Mosques defaced by unknown person in south Cyprus, Turkish Cypriot authorities reacts

Turkish Cypriot authorities has reacted to the defacing of a Mosque in Limassol, south Cyprus with words praising the Greek uprising and one that said, die all Turks.

Slogans praising the Greek uprising were written by unidentified person(s) on the walls and doors of a mosque located in the village of "Episkopi" (Piskobu-Yalova) in Limassol in Southern Cyprus on Thursday. 

This is coming on a day when Greece celebrated its 200 years anniversary of it's independence from the Ottoman Empire on 25 March 1821.

The attack was condemned by Mayor of Episkopi while Greek Cypriot police have started an investigation into the incidence.

Condemning the attack, former coalition partner, Kudret Özersay, the Chairman of the People's Party (HP) called the attack complete rudeness and provocation by fascist.

If the same place is attacked twice, sometimes three times in a row, it is because the Greek political leadership does not take steps and does not identify and punish those responsible, he said.

TRNC President, Ersin Tatar also condemned the attack describing it as a provocation ahead of the upcoming UN-led meeting between the two sides of the island.

As in the past, Greek Cypriots have intensified their provocations ahead of talks on the Cyprus Issue. While our places of worship continue to come under attack, slogans such as “Death to all Turks” was painted on the walls of one of our mosques in Limasol yesterday on the 200th anniversary of the Greek revolution, he said, reminding that hundreds of mosques had been subject to similar attacks between 1963 and 1974.  

Tatar also called on the Greek Cypriot leadership not to support such racist and fascist acts, to prevent them from occurring again and bring to justice those responsible.                        

Prime Minister Ersan Saner said he was saddened to hear of the attack and condemned the attack and the racist attitude being demonstrated by the incident. Saner stressed that the Greek Cypriot administration should identify the perpetrators of the incident and bring them to justice, saying that what was done was a provocation and could not be accepted.

The TRNC Foreign Ministry issued a condemnation with a statement. 

We strongly condemn the attack on a mosque where the Greek flag was drawn and death to all Turks was written in Limasol in South Cyprus. This attack is not the first manifestation of a racist mentality in South Cyprus. It is an indication of the hatred that feeds on the Turkish and Islamic presence on the island. By not punishing the vandals with this reactionary and anachronistic mentality, the Greek Cypriot leadership is inviting the continuation of racism and hatred in South Cyprus. We strongly condemn the attack on our mosque and call on the Greek Cypriot administration to find and punish the perpetrators of this attack as soon as possible” read the statement. 

Turkey on Friday also strongly condemned the attack saying “Such provocative actions, taken at a time when efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus issue have intensified, clearly will not help establish trust between the two side.”