Varosha Still Waiting After 46 Years To Go Home

[GabrielC]

' I see souls flying over Varosha waiting  for justice to return what was rightfully ours' 

 

Quote from an former resident of Varosha 2020.

 

Varosha - Greek name Maras - Turkish name  was an major resort in Cyprus the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton often went on holiday at Varosha staying in one of the many hotels which at that time were the most modern  in the World not only was Varosha an holiday resort but home to one of Cyprus's biggest ports the city was on the up but that was about to end .

 

On 14th August 1974 Varosha was hit by air strikes damaging an hotel on the sea front it was the start of the Turkish invasion realizing what was about to happen holiday makers and residents fled the city often with no more than the cloths on their backs many thought they would be going back home later that day that was not be.

 

The Turkish then annexed the Northern part of Cyprus Varosha found itself cut off the Turks fenced off the city no one was allowed in with soldiers patrolling with orders to shoot to kill if they found anyone in the city.  Over the years an game of we will give it you back but then at the last minute we don't with Varosha used as an bargaining chip. 

 

The city was left to decay until an 2020 election in Northern Cyprus saw an sort of concession for the first time in 46 years you will be allowed into Varosha but no one can claim or move back into the city which by now will take billions of pounds to sort out. Feelings run deep their seems to be no answers to Varosha's situation so it's looks like Varosha will remain Europe's ghost city for now.

[HeHasRisen]

Let me go and get a pen.

[The Joker]

Forgive my ignorance over the location of Cyprus (I used to think Cuba was in Africa, until X-Men First Class gave me a crash course in Geography) but I'm surprised that Greece would ever stake a claim on an island much closer to Turkey.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.621778,24.3059703,6z

 

Still, the conflict has been great for weapons manufacturers and arms dealers.

Edited May 23, 2021 by The Joker
added a bit more at the end

[Mossway]

As a young man in the RAF I remember it well and with nostalgia from c50 years ago,  as a suburb of Famagusta - or FamaG as we called it.

It was an excellent place for young, single, carefree blokes to spend time there. We flew into either Nicosia or Akrotiri but it was a great place to go to, to swim, drink etc. 

[GabrielC]

12 hours ago, The Joker said:

Forgive my ignorance over the location of Cyprus (I used to think Cuba was in Africa, until X-Men First Class gave me a crash course in Geography) but I'm surprised that Greece would ever stake a claim on an island much closer to Turkey.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.621778,24.3059703,6z

 

Still, the conflict has been great for weapons manufacturers and arms dealers.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is only recognised by Turkey in fact all financial and  defence needs are provided by Turkey.  The rest of the world will not do trade with TRNC hence they are very poor a sort of no man's country it would be  so much better for Cyprus to reunite but will not be happening any time soon. 

[cuttsie]

Turkey has been invading other Countries for over the last century ,mostly its neighbours  ,still at it today , the question is why does the  rest of the World let them get away with it .

[The Joker]

13 hours ago, GabrielC said:

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is only recognised by Turkey in fact all financial and  defence needs are provided by Turkey.  The rest of the world will not do trade with TRNC hence they are very poor a sort of no man's country it would be  so much better for Cyprus to reunite but will not be happening any time soon. 

Unite with whom?

 

Greece? or Turkey?  or do you mean a united (and independent) Cyprus?

13 hours ago, cuttsie said:

Turkey has been invading other Countries for over the last century ,mostly its neighbours  ,still at it today , the question is why does the  rest of the World let them get away with it .

Many nations have been doing just that, for many hundreds of years.

[tinfoilhat]

5 minutes ago, The Joker said:

Unite with whom?

 

Greece? or Turkey?  or do you mean a united (and independent) Cyprus?

Many nations have been doing just that, for many hundreds of years.

I can think of a couple of Greek islands closer to Turkey than Cyprus- lesbos being the biggest and, if memory serves, Greece's 4th biggest island. 

[The Joker]

3 minutes ago, tinfoilhat said:

I can think of a couple of Greek islands closer to Turkey than Cyprus- lesbos being the biggest and, if memory serves, Greece's 4th biggest island. 

From the Google Maps link I supplied above, I would agree that several islands in the Aegean Sea are closer to Turkey, but you could argue that Greece has a similar claim to them.

 

However, Cyprus is well out of the way of Greece's gravitional pull; it's closer to Syria and Lebanon than Greece.

 

[cuttsie]

12 hours ago, The Joker said:

From the Google Maps link I supplied above, I would agree that several islands in the Aegean Sea are closer to Turkey, but you could argue that Greece has a similar claim to them.

 

However, Cyprus is well out of the way of Greece's gravitional pull; it's closer to Syria and Lebanon than Greece.

 

The Country was invaded while under the protection of  our Air base .