Ayse's Story

Q. What were the thoughts or ideas or conclusions you had during the 1974 war?
For a long time, we were neighbors with a Greek family, but during this war they wanted to kill their Turkish neighbors. When the 1974 war started all Greek soldiers wanted to kill all the Turks on the island. And they wanted to kill their best friends during this war.

Q. Did these thoughts or ideas or conclusions help you in any way?
Yes. I understood that it wasn't secure to live together on the same island. But now we are living separately on the same island and I am afraid because at any time the new war will start again. However, for a long time we didn't feel secure with people, especially greek people.

Q. Were these thoughts or ideas or feelings or conclusions a problem for you in any way?
Yes. I didn't go to a foreign country for a long time and now I don't want to go because I'm afraid, and I don't want see or meet Greek people.

Q. What feelings or emotions did you have at that time?
I was badly affected because I didn't forget all these terrible events. Every time I remember these events I am unhappy.

Q. Did these feelings or emotions help you in any way?
Today, when the two governments (Turkish Republic of Cyprus and Greek Republic of Cyprus) want to make peace, I don't agree because it's impossible.

Q. Were these feelings or emotions a problem for you in any way?
Yes. Now, when I hear a weapon shoot I think that the war is beginning again.

Q. Did you have any questions or confusions at this time?
Yes. I didn't know when the war would be finished. How many days would this war continue? And what was the result?

Q. Did these questions or confusions help you in any way? How did they help you?
Yes. I learned lots of things. During the war, lots of people died and I learned to protected myself. We learned to hide under the ground, we learned to store a lot of food and all these things we learned to be provident.

Q. Were these questions or confusions a problem for you in any way?
Yes. When I hear there is a war anywhere in the world I remember our war. I become unhappy.

Q. Was there anything that happened during this time that was helpful for you?
Yes. One night, 3 or 4 soldiers they came to my home and they said; "Leave your home immediately." All the neighbors got together and about 20 persons went to a little house and stayed there. However there wasn't food because there wasn't a market open.

Q. How did this help you?
These soldiers took us to the safe places and I always trust all Turkish soldiers.

Q. Was there anything that happened during this time that hurt you or got in your way or was a problem for you somehow?
Yes. My neighbor was shot near me by the Greek soldiers and died, and another neighbor was wounded. My best friend's fiance was a soldier and we heard that a bomb exploded in his area. And my best friend became depressed, and then he learned that he was O.K.

Q. How did this hurt you or was a problem for you?
I didn't get news from my fiance because he was a soldier and I was anxious, but some time later I got some news and I learned that he was all right.

Q. Is there anything in your experience during this time that you would say was a "lesson for life?"
Yes. We learned first aid, we learned to protect ourselves, to make food for the soldiers and most importantly we learned to share all pains and joys. Q. Is there anything you else you would like to say about your experience during this time?
Yes. War isn't a beautiful thing. The best think is not to fight each other. The most important thing is peace.

Q. Is there anything you would like to say about the questions I have asked or the style of the interview itself?
When you ask these questions all my memories are refreshed.

DEMOGRAPHICS
Occupation: Retired
Age: 42
Sex: Female
Nationality: TRNC
Where now lives (country and city/town/village): Gonyeli, Nicosia
Where lived during the events described during the interview: Nicosia.
Occupation (or life's work) of the main income earner in household when growing up: Father's occupation was shoe-maker.