Cyprus protest over deadly blast at navy base

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 07:51

Thousands of Greek Cypriots have marched on the presidential palace in Nicosia in protest over the deaths of 12 people in a blast at a navy base.

Police fired tear gas to disperse the demonstrators who blame government negligence for the explosion at the Evangelos Florakis base on Monday.

The dead included the head of the Greek Cypriot navy and six firefighters.

More than 60 other people were injured when the cache of seized Iranian munitions blew up.

It is believed a bush fire ignited the explosives.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14132130



What chance the 'bush fire' was caused by a discarded cigarette?

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 07:55

BBC "The damaged Vasiliko power plant supplies about 60% of the island's electricity" Sounds rather high percentage to me?

BBC get your facts straight!

MarkVPiazza


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 530

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 08:03

I read it was 52%



It's hard to imagine how the contry will cope, especialy during the summer - hospitals, supermarkets/cold food storage, never mind aircon.



I would guess the build/comissioning of a repalcement will take several years, I can't think what will happen in the meantime.



My hope would be for a radical change of public thought and government in the RoC - the whole island to work together, the north helping with hospital patients and taking affected tourists, the EU and Turkey working together to get the pipeline project implemented immediatly, with an attached electricity supply.



Alas, cutting off noses to spite faces is such an ingrained part of many GCs lives, I fear this may not happen

0maintenance


Joined: 22/09/2010
Posts: 2179

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 08:29

What happend to health and safety.



is it an EU country ?



Anyway,i live in the north.

0maintenance


Joined: 22/09/2010
Posts: 2179

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 08:38

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9WB5Ab8a9o



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIy4vjrfna8&feature=related



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l32VqYRjWwE



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vsq6wfiOYqE&feature=related



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7deiymQMs8&feature=related



video below is on of i think 17 if you wish to watch them.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sydAxmuFAZo&feature=related

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 09:00

re msg 3



MarkVPiazza



>>

Alas, cutting off noses to spite faces is such an ingrained part of many GCs lives, I fear this may not happen<<



ER, how would you explain the FACT that the 'rump' RoC continued to supply 'lecky to TC for decades after 74 ?..AND when there has been probs at plants in the 'north'?



Come on, Mark ! .. you need to KNOW your historical FACT before 'judging' ...

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 09:04

re msg 4



>>is it an EU country ? <<



....as is the UK which has had explosions at oil depots.. and all of CY IS in the EU... it's just that the acquis is 'temporarily suspended' north of the UN brokered cease fire line....



Human error / breaking of safety rules is not confined to GCs ...IS IT ? !!

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 09:16

Hi mmmmmm,



msg 6



RoC supplying electricity to TRNC gives them the moral high ground.

The reverse situation sees the RoC as being beholden to the TRNC (in their mind).

Not something GC's want to countenance.

Panchocat


Joined: 29/11/2009
Posts: 1333

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 11:20

The GC military apparently had a meeting with Christofias last week about this very dump as the container temperatures had risen to danger levels. They asked for money to deal with the problem and were told there was none available.

This was a preventable tragedy.

frontalman



Joined: 28/02/2008
Posts: 499

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 11:26

What chance the 'peace' talks now? Surely Christofias' head is on the chopping block. I read he did nothing about the explosives so as not to upset the Syrians after Russian pressure was laid at his door. He was more concerned about Syria befriending the North than eliminating the danger of the explosives, it seems (allegedly).

spangles


Joined: 22/10/2008
Posts: 411

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 11:37

mmmmmm - message 6. The south may have supplied electricity to the north for decades. However, when they generously agreed to supply it a couple of years ago the north had to pay for it (or so the newspapers here said).



On they other hand, when a serious forest fire occurred in the south and the north offered assistance it was rejected and instead fire fighters were flown in from Italy to help.



Anyway this is a tragedy and as message 3 says it would be brilliant if both sides could work together to help those affected.

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 11:47

Dear Spangles,



re msg 11



>>when they generously agreed to supply it a couple of years ago the north had to pay for it (or so the newspapers here said). <<



So we don't KNOW... and..



>>when a serious forest fire occurred in the south and the north offered assistance it was rejected and instead fire fighters were flown in from Italy to help. <<



Did YOU know that when some Kurds coordinated arson on the forests on the southern slopes of the mountain ridge that separates Girne / Kyrenia from the plains, that both the offers of the SBA and 'rump' RoC were declined .. the forests were decimated... this pre-dates your incident :(



'Silliness' is not confined to GCs..

spangles


Joined: 22/10/2008
Posts: 411

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 12:27

mmmmmm



Exactly - Neither of us KNOW - only what we are told or read. As for the silliness on both sides - never doubted it.

Just pointing out one incident to illustrate the " cutting off the nose". Your incident is another.



Hopefully this tragedy may provide an opportunity to act in a different manner.

Carndi


Joined: 12/06/2009
Posts: 613

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 12:39

Have been listening to Radio Ulster this morning and it was the same as yesterday and the day before and the day before '' It was your lot'', '' No, it was your lot '', then I turn on the PC and C44 and there it is '' It was your lot'', '' No, it was your lot ''.



This blame game made me feel homesick.



Lets hope that forward thinking people will seize this opportunity to show that despite their differences they can work together when unity is needed and through incidences like this move forward to a better future.

The families of those who died will not be interested in borders,politics,religion,land nor anything else today and for many many days,months and years to come.

Pugwash


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 1797

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 12:49

Good to see the GC press officer mmmmmm is spreading his usual views.



"Help came from Turkey, the multi-national United Nations peace-keeping force and from personnel on the Sovereign British Base Areas, among them Greek-Cypriots."



