North seizes religious Greek Cypriot schoolbooks

THE BREAKAWAY regime in the north has confiscated 204 religious books earmarked for Greek Cypriot schools in occupied Rizokarpasso, reported a number of Turkish Cypriot papers yesterday.

According to yesterday’s Kibris, the books were meant for Greek Cypriot ‘enclaved’ children attending primary and secondary schools in Rizokarpasso village. The books were found on March 17 during a check of a car at the Pergamos checkpoint.

The car belonged to George Elia who works for both schools in the north. His co-passengers  Michael Loizides, director responsible for religious affairs at the Education Ministry, and Papageorgios Ioannides, Metropolitan Bishop of occupied Trimithounta.

The paper writes that the Turkish Cypriot ‘customs officers’ did not allow the men to take the books to the north, because they were subject to customs duty. The three Greek Cypriots were allowed to go to Rizokarpasso, but the books stayed behind.

Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika referred to the same issue in an article yesterday with the heading: “Islamic fanaticism, ban to Jesus”. In a somewhat different vein, another daily Yeni Volkan used the front page banner title: ‘Provocation by the priests once again’/

 

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