Mehmet's Story

I made this interview with my dad. Now this is what he told me:

Before 1963, we were living together in peace but this doesn`t mean that we had lived without any trouble. Between 1955-1960 there was a clash between Turks and Greeks. Greeks were trying for ENOSIS. And because of this reason two societies were having troubles. But in 1960 they established the Cyprus Republic.

After they established the Cyprus Republic, people (Turks and Greeks) were living in peace in their villages. There were no migrations. People at least were living in their villages where they had been born. People were doing their work and living together. They were living together, but Turks and Greeks were going to different cafes, schools were separated. Some times there could be some Turks and Greeks going to Turkish Cafes and some Greeks going to some Greek Cafes, but this was not a problem. They were living together but everything was separated.

On the other hand there were arms hidden by the Greek army although two societies were living together. And this was known by everybody else (Turkish society) even though it was hidden. For example, once in Limassol, while they were unloading cash boxes which were full of weapons from a ship, one of the cash boxes broke and weapons fell out. There were these kinds of news or events happening all around the island as they were arming. So, as a response to these, in the Turkish society there were also hidden armaments, and again this was also known by lots of people although it was hidden. And these things were enough to make people of both societies nervous.

So, in this kind of situation I can not say that we had any pleasant days. People of two societies were living together but we were not sincere to each other.

DEMOGRAPHICS
Occupation (or life's work): Agricultural Engineering.
Age: 50.
Sex: Male.
Nationality: Turkish Cypriot.
Where now lives (country and city/town/village): Nicosia.
Where lived during the events described during the interview: Migrating from place to place. His village (Tepebasi) is near Kyrenia.
What was the occupation (or life's work) of the main income earner in the household when growing up: Farmer.


This interview was conducted by Bahar
29 May 1996

For the previous page. "Life Before 1963"