Yiannos Ioannou, 14 agosto (Translation in the Comnents)

On August 14, 1974…

I apologize if the photos are disturbing…

Maratha, Santalaris, and Aloa were three small Turkish Cypriot villages north of Famagusta, with populations of 124, 100, and 46 inhabitants respectively. In July 1974, following the Turkish invasion, all men of fighting age were arrested and taken as prisoners of war by members of EOKA B’. After the men were removed, EOKA B’ members gathered the women and children in the Greek school of Peristerenopigi. Daily rapes of girls, women, and boys are reported from July 21 to August 14. Journalist Andreas Parashos reports that the perpetrators boasted in the village café, inviting fellow villagers to have intercourse with Turkish Cypriots, and later raped children as well.

On August 14, the perpetrators stole goats and sheep from Maratha to celebrate the Assumption. However, on the same day, the second phase of the Turkish invasion began, and the perpetrators decided not to leave any witnesses, executing the entire population then present in the villages. In Maratha and Santalaris, 84-89 people were killed after being tied up. They were then burned and buried in a garbage dump using an excavator, attempting to erase the traces. The imam of Maratha later stated that there were 90 inhabitants in the village before the massacre, and only six remained. The deceased included elderly people and children, the youngest only 18 months old. In Aloa, only three people remained after the massacre. The massacre was characterized as a crime against humanity by the UN, and the event was published and recorded by international media such as The Guardian and The Times. In the following days, Turkish troops executed dozens of residents of the village of Assia…if you ask why, now you know. None of the murderers have been arrested…