1960: The British colonists pack up and leave and the island of Cyprus officially becomes independent. The situation quickly becomes unstable, with community clashes between the majority inhabitants of Greek origin and the minority of Turkish origin. In July 1974, a coup d’état controlled by Athens – to reunite Cyprus with Greece – leads to the invasion of Turkish troops, officially on the grounds of protecting the Turkish-speaking minority. Since then, the island has been divided in two. A wound that, for the Greek Cypriots, has never healed.
“Cyprus cut in two, 50 years of being torn apart”, a major report from the Republic of Cyprus by Joël Bronner.