U.S. should end the occupation of Cyprus

By Gus Bode

According to the London-Zurich Agreement between Greece, Britain and Turkey, Cyprus became an independent island country in 1960. But the Turkish forgot that agreement soon, and they said that Cyprus will be divided into two sections, one of which will join Turkey.

On July 20, 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus. Forty thousand Turkish troops landed on Cyprus by air and naval forces. On August 14, 1974, a second attack against Cyprus began.

As a result, approximately 37 percent of the island was occupied. Forty percent of the Greek Cypriot population was displaced and thousands of people were killed, ill-treated or disappeared without a trace.

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In search of a peaceful solution, the Cyprus government has agreed to inter communal talks. Inter communal talks have been going on for years, without reaching a good solution for both sides. The Turkish troops are still on the Cyriot land.

For more than 21 years now, Cypriots have been strangers in their own country, in their own land. 1,619 Greek Cypriots are still missing, including 5 American citizens.

It is time for all the Cypriots to go back to their homes. It is time for them to be given their three basic human freedoms:freedom to settle, freedom of movement, and freedom of ownership.

The U.S. government can pressure Turkey to withdraw its invading and occupational forces, from our country. That is all we want. Remember Cyprus.

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