interesting video.not sure date.1992 or 1993 ledra palace i think

zerochlor


Joined: 03/04/2009
Posts: 4024

Message Posted:
09/10/2009 12:56

This is what happens if you try to take the turkish flag off its pole



Where united nation peace keepers to blame?



there was lots of them there! as you can see from the video footage!



why did they let the person cross THE GREEN LINE? why didnt they stop the man? or men?



i dont want no bad comments. JUST OTHER COMMENTS WHO KNEW ABOUT THIS AND WHEN IT HAPPEND?



video not for the faint hearted



if easily shocked. DO NOT WATCH



http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1239778478696&ref=mf

dustyrhodes


Joined: 26/06/2009
Posts: 19

Message Posted:
09/10/2009 13:23

If I'm right this happened in 1996, this sort of stuff is all over Youtube and I remember a report of this on Turkish TV saying this clip was aired non-stop in Greece - it all kicked off after a funeral of a GC who I think had been killed in the buffer zone for trading something illegal-after his funeral some of the mourners stormed the buffer zone (close to Nicosia?) This man was (if I'm right) Solomos Solomos, 26, a cousin of the deceased. No-one comes out of this well. It does beg the question why no one intervened but I suspect if you had, sadly, you'd have been shot by both sides.

ianwfs


Joined: 08/01/2008
Posts: 563

Message Posted:
09/10/2009 13:30

This was the shooting of Solomos Solonu at Deryneia in 1966. He was part of a protest against the death of his second cousin who had been killed a couple of weeks previously when a mob of "peace protesters" had attempted to storm the borders.



Thie earlier protest was in the form of a motorcycle ride from Berlin to Nicosia to protest about the Last devided capital. Although the organisers called off the rally in order to prevent anticipated trouble at the main protest point near Famagusta, a group of bikers continued anyway.



They were met by strong opposition when they attempted to cross from no mans land, and Tassos Isaac was beaten up and killed.



During the protest 2 weeks later, Solomos Solomu attempted to climb the flagpole and seize the Turkish flag. As a Cypriot, he must have been well aware of the reaction he might meet. To the Turks their flag is sacred, in much the same way the USA flaag is to the Americans >>>>>>>

ianwfs


Joined: 08/01/2008
Posts: 563

Message Posted:
09/10/2009 13:34

<<<<


I think this is the only incident in the 35 years of the Turkish presence, but it is regularly used as an example of Turkish brutality. The film itself is shown as a continuous look at the observation point at Deryneia, with the implication that such incidents happen every day along the border.

ianwfs


Joined: 08/01/2008
Posts: 563

Message Posted:
09/10/2009 13:37

(Blow this not being able to edit. Here's the bit I missed out.)

This veneration of a flag is something that is difficult for a Brit to understand, and is probably only second to the veneration given to Ataturk.

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
09/10/2009 14:42

Dear Ian



Frankly, I am AMAZED at the wording of some of your 'explanation'



Perhaps you could explain how shooting someone trying to climb up a pole to take a flag isn't MURDER.. IF you look closely you would see the Cypriot was being held by a UN soldier and he broke free - it would have been a VERY simple matter to pull him down.



Could you tell us if there is an outstanding warrant out for the arrest of the Officer who shot the GC?



Could you tell us why it is 'understandable' for Turks to venerate their flag - to MURDER someone who had started- and clearly was having difficulty to climb - a flag pole .. but it is not OK to protest when the place in within the sovereign territory of the Cypriots' country and Turkey's 'right' to BE on the island - to place it's flags.. is dubious - according to the UN Sec Council Resolutions- asking for all combatants to LEAVE CYPRUS... ?

There were two deaths in 'no-man's land .. and BOTH were inexcusable...it was a job for the UN.

harryroberts


Joined: 05/05/2009
Posts: 117

Message Posted:
09/10/2009 15:40

sorry but i cannot see that a man trying to remove a flag in protest deserves to be shot and killed.



This was murder the man was no threat to anyone he did not have a weapon he just wanted to protest against the cold blooded murder of his cousin.

ianwfs


Joined: 08/01/2008
Posts: 563

Message Posted:
09/10/2009 18:41

Mark. I'm sorry if I didn't explain things too well. I was trying to be neutral and explain the feelings of both sides involved, and comment that this film has once again surfaced.



Yes, the UN were useless, and should not have let things develop, particularly after the incident two weeks previously. And yes there is an arrest warrant out for the person who did the shooting. I understand (but may be wrong) that he will be arrested if he sets foot outside Turkey.



Much as the incident was wrong, and the officer should be brought to justice, it likewise shouldn't be implied that two incidents in two weeks over 13 years ago represents the norm for the last 35 years.



I also think that we non-Turks have difficulty understanding how strong a symbol of national pride their flag is. It doesn't excuse the shooting, but perhaps puts it more into context.