I would like to refer to Mr. Berkmen’s letter published in the DE on Dec. 5. Mr. Berkmen cited quotes from newspapers presenting the violation of human rights by Greek Cypriots. Of course there were a lot of killings from both the Turkish and Greek sides. It was a war situation. But you wouldn’t happen to know how it is to be in a war situation, would you Mr. Berkmen? You were not there.

But my family and thousands of other innocent Greek Cypriot families were. I, therefore, don’t even have to cite any references. I can list many of the Turkish atrocities against defenseless Greek Cypriots witnessed on July 20, 1974. I am one of the people violently forced put of their homes by the Turkish Army. I am one of those refugees who live with the pain and hope to return to our houses. I am one of the 200,000 Greek Cypriots whose immediate family members were raped, humiliated, and killed in front of their eyes. I am one of the Greek orphans of the illegal Turkish invasion in Cyprus. I am one of the relatives of the 1619 MIAs of 1974 who has to live with the agony of not knowing what happened to any of them. God knows what else would have happened had the Greek Cypriots not fought to defend our country.

The war was more than 21 years ago. But Turkish troops and illegal settlers still occupy 37 percent of Cyprus. Why, Mr. Berkmen? Simply because invading Cyprus has always been part of the plans of the Turkish governments. And a final word, Mr. Berkmen:Turkey is the country charged with the massacre of 1,500,000 Armenians, and of continued murders of thousands of Kurds. Don’t you think that trying to present Turkish troops as the saviors of the Turkish Cypriots is a hard task to accomplish? As we are approaching the 21st Century, Turkey should take a step closer to a free world by stopping the violation of human rights.

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