The Turk NEVER changes - Ο Τούρκος δεν αλλάζει ΠΟΤΕ

Γράφει ο Αλέξανδρος-Μιχαήλ Χατζηλύρας

AND YET AGAIN ARMENIAN (MATTERS) - SALPINX 12 July 1896

In Larnaca two Armenians sat at the coffee shop of Mr Kyriacou and were playing backgammon. Two Ottomans [Turkish-Cypriots] went nearby and after causing an occasion, they grabbed the backgammon, threw it on the ground and immediately started verbally abusing the Armenians. It appears they intended to blow the thing out of proportion, but the coffee shop’s manager being pre-emptive, he asked for the Police, which after arresting the Ottomans [Turkish-Cypriots] brought about peace.

It seems that the Ottomans everywhere have conspired to seek the annihilation of Armenians wherever they meet them. An easy way to eradicate every Armenian issue.

MISFORTUNES OF ARMENIANS IN CYPRUS - SALPINX 28 June 1896

Some Armenians from Diyarbakir, about 15 [in number], were forced to come to Cyprus, to a free place, the poor people used to say, to be able to depart from here to some other place to live in. So they disembarked to Larnaca and breathed, because they felt they are under a European flag. One of them went some day to the market to buy food. He wanted to buy greens worth of 1 piastre, he selected them, put them aside and was getting ready to pay for them, when an Ottoman [Turkish-Cypriot] appeared, pushed him and told him “move over there, because I too will buy greens”; the Armenian told him “there is so much space, isn’t it enough for you?” and he leant and grabbed the Armenian’s greens. The Armenian tells him they are his, and so does the greengrocer, but he [the Turkish-Cypriot] turns furious against the Armenian and verbally abuses him, the Armenian responded, but immediately other Ottomans [Turkish-Cypriots] run and start shouting that he insulted their religion - the only means they resort to justify their attacks against those having a different faith. So they file a suit and they appear as witnesses again from those [who attacked the Armenian] again (as many as you want) and the Armenian is convicted to 15 days in prison.

Seven of these Armenians [the ones who came from Diyarbakir] came from Larnaca to Limassol via sea, because they arrived at night and did not know anyone, they spent the night under the large quay on the coast. The next day they asked for Mr Hovagim Hovsepian, a watchmaker, who managed to find a more appropriate place for them. Three [of the Armenians who came from Larnaca to Limassol] stayed there [at the quay] to watch over their things, while they others were moving. An Ottoman [Turkish-Cypriot] was lying near them asleep, or pretending to be sleeping, while other Ottomans [Turkish-Cypriots] sitting farther were throwing at him [the Turkish-Cypriot] stones allegedly as a joke. One of the stones hits the Ottoman [Turkish-Cypriot] on his leg and then he rises furious against the Armenians, because they threw stones at him. They protest, he verbally abuses them and to his shouting run many other Ottomans [Turkish-Cypriots] and start beating the Armenians because they allegedly insulted [the] religion and [the] Sultan. And in fact, some of them [the Turkish-Cypriots who were beating the Armenians] were shouting “Vurunuz gâvourlar Ermenisi” [Beat the Armenian infidels]. One of the Ottomans [Turkish-Cypriots] even grabbed the purse of one [of the] Armenian[s]. It was then given notice to the Police, but while the Armenians were taken to it [the Police] they were abused by Ottomans. Their statements were noted down and the case will be on trial today.