ECHR approves property payout and unsung heroes commemorated

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) yesterday endorsed a friendly settlement reached between Greek Cypriot Andromachi Alexandrou and Turkey, with the latter agreeing to return part of her property in the occupied north along with £1.5m sterling.Alexandrou and two of her children took their cases to the immovable property commission in the north, which provided for the restitution of part of the property and the payment of £1.5m as compensation in lieu of other properties as well as for loss of use.As a result the case filed by Alexandrou before the ECHR against Turkey for violations of her rights concerning her land has been withdrawn.

Attorney-general Petros Clerides said yesterday the ECHR decision did not mean recognition of the ‘property commission’ as the court made no judgement on “its legality or effectiveness”. It simply ratified the settlement with Turkey after concluding that none of Alexandrou’s rights were being violated and “since she accepted this compromise”. “This is Turkey trying to show that it returns properties back to their owners, something which it has not done so far,” he said. He highlighted that only part of Alexandrou’s land would be returned to her, not all, while there were no indications that she would have the right to go and live in her property or use it as she wishes. He also noted that there are still hundreds of thousands of Greek Cypriots who have lost their properties and have not had their rights restored. “It doesn’t mean because part of her land is returned, the ‘commission’ is legal or effective,” he added.

The Cyprus Mail reports that former Attorney-general Alecos Markides said the case was nothing new but a repeat of last year’s case involving Greek Cypriot refugee Mike Tymvios, who also reached a friendly settlement with Turkey regarding his land in the north, saying there was no question of recognition of the ‘commission’ since the Court was simply asked by the plaintiff to withdraw her case against Turkey.

A ceremony was held last week commemorating ten “unsung heroes” of Cyprus t for acts of courage and humanity in times of war. The idea for the ceremony was conceived by Sevgul Uludag, a Turkish Cypriot journalist known for her work on the issue of those missing since 1974. It was organised by the Stop the War Coalition-Cyprus, along with around 20 other organisations and activists, among them the Cyprus Green Party and Hands Across the Divide and held at the Municipal Information Centre on Nicosia’s Green Line.

Four Turkish Cypriots and six Greek Cypriots were honoured for having saved and protected members of the ‘other side’ during the inter-communal conflicts of the 50s and 60s, and the invasion of 1974.In an emotional celebration commemorative plaques and olive branches were presented to the men, in some cases by those whom they had saved. Their stories were heard through firsthand accounts or through the testimony of their families. In several cases, those involved were still classified as ‘missing’.

In an interview in the Cyprus Mail yesterday Sevgul Uludag, who has dedicated the last eight years of her life to investigating the cases of those still ‘missing’ from the conflicts, from both sides, says "When I started talking about it, it was like an earthquake in our community,” she said. “There was just this enormous flow of words, the relief of being able to speak about it.”
Stories of barbarity poured down the hotline she had set up; stories of rape, murder, massacre, and betrayal. Every now and again, though, she was told a story that was not about pain; a story that was rather about the triumph of humanity over animalism, a story of bravery and pathos.
“Unless we have a common understanding of the past, how can we have a common vision?” asked Uludag.

Events like these hinge around the idea that “common pain can be used as a catalyst for peace.” In this case, there was more than pain uniting the two sides though; there was hope, courage and humanity.

Although ten men were honoured, Uludag assured there were many more. Some do not want to be named, for fear of retaliation from their neighbours, even after all these years. Some will not be named by the ones they saved, because the latter do not want to admit they owe their life to an official enemy. Some people's stories will be lost forever because everyone involved in them perished.

As Phaedon Vassiliades, of Stop the War Coalition-Cyprus expressed it during the ceremonyt, people gathered to say “a very big «Efharisto» or «Teshekkurler» to those who, with courage and humanity, saved not only human lives but human values and the hope for future peace.”