RECONCILIATION

Bananiot · Deputy Joined: 13 Aug 2005 Posts: 1214 Location: Nicosia

IN A rare gesture of reconciliation, a Greek Cypriot has met the Turkish officer who captured him in 1974, retrieving personal items taken from him when he was taken prisoner, Politis newspaper reported yesterday.

With the opening of the checkpoints in 2003, a former Turkish officer, who served during the 1974 invasion, came forward and handed out fliers at Ledra Palace appealing for help in finding a Greek Cypriot ex-sergeant who also fought in the war.

When Christos Constantinou was taken prisoner, his personal possessions were confiscated by his captors. But the Turkish officer held on to them in the hope that some day he would be able to return them to their rightful owner.

He succeeded in his mission and finally, after 31 years, he was re-united with Constaninou at a meeting in the occupied areas on Tuesday.

Wrapped in the form of a gift, the Turkish ex-officer presented his one time prisoner with the possessions he safely guarded for the past 31 years.

After all 31 years, Constantinou held in his hands his military ID and two family photos, items he thought were lost at war.

A military beret and sack were also returned, the beret inscribed with the name Savvas Soteriou, 1st Company 271 T.P., 2nd Company Kalogreas and the sack inscribed with the initials H.O.S. along with the Military Registration Number 8543.

The former Turkish officer now lives in Istanbul, married to a Greek woman. Clearly seeking forgiveness he described himself as a pawn obeying orders.

The Greek Cypriot now lives in London.

From the Cyprus Mail

brother · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:07 pm Post subject:

A very touching story, thanks for posting it bananiot.

Crash Test Dummy · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 6:06 pm Post subject:

Just going to stir things up here.......

Guilt or Kindness?

cannedmoose · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 6:33 pm Post subject:

Probably a bit of both...

brother · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 6:40 pm Post subject:

[quote="Crash Test Dummy"]Just going to stir things up here.......

Guilt or Kindness?[/quote

It was a time of war but for him to keep it must mean at the time he felt sorry for the man for whatever reasons but for me the moral of this story is that the turkish soilders are not the barbaric and evil monsters that they are potrayed as.

Crash Test Dummy · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 7:05 pm Post subject:

Bananiot · Deputy Joined: 13 Aug 2005 Posts: 1214 Location: Nicosia

Well, let me put it this way. If I were to be captured (highly unlikely) by the enemy, I'd rather be captured by this this guy with a kind soul. It has nothing to do with turkishness or greekness but with good and bad people.

Crash Test Dummy · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 8:35 pm Post subject:

petethegreek · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 3:10 am Post subject:

Good people, evil politicians is a simplistic way of describing the situation.

Bananiot · Deputy Joined: 13 Aug 2005 Posts: 1214 Location: Nicosia

And, what is the complex-ic way of describing the situation?

city · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 10:34 am Post subject:

MicAtCyp · Senior Villager Joined: 12 Aug 2005 Posts: 313