"Violation of TRNC territory" or "kidnapping of 3 policemen"

[iancrumpy]

Hi guys,

Many of us will remember the reports a few months ago of GC police chasing two TC brothers, who they suspected of smuggling, into the mixed-community village of Pyla, located inside the British-forces-controlled region. The TC press, in an attempt to pander to the nationalistic tendencies of their readership, made a big deal out of it, even though it’s more than likely that the TC brothers were indeed abusing the privileges to be had from living where they do.

Yesterday, in Akıncılar, a TC village south of Ercan and very close to the “border” (*see postscript below) a very similar incident occured. According to this Kıbrıs report http://www.haberkktc.com/haber/akincila ... 48363.html the incident involved a 19-year-old youth by the name of Coşkun Alaslan. In the report, the young man’s Father told Kıbrıs that the GC police chased his son, who was driving a van, from the GC village of Dali to Akıncılar.

Yes, I am also wondering how it’s possible for someone to cross the "border" – aren’t there barriers and/or road blocks between the respective sides and the UN buffer zone. And there’s nothing in the Kıbrıs report to tell us how Alaslan (or the GC police for that matter) managed to cross so easily.

In any case, the three GC police (two in a car and one on a motorbike) apparently chased Alaslan to his house where they tried to arrest him. However, Turkish soldiers arrived on the scene who instead arrested the three GC police.

In the Kıbrıs report it tells us that the police wanted to stop and question Alaslan for dangerous driving, but when he refused to stop they pursued him to Akıncılar, apparently thinking it was a village on the Greek side.

I have however also found this report from a southside news website ; http://www.incyprus.com.cy/en-gb/Top-St ... -kidnapped which gives us the other side to the story. It tells us that “the driver of the van failed to stop for inspection.” (Did the police suspect smuggling?) “The police then pursued the van into the buffer zone where they were stopped and detained by Turkish troops.” Christofias has apparently called on the UN over this “kidnapping” of the GC police.

All the while, the TC press have typically gone overboard in making out that the GC police used undue force in arresting Alaslan ... apparently they broke his arm

Our beloved Yorgozlu once told us that there are many TCs living close to the “border” that for many years have been up to no good. Maybe though this young man is innocent ... what do you think?

Regards,
Ian

* For the record, I am fully aware that it is not an official "border", but often it is more convenient to simply write "border".

[dodger]

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/dhali/police ... e/20121001

Hi Ian,

Have you read this one."Burning stubble" Not on his chin i hope.

Paul.

[dodger]

Thank god that both th Gc and Tc forces are not trigger happy.This could have turned into a very nasty incident indeed.

Paul.

[iancrumpy]

Paul, thanks for that Cyprus Mail link - it sounds more and more to me as though that young man was up to no good. Unfortunately though, the TC authorities will probably never reveal the full truth. If the GC police officers did indeed break Alaslan's arm in arresting him, then that's unacceptable, but did they?

****************************************
By the way guys, to help you better understand the incident, Akıncılar is at the end of the phallic-like "cul-de-sac" (that's DC's quote) of TC territory hanging down into the ROC.

Rgds,
Ian

[iancrumpy]

On http://www.haberkktc.com/haber/rum-poli ... 48498.html I read that today the three police officers were each fined 10 000 TL by a Turkish military court ... for entering the Turkish military zone. However, they apparently still have to appear at Lefkoşa's civil court for the guns they were carrying. In the meantime though they are free to return southside.

There's no word on the young man though - I don't suppose we'll ever find out what he was up to southside.