Çavuşoğlu in the TRNC
25 January, 2019Akıncı: “Negotiations should be result oriented”
28 January, 2019Turkish Cypriot Denya villagers who had to leave their village in 1963 refreshed their memories and had their Friday Prayer in the Denya Mosque after 56 years.
Turkish Cypriot former residents of Denya, which is located in the buffer zone, applied to Deputy Prime Ministry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to hold Friday prayer in the village Mosque and the Ministry conveyed the request to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force’s (UNFICYP). As a consequence of these initiatives Turkish Cypriot Denya villagers made a visit to their former village on 25th January accompanied by UNFICYP.
Deputy Prime Ministry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a statement and pointed out that the villagers have visited their village after many years and refreshed their memories however some of them found out that their homes were not there anymore and some of them remembered how they had to leave their village during their childhood. In 1963 when there were no problems between the two communities the first attacks started in Denya Village where Greek Cypriot villagers attacked Turkish Cypriot villagers to strike fear and to force them leave their villages. Greek Cypriot villagers were successful in their aim and during the visit it was clearly observed that Turkish Cypriots were still anxious and worried because they remembered those days.
After its restoration, Denya mosque was attacked in January 2013. The mosque also suffered again in an arson attack after 3 years on 21 February 2016.
The prayer meeting was held without any trouble. Mukhtar of Denya village and a group of Greek Cypriot villagers met Turkish Cypriots with warm sentiments and served them homemade food.
Emotional moments were felt and tears were shed at the warm meeting and this gave hope for future friendships.
After the visit Turkish Cypriot old residents and Greek Cypriot residents took a group photo in front of the mosque. Old residents thanked the Mukhtar and the villagers for their kind hospitality.