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Turkish troops landed in Northern Cyprus in 1974.
Since then they have engineered the most extensive
theft of Christian art since the Nazis of W.W.II.
Many churches w/ some of the world's finest and
oldest fresco paintings have been ravaged by the Turks.
Hundreds of priceless Greek Orthodox Christian art
treasures have been sold on the world art market.
Several have been arrested by German authorities,
including one who had over 400 pieces of art, including
fresco fragments, prayer books, icons, and silver crosses.
They are worth at least $10 million.
The Turks are trying to erase Christian culture
from the Muslim dominated North.
The have stolen about 20,000 religious objects.
Greeks on the island want to join the European Union,
but the Turks are opposed and have threatened to unite w/ Turkey.
Greeks say this would lead to war.
Cyprus has been the object of conquest since the first
civilization
began to sale on the Mediterranean sea.
It was a bastion of Christianity and was
used as a trading post by the Venetians until the
Ottoman Turks seized it in a series of bloody assaults.
They slaughtered many of those they captured,
and sold others into slavery.
The British then took control until 1960.
When they relinquished control, the British
made sure to
draw the boundaries in such a way as to foment disputes
between the Greeks and Turks on the island.
The Island has been in a state of near-war ever since
as the crusades between Christians and Greeks continue.
Turkish Army soldiers landed on the island when it's Muslim
leader was overthrown by the by the Christian dominated military.
The South is now almost all Christian and the North almost all Muslim.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is only recognized by Turkey.
It's president, Rauf R. Denktash claims the govt
knows nothing of the Christian art thefts.
Update-4/4/98
U.S. Envoy Richard Holbrooke says no agreement
has been reached to ease tensions on the island.
Turkey recently used
our tax $$$ to buy a German-made frigatte for use in the expected war.
It is also using your $$$ to pay Israel to upgrade it's F4F aircraft
and M-60 tanks, both bought w/ your $$$ over 10 yrs. ago. |