Page 1-12 en:Layout 1 10/29/12 2:04 PM Page 1 Page 1-12 en:Layout 1 10/29/12 2:04 PM Page 2 MUNICIPALITIES Kyrenia Lapithos Karavas Kythrea Morphou Lysi Lefkoniko Akanthou Famagusta Page 1-12 en:Layout 1 10/29/12 2:04 PM Page 3 Occupied Towns/ Displaced Municipalities of the Republic of Cyprus: a Brief Historical Review Written and researched by Savvas Th. Kokkinos Dr Modern History, Bse Political Science and Public Administration NICOSIA 2012 Page 1-12 en:Layout 1 10/29/12 2:04 PM Page 4 ISBN: 978-9963-2816-2-6 © COMMITTEE OF CYPRUS OCCUPIED MUNICIPALITIES (UNION OF CYPRUS MUNICIPALITIES), 2012 NICOSIA Writing: Dr Savvas Kokkinos Photographs provided by the stated photographers/organisations Photographs of the Antiquities Department published with permission of the director of the Antiquities Department All rights reserved The content of this work may not be reproduced, publicly disseminated, broadcast, translated, adapted or otherwise modified, in whole or in part, without written permission Page 1-12 en:Layout 1 10/29/12 2:04 PM Page 5 “The house where I was born, even if strangers tread on it, there it stands, haunted, like a soul, inviting and waiting for me”. COSTIS PALAMAS Page 1-12 en:Layout 1 10/29/12 2:04 PM Page 6 Κyrenia ? Αkanthou ? Κaravas Lapithos ? ? Lefkoniko Κythrea Morphou Famagusta ? Lysi Map of Cyprus showing the nine occupied cities of the displaced municipalities. Area under Turkish-Military Occcupation Cease-fire line 6 Page 1-12 en:Layout 1 10/29/12 2:04 PM Page 7 GREETING BY MR. ALEXIS GALANOS, PRESIDENT OF THE OCCUPIED MUNICIPALITIES COMMITTEE It is with profound emotion and sincere satisfaction that I welcome the publication of this book, which brings to life images and memories from our occupied land. Regrettably, the consequences of the 1974 Turkish invasion, the partition of the island and the uprooting of thousands of inhabitants, are still being felt today. Hundreds of people are missing; the refugees have lost their property while basic human rights such as freedom of movement and settlement are openly violated. Even now, Turkey and the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime continue to methodically plunder Cyprus European cultural heritage in the Turkish-occupied area, which deeply affects everyone. Churches are desecrated, religious icons are destroyed, ancient relics are smuggled, archaeological sites are illegally excavated and schools are left in ruin. The nine occupied municipalities of Cyprus, who witnessed the capture of their land and their citizens’ dispersal all over Cyprus, are still experiencing the consequences of the tragic events of 1974.Famagusta, Kyrenia, Morphou, Lysi, Lapithos, Kythrea, Karavas, Lefkoniko and Akanthou are temporarily housed in the free areas of Cyprus struggling to keep their memories alive and the longing for return to their homeland. The nine refugee municipalities are ambassadors for the tragedy suffered by the Cypriot people. They are the link between the older generation who experienced both joy and sorrow and survived the bitterness and uprooting from their homeland and the younger generation who have never seen their parents’ and grandparents’ villages. This publication brings to life the accounts of those who were born and raised, lived and toiled in the occupied cities and towns. Furthermore, it provides indisputable evidence of the long history of Cyprus civilization, it rekindles our memories and conveys our deep sorrow. The nine occupied municipalities strive to maintain the bonds of their displaced residents as well as the bonds we all have with our occupied land. It is my hope that this year will be the very last one when these nine municipalities are absent from their land while approximately 37% of Cyprus land remains under Turkish military occu- pation. I hope that next year our occupied village and city church bells will ring out festively. I hope that the rest of the people of Cyprus will realize that the occupied municipalities are not only struggling to return to their homeland, but also for the survival of Cyprus as a whole. 7 Page 1-12 en:Layout 1 10/29/12 2:04 PM Page 8 On the land that bore us shall we stand tall as wind-swept trees, battered by the rains, yet holding firm preparing their fruit on their branches. On the land that bore us shall we stand tall cherishing the memory of those who came before, and holding dear those who shall come and with divine serenity deep within us. Nikos Kranidiotis “Studies”, 1951 Page 1-12 en:Layout 1 10/29/12 2:04 PM Page 9 NOTE BY THE OCCUPIED MUNICIPALITIES COMMITTEE "Occupied towns – Displaced Municipalities of the Republic of Cyprus" is the title of the book which the Committee of the Occupied Municipalities has undertaken to publish. The goal of this publication is a review of historical facts on the nine occupied towns of the Republic of Cyprus and their displaced municipalities, informing the public about the tragic consequences of the Turkish invasion of 1974, strengthening the common consciousness and preserving the memory of our occupied