Very sad day in Karsiyaka

[rocking]

Today in Karsiyaka the mother, father and 5 children were buried, ages 2, 5, 7, 12 and 15. These bodies had been thrown in a well in Sadrazam Koy in 1963. This was a mixed village, but TC fled to Zeytinlik. The family above stayed behind thinking they would be safe. No such luck. Always rumoured they were thrown down a well but never found in Karsiyaka. These bodies were found a couple of months ago, as an avid reader of Cyprus Today never seen this reported. Representatives of the police, army, navy, family were there as was the mayor. Two representatives of the UBP party were there but no one from the CTP the ruling party, expect they were busy reaching an agreement. The only report was at the back of Kibris newspaper under obituaries, nothing else. Cannot stop thinking of this dear family.

[cambridge]

Sad to make political capital out of this tragedy and it would appear that the TRNC are not going down this road. However you can bet had the victims been GC then it would have been all over the media.

[trooper]

I live very close to the Karsiyaka cemetery and wondered what the obviously important funeral was about. Heard the bugle and shots being fired over the grave. Assumed it was for a former military officer.

Very sad indeed. I hope this will remind Turkish Cypriots (as if they should need reminding) what the GC's are capable of.

They have always regarded the TC's as an inferior race and still do. Forget all the nonsense about CBM's the GC's will never change their attitude. I worry about the rather forgiving nature of TC's and their rather short memories. They should have all been there today not just a small crowd and a few so-called VIP's. This funeral is what they should remember when GC's talk about 'living together as we did for so long before the Turkish army invaded etc.......'

Thank goodness for the Turkish Army, without them neither we the Brits nor the TC's would be here today.

Trust a Greeek, I don't think so.

[frontalman]

I am alarmed that this was not more widely reported, makes me so angry too. May they all rest in peace, and God bless their remaining family.

[rocking]

Frontal Man this is my worry, I have today written a letter to Cyprus Today, wondering whether this was ever reported, I cannot remember them reporting the finding of this dear family.

[Hedge-fund]

RIP - Tragic story.

[Marions]

Thanks so much for sharing this story. As to why it has not hit the English speaking news, I have no idea, but it must be wonderful for a family to have closure after all these years. However, the sadness of the occasion does indeed reflect o n the current euphoria of 'progress' on the Cyprus problem. While there are still bitter memories such as that shown today, it does seem difficult to find a comfortable way forward.

The important thing in this, however, is that the family in question can now find some peace - after all the years of pain at not knowing.

No doubt stories such as these will continue to arise, although one wonders if the silence was political in view of the negotiations. Who knows!

[JoandJelly]

Very sad, may they all rest in peace at last.

[johnny1]

very sad story.....i shouldnt have read it because now im thinking about that whole family.
trooper at last someone thinks the same as me...trust a greek?never!
just please hope that there is no progress in the talks..because the greeks are after it all...its in there plan to ruin the north and take take take....you have been warned....and in case u end up having a greek neighbour.....never trust a greek.....remember my words.
that poor family.....very sad....xx

[flowerfairy]

How very sad.....
Rocking, can I ask how you found out the details?, if Cyprus today don't do a report on the story, not many will know what
shocking things are being discovered.

[tomsteel]

flowerfairy, whilst I share your view, CT is not the only English-speaking weekly newspaper in the TRNC. Why not the Star and Observer? Why has the TRNC Government not issued a statement and what was published in the Turkish-speaking press? This is the type of investigate journalism required here, not just this case, but the raft of property scams, hotels taking over public beaches etc. However, back on topic, my view is that ALL media should report on such issues unless the family do not want this.

[JBA]

I found out a bit more on this story.

The man was a shepherd working for a Greek Cypriot at Sadrazamkoy. In late 1963 all food in the Karsiyaka was finished and the starving TCs contacted the leadership to try and arrange a delivery - but the leadership decided to evacuate both Lapta and Karsiyaka instead. 5 lorries went to each village with a British army escort and successfully moved everyone to Zeytinlik with the exception of this family. The wife and children had gone to join the husband in Sadrazamkoy hoping to find food there.

The next day the British army agreed to go and try to bring them to join the others at Zeytinlik (the man who gave me this story was the TC who accompanied them to Sadrazamkoy). When they got there they couldn't be found and the Greek Cypriot employer told them they had moved to another village. They searched all the nearby villages to no purpose. After 1974 it was some Maronites who told that the family were killed and thrown in a well but it was 2014 before their remains were found. It has taken until now to complete the DNA work to prove their identities.

.....and people wonder why TCs are a little nervous of re-unification

[rocking]

Flower fairy, I only found out from someone who attended the funeral, when I asked she told be it had taken place about 10.15 that morning. Went to coffee shop and picked up Kibris newspaper where the only thing mentioned was their names at the back in the orbituaries pages. Many people have spoken in the village of the family (the husbands family still live here) being down a well but were never found. Thank you JBA for telling us they were found last year, when I had asked an official he mentioned two months, thank you for putting info right. When you listen to the people of this village quite an eye opener.

100 per cent agree with your last statement. You would think that problems started in 1974 what a laugh, speak to my husband and others who were bought up on this island. I feel this story was well hidden.

[rocking]

Page 28 in Kibris, photographs. Page 28.

[petronemma]

omg this is so awful, that poor family. RIP

[suehowlittle]

So sad.

May the families who survived now know some peace.

The waste of life was appalling and must never be forgotten.

[Bobbyc]

What a tragic story, may the souls of this family can rest in peace together now. God bless them.