Cyprus: One House and Two Owners Who Wants to Live There
Cyprus: One House and Two Owners Who Wants to Live There
Dhikomo/Nicosia. At the get down of the tour Christakis Paschalis is still a felicitous person. Now he lives in Nicosia, but he was born in the village Dhikomo, a half hour drive from Nicosia. It was a very lovely place, he explains. A lot to do and nice nature
But in 1974 when the Turkisch Army took the north of Cyprus, Paschalis had to leave his paradise. Today we traveled back to Dhikomo with Paschalis and the closer we get to the village he is getting more ill-natured and bittersweet. At the border he has to fill up in a Turkisch-Cypriot Visa, otherwise he can’t go to the other side. And when we make it in Dhikomo many things has been changed, like Turkisch flags on many buildings and a Turkisch Cypriot family who is dwelling in his house
The situation is very complicated. When there is a solution, Paschalis desires to travel back in his house, but the Turkisch Cypriot woman who is dwelling there at the moment, likes the place and doesn’t desire to travel. Although they are having a cup of coffee together and an acceptable relationship
So a house where two different families want to live. How to work out this?
The answer of this question has to come from the two leaders from both sides, Dimitris Christofias and the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat. Christofias, who is also a refugee from Dhikomo, got down very about after his election as President to happen a solution. Talks between the two leaders have been started to find the proper solution. In 2004 the Greek Cypriots stated No against a plan of the United nations to work out the problem, but now especially Christofias wants to find a solution
Christofias has more chances to find a solution than the previous leader Papadopoulos. The governmental party of Christofias, AKEL, has acceptable connections with the Turkisch Cypriots. AKEL gave financial support to the Party of Talat. But mostly Christofias is a man who is consenting to give in to happen the proper solution. He stated in an interview that when the Turkisch Cypriots are acrophobic of him, he wants to dwell in North Cyprus to take away this fear
But the visit of Paschalis to Dhikomo shows how hard it is to find a solution. The atmosphere in the house is acceptable. I don’t have anything against Turkisch Cypriots, says Paschalis, and also not against the family of Sevilay Duyar, who lives in his house. But Paschalis and the Turkisch Cypriot family can’t communicate, because Paschalis doesn’t talk Turkish. Also the knowledge of eachother culture is very restricted. At the time that Paschalis travelled to their house there was an ample event in North Cyprus established on their religion. There is not much respect from the Turkish Cypriots for the Greek Cypriot religion. The Greek churches are changed into Turkisch Moskee, with Turkisch flags
But there is more. Paschalis remembers when he and his family had to go forth in 1974 when the Turkisch Cypriots came into Cyprus. But Sevilay Duyar has her personal Story. She was very felicitous in the South of the Island until she was pushed to leave her house as well. Also in her house there are dwelling other people, so in the end both sides are not happy with the situation
On the fields which belongs to Paschalis are now different houses standing. At one house there is a Turkish flag on the top of the roof.
According to paschalis the daughter of Sevilay lives there, together with her husband who is a Turkish soldier. But what if Cyprus becomes one island again? Can he stay on the Island or does he has to go forth from Cyprus, which is one of the requirements of the Greek Cypriots for a solution. And this is the same in many places in North Cyprus, where many Turkish people are dwelling for years and don’t desire to leave anymore
Christakis Paschalis is optimistic about the talks between the two leaders. He was in the same school as Christofias in Dhikomo and trusts the fresh President. But there are many problems. The question is if only enthusiasm can do the job!