" An offer of help was also made by the Greek-Cypriot administration, but Mr Denktash said their conventional ground vehicles were no use for fighting the flames in such mountainous terrain -and that only aircraft and helicopters were needed. The President later rejected the Greek-Cypriot media claims that he had snubbed the offer of assistance. We have not rejected the offer of help; We will write a letter to Mr Clerides and thank him for his offer, the President said"



http://www.cypnet.co.uk/ncyprus/green/besparmak/fire/index.html

keithcaley



Joined: 13/06/2008
Posts: 2521

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 13:04

You may be interested to know that TRNC HAVE offered both medical aid & electricity to the South: - http://www.brtk.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31141:president-erolu-called-gc-leader-christofias-to-express-his-condolences&catid=5:kktc&Itemid=28

Actually I was saddened, though not surprised to see that no mention of was made on any mainstream news site - that I could find, anyway.

I did make submissions to Wikipedia, Reuters, and the BBC - so far, only the first two have appeared.

If anyone else wants to help spread this 'positive news' about relations between the two sides - feel free, but please avoid making political capital out of it...

It's a shame that it has taken a tragedy to bring about these overtures, but let's hope that some good can come out of it.

On a general note, there are a lot of us who are capable of submitting 'positive' news stories to the world's media - rather than moan that TRNC 'officialdom' doesn't do it, why don't we do it?

cyprusairsoft



Joined: 22/06/2009
Posts: 2066

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 17:06

mmmmmm back to his top form self lol

keithr


Joined: 20/08/2008
Posts: 720

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 17:14

"Swiss Tony" said it was "another black day in July"......



Don't they ever give up ???

Troodo


Joined: 12/06/2008
Posts: 1002

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 18:21

It is all ok, it was the Un to blame. Latest from the south.

newscoop


Joined: 23/12/2007
Posts: 2197

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 20:48

The North offering leccy to the South?



Have they any to spare?

gooligan


Joined: 30/01/2007
Posts: 1591

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 20:56

Judging by todays power cut....No.

pc4854


Joined: 23/08/2009
Posts: 243

Message Posted:
13/07/2011 21:50

It really is serious. I went across the border today at Metehan and called to renew the insurance as it will soon expire. the lady in the Insurance Office said "Can you do this another day, we have no electricity. I can write you a certificate by hand BUT you will have to pay in cash as the card terminal is not working either." So be warned to take cash (Euros) if you are buying insurance at the border.

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
14/07/2011 02:26

re 15 Pugwash



I note you are quoting the words of Mr Denktash as if 'gospel' - sadly for your 'cred' you've have let it slip your mind that I don't believe much that was uttered by him or the soon to be RoC President 'Liealotopoulous' - so much for your 'GC press officer' ....



If it's FACTs you want - ( probably not )



1/ The Cypriot National Guard had fire fighting capable fixed wing and helicopters



2/ The UK had aircraft that could fly night ops and helped was offered in the evening



3/ The article you quote isn't even accurate as to who the arsonists were.. :(

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
14/07/2011 02:56

Msg 23

Worry not!

http://youtu.be/7XIIO-fyUEw



Richard

Pugwash


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 1797

Message Posted:
14/07/2011 11:04

Mr GC Press officer,



There are many articles all saying much the same, what is not true are your assertions about the TRNC Govt



"that both the offers of the SBA and 'rump' RoC were declined"



This is blatantly untrue.



Not of course as a GC press officer you would let any vestiges of truth get in the way of good old Propaganda would you?



I suppose you will be soon telling us all in your "know it all manner" whose fault al this really is, can not wait.

frontalman



Joined: 28/02/2008
Posts: 499

Message Posted:
14/07/2011 11:48

Apparently, comrade Christofias has kept a very low profile since the explosion. He was conspicuously absent from the brave Naval chief's funeral. Surely he must do the honourable thing soon.

Pugwash


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 1797

Message Posted:
14/07/2011 11:54

Disgraceful if he did not go.

Pugwash


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 1797

Message Posted:
14/07/2011 12:11

Re message 2 Groucho.



Have a look at this



http://www.cyprus-mail.com/naval-base-blast/vassilikos-gone/20110714



It appears that the power station in fact had the capacity to produce all of the electricity needed in Cyprus.

slatnumber7


Joined: 25/08/2010
Posts: 299

Message Posted:
14/07/2011 14:25

I received this yesterday in an e mail from a pal who lives near the blast site.

My pal is pretty switched on so I tend to believe its accurate.



1. Allow a Cyprus registered-ship to carry a consignment of munitions from Iran to Syria.



2. When the ship is intercepted in the Red Sea by the US navy, insist that the ship is sent back to Cyprus (to avoid offending the Syrians).



3. Reject offers from the Americans, Germans and others to dispose of the cargo.



4. Reject offers of specialist technicians to help neutralise the explosives.



5. Pile all 98 containers of explosives in a large pyramid (so as to maximise the force of the blast).



6. Leave the containers in direct sunlight for two years, so that the daily expansion/contraction plus the weight of containers makes them crack and buckle.



7. Reject pleas for proper conservation measures (disperse the containers, built blast-deflecting earthworks around them, put them in the shade), because of "budget austerity".



(

slatnumber7


Joined: 25/08/2010
Posts: 299

Message Posted:
14/07/2011 14:27

8. Make sure the pyramid of containers is only 300 m away from the largest power station on the island, responsible for more than half of the national electricity supply.



If this is all true and common knowledge there may well be a change of government soon and several lawyers making a penny to boot!

frontalman



Joined: 28/02/2008
Posts: 499

Message Posted:
14/07/2011 17:56

I read the same, and don't understand how he could possibly survive. The way things are hotting up in the South, he might be wise to negotiate a swift exit, as they say in the Middle East.