Memorial for Isaac-Solomou held in Paralimni

A memorial service was held in Paralimni on Sunday for Tasos Isaac and Solomos Solomou, both killed days apart in August 1996 by Turkish forces in the Dherynia buffer zone.

Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantelas laid a wreath on behalf of President Nicos Anastasiades.

Solomou’s sister, Skevi, in her speech, stressed the need for more monuments so that heroes are remembered.

She also said that a statue, commissioned more than a decade ago by Greek singer Notis Sfakianakis in memory of her brother, has yet to be installed anywhere as local authorities in the Famagusta area have not granted permission.

Skevi Solomou said officials had expressed their concerns that the statue’s installation would create a bad climate between the two sides “as if the flag on occupied Pentadaktylos creates a climate of love and peace,” she said.

After the memorial, several people symbolically marched to the Dherynia crossing point.

In August 1996, Tasos Isaac was beaten to death in the UN buffer zone by Turkish Cypriots or alleged members of the Turkish organisation known as ‘Grey Wolves’.

Later in August, during a demonstration following Isaac’s funeral, his cousin, Solomos Solomou was shot dead as he tried to pull down a flag on the Turkish Cypriot side of the buffer zone.

Last June, the Council of Europe’s (CoE) Committee of Ministers called on Turkey to provide by year’s end additional information on the killings of the two men, citing excessive use of force or firearms by Turkish or Turkish Cypriot military or “police forces” and lack of effective and impartial investigations. It also recalled that the killing in the Isaac case involved private individuals.

The CoE also called for more information on the killing in October of the same year, of Petros Kakoulis who was shot dead by Turkish Cypriot soldiers after wandering into the buffer zone.