TRNC News Today 10^th September 2015

Reaction from families of martyrs

The families of martyrs showed great response and strongly condemned the BKP and AKEL delegations during yesterday’s visit to Muratağa-Sandallar and Atlılar Martyrdoms. Flowers that were placed at the Atlılar Martyrdom were gathered and thrown back onto the committee members by the families.

Police teams showed great efforts to avoid events and had difficulty in controlling the families of martyrs.

The families who learned about the visit of the party delegations under the presidency of the BKP President İzzet İzcan and AKEL General Secretary Andros Kiprianou, gathered at the gate of the Muratağa-Sandallar Martyrdoms and announced that they would not allow access and they strongly rejected the visit.

Atlılar village headman Olsan Karabatak made a statement at the martyrdom and said that extensive security measures were taken by the police. Karabatak stated that the BKP President İzzet İzcan had never participated in the commemorative ceremonies at Muratağa-Sandallar Martyrdom on August 14th, even once in 41 years, and accused BKP President İzzet İzcan as making a “show off”.

Indicating that there were 27 martyrs in the two mass graves, Karabatak said that they will never allow anyone to make shows and politics over the martyrs. Karabatak also reported that they strongly condemned the BKP and the AKEL delegations.

On the other hand, BKP President İzzet İzcan made a press release at Atlılar Martyrdom and stated that they were working with all their power to prevent the two communities from living the same pains again. Emphasizing that the two communities should not be confronted again, İzcan said that they were working hard so that the two Presidents reach a success in the peace process. Explaining that the innocent people were killed in both the North and South of the island, İzcan stated that they condemned those who carried out the massacres.

Turkish Cypriots were killed by the Greek Cypriots on 14 August 1974 at Muratağa, Sandallar and Atlılar villages. 126 Turks were killed, the youngest was 16 days old and the oldest was 95 years old, and they were buried in mass graves during the massacre. Villagers of Muratağa and Sandallar were buried in the same mass grave.

The United Nations described the massacre as “a crime against humanity.”

Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot companies establish bi-communal consortium

It was stated that Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot businessmen who operate in the maritime sector have established a bi-communal consortium for the first time since 1974 and thus created one of the biggest companies in the field of ship construction in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

Greek Cypriot daily Alithia reported that the bi-communal consortium was established on 26 August on the basis of the agreement signed between “FAMA Group” and “Famagusta Shipyard” companies with the cooperation of “Ocean Well Ltd” company in Hong Kong.

It was also reported that both companies will operate under the umbrella of “Ocean Well Ltd” on the basis of the agreement signed, the income from customers and consortium activities will be shared on the basis of business volume, and “Ocean Well Ltd” will undertake the task of financial control.

The newspaper also noted that these companies which own 2000 and 8500 tons of pontoons in Limassol and Famagusta will give service to the companies which work in the field of hydrocarbon drillings and operations.

Talat: “Serious developments have been experienced in the negotiations”

CTP Leader and the 2nd. President Mehmet Ali Talat stated that serious developments have been experienced in the Cyprus negotiations, especially regarding the Governance, Power Sharing, Economy and EU subjects.

Expressing that there is information pollution related to the negotiations, Talat said that the community is anxious about the negotiations due to this information pollution.

Stressing that the Cyprus problem is a problem of governance and power sharing, Talat said that the Cyprus problem has broken out due to intransigence on this issue and then the other problems have started.

Furthermore, adding that the Property Commission, which will be composed of an equal number of Turkish and Greek Cypriots as it was stated in the Annan plan, will give the final decision for abandoned properties, Talat said “The Greek Cypriot side accepted this. This is a very important development. Criteria have not been discussed yet”.

Young pianist Görsev Tepe was 2nd in the competition in New York

15 years old Turkish Cypriot pianist Görsev Tepe, who is continuing her music education in the US and known for her international success, came second in a competition held in New York.

Görsev Tepe was selected from many pianists at the 11th International Music Competition organized by the Long Island Conservatory, and went on to the final. She played Mozart’s 12th Piano Sonata and Grieg’s Piano Concerto in the final. Young artist Görsev Tepe is preparing for the “Stars at Tenerife” competition which will be held in the Canary Islands of Spain in November. Tepe continues her piano studies at the Long Island Conservatory with Prof. Tamara Poddubnaya.

Buran: “The effects of dust flow will last until September 12”

Director of the Meteorological Office Raif İlker Buran stated that there will be no new dust flow but the effects of the existing dust particles in the region will continue until September 12.

Buran said that the dust flow from Saudi Arabia has stopped but the dust mass on Syria, Jordan, Israel and Eastern Mediterranean has not disappeared yet. Buran said: “The dust cannot leave the zone. It is moving slowly with the airflows however pushed back from time to time”. Indicating that the current dust particles in the air were affecting the country, Buran said, “According to our evaluations no new dust wave will affect Cyprus. We expect that the mass of dust coming through Libya will move to the Western Mediterranean and the Aegean.”

“Geological Heritage from North Cyprus” exhibition will be opened on Friday

The Chamber of Mine, Metallurgy and Geology Engineers research project exhibition “Geological Heritage from North Cyprus” that was conducted together with the Turkish Cypriot Photography Association (FODER) will be opened on Friday at 19:30 at the “Art Rooms at the House.”