Turkish Terror in Imvros and Tenedos

Posted on 10/07/06 in Church of Greece, Greek history, Islam, News, Orthodox Christianity, Politics
Reference Address: http://www.ellopos.com/blog/?p=98

[ Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 ]

(9) In 1964 the Turkish Parliament voted Law 6830 “on land expropriation” , that according to its Article 5 gave the right to the “designated civil authorities to expropriate land, without being limited by any previous legal arrangements, and to adjust the amount of compensation according to their own subjective judgment”. Eventually about 98% of all fertile and arable land was expropriated at prices equivalent to the worth of a basket of eggs in the local market, thus having been confiscated for all intents and purposes. In 1964 about 6,150 acres of arable land was owned by the Greek inhabitants of the islands. In 1990, after all these virtual confiscations only 16 acres were left in their hands. On top of that, pastures, that traditionally had been used for sheep grazing, were characterized as “forested” or “about to be reforested” state lands, on which the local people no longer had the right to bring their flocks. Thus the people, mostly farmers and shepherds, were deprived of their farms, olive groves, vineyards, orchards and pastures. Next to these measures, the few remaining water sources next to the villages were diverted toward army barracks or state-owned farms taking away from the locals even the ability to cultivate the little gardens in their yards. And, finally, together with the land, the authorities confiscated any farmhouses and any other installations in the farming areas, and prohibited even the passage of the former owners through those areas (violation of articles 38, 39, 40 and 42). In order to further terrorize the local population, the following also took place:

(10) “Open farm prisons” (agir ceza) were created on Imvros, where some of the worst inmates from other prisons of the country were transferred. These criminals were allowed to freely roam the island, terrorize, loot, rape and murder the people of the islands (violation of articles 38, 39, 40 and 42).

(11) An army regiment was moved to the islands and the soldiers were allowed to destroy farmhouses and country chapels, to rob, beat, rape and murder local people. Military outposts were installed within inhabited areas and did the same things there (violation of articles 38, 39, 40, 42).