What is the story with the Cyprus conflict?

Question

Can anybody tell me the basic history about the conflict between Northern and Southern Cyprus?

Answer 1

Cyprus has always been an occupied country because of its geopolitical importance.

Owned by Turkey, it was sold to Britain in the 1800s and became part of the so called British empire - another country cleaned of it's resources for the benefit of the Queen.

1955-1959 - Cypriots demanded independence. Britain said no, EOKA, whom some call terrorist organisation, and others call a liberating organisation, started a fight against the occupying power, who at the time was Britain. Independence was gained in 1960.

The treaty drawn out for independence created a state wherre Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots (NOT greeks and Turks) would share power - Greekcypriot preseident, turkishcypriot vice preseident. Conflict between the two communities escalated in 1963 with turkish forces bombing the island. By the 1970s extreme factions within the greekcypriot community were demanding union with greece. A coup d'etat seeking this union brought the government down in 1974. Turkey invaded to "safeguard the turkishcypriot interests" and has been in cyprus since. Extremist factions in the greekcypriot and turkishcypriot communities and the interests of Greece, Turkey, Britain, AND the USA, have lead to what today is Cyprus: a divided island with prejudice running high between greekcypriots and turkishcypriots, even though, BOTH are more cypriots than anything else!

Answer 2

The Greeks wanted freedom from British rule so they started a terroist orginisation called EOKA in English that stands for national organization of Greek fighters . It started in 1955 the aim was to drive the British out of Cyprus . Being that most of the Greeks were living a good life with no poverty of real problems they had to recruit there army from the youth and communists of Cyprus , they attacked mostly British bases and indivual soldiers on patrol  or throwing hand made bombs at vechicles . Most of there attacks were on isolated small bases , The Tukish people did not want anything to do with it and stayed loyal to Britain and were the bulk of the police force , That of course put them in direct conflict with the Greeks who they had lived in harmony with  for many years and indeed many friendships and families were torn apart . The leader was a Greek called George Grivas an ex Greek army officer who had fought in two wars and was very experianced soldier . the war lasted four years with the terriosts gaining very little success and were more of a nuisance than a problem although many civilians  and soldiers died , The british army was able to lock them down to small raids and in end they captured there second in command Gregorios Afxentio , the organisation started to fizzle out when Grivas left Cyprus because the British were hot on his heels ,in the end a solution was found at the leage of nations and the Greeks were given

automony over the island . But everybody forgot about the Turks who took umbrance at this and Turkey invaded Cyprus and without the British to defend them anymore the Greeks  had to capitulate and the island was partitioned .And remains so untill now

Answer 3

Basically it's between Greece and Turkey and their different political and religious views. Plus both claim the island as their own.

Answer 4

Turkey who own Northern Cyprus and Greece who own Southern Cyprus, argued that they each owned the entire island.