places. We consider that this publication constitutes a valuable source of information for the younger generations, a valuable tool to raise awareness of the work of the occupied municipalities, and a testament to concerted efforts for a return to our homeland, to our ancestral homes under conditions of real liberty, democracy, security and dignity. The displaced municipalities shall keep fighting for the achievement of their goal. It is noted that the order of the occupied towns and the displaced municipalities has been laid out according to the progression of the Turkish invasion of 1974. It is an approach that gives this book coherence and momentum. The Committee of the Occupied Municipalities wishes to convey its warm thanks to those who helped in shaping this book. It wishes to express its genuine appreciation for the collaboration of Dr. Savvas Kokkinos, who collected valuable information, material from the archives of our municipalities and from other historical sources and who undertook the compilation of this book. The photographic material was provided by the Press and Information Office, the Antiquities Department, the Byzantine Museum, the Archbishop Makarios III Foundation , the Museum of Folklore Art of the Society of Cypriot Studies, the various archives of the nine occupied municipalities, as well as various friends and colleagues who are cited in this publication. We warmly thank them for providing this material. Sincere thanks also go to the manager of "En Tipis Publications" Voula Kokkinou, for her devotion and her hard work in bringing this publication to fruition. 9 Page 1-12 en:Layout 1 10/29/12 2:04 PM Page 10 INTRODUCTION Cyprus, a Mediterranean island, is at the crossroads of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. Discoveries of prehistoric sites in the Aetokremou-Akrotiri area confirm that it was inhabited at the end of the 10th millennium B.C. Alasia, Aspelia, Kerastia, Sfikia Aerie, Halkoessa, Ourania and Kyprida were some of the terms used to describe the island in antiquity. Because of its location as well as its natural resources and the creative civilization of its inhabitants, Cyprus was a target for successive superpowers. It was raided or conquered by the Phoenicians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Arabs, Crusaders, Francs, Venetians, Turks and British, but it never betrayed its Greek soul. Since it was a trade center and crossroads where people of different origins converged, Cyprus became a melting pot for a number of different civilizations, developing a unique culture, which superseded its size. Mycenaean merchants in Engomi and Palaipaphos (Kouklia) as well as Greek god temples are testimony to the presence of Greeks in Cyprus prior to the Trojan War. Kinyras from Kilikia was the founder-king of Palaipaphos and also the priest of the Temple of Aphrodite (according to Marianus Scotus, 200 years before the Trojan War). Kinyrashosted Agamemnon and presented him with the renowned breast plate. The Greek identity of the island was reinforced by the arrival of the Achaeans around 1200 B.C., after the end of the Trojan War. Cities / kingdoms were founded all over the country by Achaean commanders, marking their arrival in Cyprus. Agapinoras settled on the west coast of the island at Maa-Palaiokastro, and later moved to Palaipafos. The Argives built Curium. The Dryopes from Kythnos island and Golgos founded Asini and Golgous (near modern Athienou), respectively. Amathos, Aerios’s son, founded Amathus. Akamantas founded Akamantida and his father Faliros founded Aipeia, which was later renamed Soloi by king Phylokypros. Chytros, Akamantas’s grandson, founded Chytrous (near modern Kythrea). Tefkros Telamonios, Aiakides’s son and Ajax's half-brother founded Salamina near Engomi, in memory of his birthplace Salamina island. The Achaean general Kifeas founded Kyrenia in memory of his homeland Achaean Kyrenia. Praxandros from Lakonia founded Lapithos. These settlements transformed and expanded continuously. The Greeks' new presence prevailed politically and culturally all over Cyprus. It boosted the island's Greek character, endowing it with a uniform civilization, language and religion. This branch of Hellenism was alluded to by Homer, while the adventures and dreams of its inhabitants were accounted for in ancient Greek mythology/history. Despite being enslaved several times by different conquerors, the aforemen- tioned cities/kingdoms retained their names throughout the centuries. Cyprus, likewise, retained the name that Homer reported in the Iliad for the first time. Some of these cities/kingdoms or their successor cities formed the modern municipalities of the Republic of Cyprus. There is irrefutable evidence that the occupied cities as well as Cyprus as a whole have a common Greek identity. Archaeological findings, Greek inscriptions, Greek monuments, Greek fables and traditions, ancient statues or mosaics depicting Greek gods, preserved ancient Greek texts with relevant references and other literary sources attest to that.