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| Turkey tanks roll in to Cyprus |
Turkey's invasion of Cyprus, which forced Christians out of their ancestral homes, has created the phenomenon of 'bizonality,’ a geographical separation between Muslims and Christians. Strangely, this new reality has even become the basis of the UN-led Cyprus negotiations -- despite the Security Council’s own resolutions condemning Turkey’s actions.
BY KYRIACOS KYRIAKIDES April 12th, 2016
In 1974 an illegal coup instigated by Greece’s junta caused the deaths of almost 100 Christian Cypriots. The ensuing unilateral Turkish invasion of Cyprus, ostensibly to protect the Muslim minority, was a sheer catastrophe, causing several thousand deaths.
The historic Christian majority of the 37% occupied northern part was forced or intimidated out, and the Muslim minority island-wide was later invited in.
"Bizonality," a pure ethnic-religious geographical separation, became a new reality, strangely even the basis of the UN-led Cyprus negotiations, despite the Security Council’s own resolutions (
353 (1974),
541 (1983),
550 (1984)) condemning Turkey’s actions and calling for the respect of Cyprus’ “sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.” No wonder Cyprus has “been dubbed a
graveyard for peacemakers.”