Operation Atilla
This article is about the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. For the Nazi operation with the same name during WW II see Operation Attila (WW II).Atilla was the code name given to the Turkish military invasion of the island of
Cyprus in July
1974, in response to a Greek Cypriot inspired
coup d'état backed by the military junta, which sought to unite the island with
Greece.
The plan for the operation have been drawn following the
Johnson's letter crisis in 1963. Unable to intervene with the island in 1963, following the threat of President Johnson that US may not interfere in time of a Soviet hostility if Turkey went ahead to intervene in Cyprus as a reaction to the violence events in December 1963.
["The United Nations Force in Cyprus Since 1964", Accessed June 17, 2006.] Turkish president
Ismet Inonu was outraged. Even though the island and
EOKA was heavily bombarded by Turkish Fighter Jets upon events, from a turkish point of view it became clear that an intervention in Cyprus will be a necessity to protect turkish minority and prevent another example of
Crete ["The Example of Crete "Cyprus Conflict.Net", Accessed June 17, 2006.] Following the events of 1963, all prime ministers in Turkey have provided funding to the planning of the invasion.
When
EOKA-B led by
Nicos Sampson overthrew the government in Cyprus
July 15,1974, Turkish prime minister
Bulent Ecevit flew to London
["Turkish Invasion of Cyprus 1974", Accessed June 17, 2006.] to convince the
United Kingdom for a joint operation to remove Sampson from power. Unimpressed with the British unwillingness to take action ,
Bulent Ecevit coded the authorization of the operation with the words "Ayse may take a vacation now" to the Ministry of Defence in Turkey during his visit to London.
Bulent Ecevit have made a statement in the following day announcing the operation,claiming Turkey was going to Cyprus not to wage war but to bring peace, not only to the Turks, but also to the Greeks on the island.
A handful of turkish paratroopers were landed and the access to island from Turkey was cut at night time. Following a long night waiting in distress, Turkish Air Force resumed their guard on the island with dawn, and soon enough other forces arrived on the island to join TMT.
On
20 July 1974, the initial invasion (Atilla I) captured the port city of
Kyrenia, and by the
22 July a road access to the Cypriot capital city of
Nicosia. This secured the northern (Turkish) sector. After
UN talks about the withdrawal of the
Turkish Army failed, the second stage of the operation (Atilla II) started on
14 August 1974 and extended Turkish control out to cover the north-eastern third of the island, stretching from
Kokkina/Erenköy in the west to
Cape Apostolos Andreas in the east, then south to
Louroujina/Akincilar. This latter move was justified by the Turkish forces on the grounds that as the Turkish Cypriots had ownership of 31% of the island before
1963(Turkish claim) and were forced off into enclaves of just 4% of the land in the wake of the intercommunal violence.(Turkisk claim) Taking control of over 30% of the north was seen as redressing those land losses. As this move forced the eviction of Greek Cypriots to the southern sector of Cyprus, it has been seen as
ethnic cleansing by the government of the Republic of Cyprus. Today, only a few enclaved Greek Cypriots remain in the north.
Thanks in part to the initial invasion, the attempted coup d'etat against the Greek Cypriot President
Makarios collapsed eight days later, and provided the catalyst for the removal of power of the military
junta then controlling Greece. Still, Turkish forces did not withdraw, and ended up consolidating their hold on
Northern Cyprus, stating that any withdrawal would end up putting the Turkish Cypriot populace in danger. This failure of the Turkish forces to withdraw after the coup failed is regarded internationally as a violation of the Treaty of Guarantee.
The result of the invasion was that the island was partitioned into a Turkish-controlled north (which in
1983, ), and the remaining two-thirds under the control of the Greek Cypriots. Regardless of the legalities, the Turks argue that the partition has prevented a resumption of the inter-communal violence.
The Turkish invasion and subsequent partition of Cyprus resulted in the following:
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Greek View: Almost 37% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus - that is, the northern part of the island, where 70% of its natural resources are concentrated - is under Turkish occupation.
Turkish View: 37% of the island was liberated from the Greek Cyriots as compensation for the lands taken from Turkish Cypriots between 1963 - 1974
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Greek View: Almost all Greek Cypriots have been displaced from the occupied northern sector where they had constituted 80% of the inhabitants.
Turkish View: Due to fears as to how they would be treated by the Turkish Forces given their treatment of Turkish Cypriots, Greek Cypriots in the North decided to move South.
*
Greek View: Greek and Turkish Cypriots, who for 400 years had lived together intermingled throughout the island, were now artificially separated.
Turkish View: As Turkish Cypriots were harrased and forced into enclaves amounting to only 3% of Cyprus between 1963 - 1974, the partition enabled the Turkish Cypriots to have far more freedom of movement.
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Combined View: The ascertainment of the fate of the missing persons is still pending.
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Greek View: By the end of 1974 about 12,000 people were enclaved in their occupied villages living under conditions of oppression, harassment and deprivation. Now very few remain.
Turkish View: Greek Cypriots who remained in the North were welcome to remain, but the population exchange agreements in 1975 'persuaded' the Greek Cypriots to move south - at the 'request' of the Greek Cypriot Administration.
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Greek View: 35,000 Turkish soldiers, armed with the latest weapons, are stationed in the occupied area, making it, according to the UN Secretary-General, "one of the most militarized regions of the world" (S994/680/7.6.1994.par.28).
Turkish View: The Turkish Armed Forces in the North are there as a protective power, ensuring that a return to Greek and Greek Cypriot armed terrorism does not recur.
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Greek View: Over 115,000 Turks have been brought over from Turkey to colonize the occupied area thus changing the demography of the island and controlling the political situation.
Turkish View: Immigration is encouraged to offset the numerial superiority of the Greek Cypriots.
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Greek View: The "Green line" artificially divides the island and prevents Greek Cypriots from claiming their property in the north.
Turkish View: The "Green line" artificially divides the island and prevents Turkish Cypriots from claiming their property in the south.
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Greek View: In an effort to consolidate the de facto situation, the
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was unilaterally declared in 1983 in the occupied area, a pseudostate recognized only by Turkey and entirely dependent on it.
Turkish View: As the partnership 1960 Republic of Cyprus ceased to exist from December 1963 on, and that Turkish Cypriots would never enjoy equal rights, the TRNC was founded as a statement of an inalienable right to self-determination.
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Greek View: According to Turkish Cypriot newspapers, over one third of Turkish Cypriots emigrated from the occupied area between 1974-1995 because of the economic and social deprivation which prevails there. As a result the Turkish Cypriots who remain are today outnumbered by the Turkish troops together with the settlers from Turkey.
Turkish View: The embargo imposed by the Greek Cyriots has had the effect of forcing Turkish Cypriots to emigrate in order to seek a better life.
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Greek View: The illegal regime in the occupied area is deliberately and methodically trying to eradicate every trace of the Greek cultural and historical heritage. All Greek place names have been replaced by Turkish ones. Churches, monuments, cemeteries and archaeological sites have been destroyed, desecrated or looted. Priceless religious and archaeological treasures, part of the world's cultural heritage, are being stolen and smuggled abroad, and illegal excavations and dealings in antiquities are taking place.
Turkish View: Greek Cypriots have tried to eradicate all vestiages of Turkish culture in Cyprus since 1963.
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Turkish View: Cyprus ceased to be an island where UN actively needed to create zones to protect turkish minority and the dysfunctional Cypriot government partnership has been dissolved. Even though it was the Greek side who inherited the official recognition and law structure of the partnership, the Turkish side have exercised some form of self determination.
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Cyprus*
Cyprus dispute*
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
