Con Auld
"I was terrified. I was well aware of what was going to happen."
The story...
Con takes us on a journey to Cyprus in July 1972. On this day he tells us how his nerves were pushed, quite literally, to the edge...
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Con wrote...
In 1964 20,000 Turkish Cypriots were driven from their villages by the majority Greek Cypriot population. In 1966 the government of Cyprus and several peacemakers started to repair some of the 90 Turkish villages in the hope that the refugee's would return.
The organisation under which INST. Community Service Group operated was the Panagides Foundation. It was founded in 1967 by a group of professionals and businessmen who were ex-pupils of Solomon Panagides and a priest of the Greek Orthodox Church.
Firstly our operation village was Keravassa – uninhabited for 6 years except for rats, snakes and scorpions. It had been the scene of civil slaughter and religious hatred. We cleared the village streets, opened the fountains and made 10 houses habitable. We hoped the Turks would return as had been the case in the neighbouring village Kathasi, 10 miles away.
The second part of the INST peace project was work with Greek Cypriot criminal teenagers, hopefully redeeming them from terrorist activities. We found little difficulty in crossing the language barrier. Together we cleaned out an old swimming pool and did excavation site work.
We donated the minibus to the Panagides Foundation.
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Comment on Con's story
Name: Karen McKee
Date: 17/04/2008
Comment: Great story Con. The pictures are brilliant. It looks lovely and warm. A bit of a change from rainy Ireland. Karen in Belfast
Name: Mary James
Date: 04/03/2008
Comment: lovely story Con. it must have been some journey from start to finish. definately something to remember. i only wish i had been on a journey like yours, even with the accident!
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