

For the previous page. "After 1974: The TRNC."