MARI, Cyprus, July 11 (Reuters) - Residents of a village in southern Cyprus thought it was an earthquake before an orange cloud emerged over the hill and clumps of metal started falling from the sky.
The explosion at a munitions dump in a nearby military base killed 12 people and knocked out the island's biggest power station. Authorities said Iranian munitions, confiscated by Cyprus from a ship sailing to Syria in 2009, caused the blast.
This is how it was reported, and then swiftly forgotten by the world’s media. But for Cyprus and its people, things are far from over. Tonight thousands of residents of the capital city Nicosia converged in the central Freedom Square for a march to the Presidential Palace. They are demanding action and heads to roll for what happened on 07 11 11.
The demonstration, like so many, deteriorated a few minutes ago, into a stone throwing, tear-gas frenzy between riot police and anarchists who attacked the Palace gates in front of the eyes of relatives of the dead and injured, and TV camera crews filming the unprecedented event live.
But why?
Twelve, possibly fourteen, people are dead. The main power station of Cyprus (which supplies 60-70% of the country’s electricity) has been destroyed. The electricity supply is being cut-off every two hours to save what can be saved, causing schools and businesses to shut-down, numerous car crashes and electrical fires and blow-outs.
The tourism industry, at the height of summer, has collapsed in ruin within twenty-four hours, threats to all public services, including availability of petrol for transportation and drinking water being rationed.
The Minister of Defence resigned immediately after the ‘explosion’ yesterday. An explosion of apparent ‘gun-powder’ stored in 42 degree heat only meters away from the power station inside Cyprus only naval base. A fire was reported at 4.14am, and the rumor mill was in full swing by 12.00pm…from a tanker explosion to bush fire getting out of hand, to bombs dropping on the naval base from an ‘unnamed super-power’.
Gun-powder that use to belong to Iran, heading for Syria and intercepted by the U.S. Navy and confiscated (stored) by Cyprus at their behest. It made news in 2009. But today we are told there are more containers. Not gun powder this time, but arms, and apparent army ‘clothing’, from Afghanistan, stored at the International Airport.
The tragedy of all of this is that it appears the government knew all about the danger before it happened and did nothing. The tragic and avoidable loss of young lives. The country is crippled, but the international media are not covering the destruction of Cyprus. I guess there is more serious trouble elsewhere?
4 comments:
This is horrible, Marie. :(
It reminds me of how we recently had a massive wildfire (human caused) that destroyed over 800 square miles of the most beautiful forest land in our State.
It was covered by mass media for about 2 days, and then abandoned and forgotten.
Also a lot like Japan...I keep thinking lately how we haven't heard even a whisper about what is happening there after one of the worst disasters in human history.
Not a word from the elite controlled mass media. What does all of this tell us?
What a nightmare!
I have heard absolutely nothing about this from my local media! This is no accident. Who and why would want to cause chaos in Cyprus? I guess just watch what "change" happens as a result of this.
This "echos" Fukushima in turning a peaceful, prosperous nation into a disaster overnight.
Keep us informed Marty - I think Cyprus will be greatly overshadowed by the recent bombings in India. Hmmm... are "they" systematically targeting each individual country?
All my best thoughts and hopes go out to you and the people of Cyprus in getting through this insanity. Take care!
the living tiki
Same here as what tiki said. Although I try to avoid all mass media news programming (wink) as much as possible, even in the bits I have been exposed to in the past several days, I hadn't heard one thing about this disaster in Cyprus until I saw Marie's blog post.
It really just makes me sick the more I see how tightly they control what they want people to see, hear, think and how they will react to it all.
God bless you Marie, and take care of yourself. :)
Thanks Guys!
Greek television had a few experts talking about Uranium and all sorts of things including 'foreign' involvement. However, in Cyprus we are being told by our Politicos to just be cool and pray for the dead and not allow rumors and panic to set in. I went to the coast today and there is a lot of tourism and people on the beach but NOTHING like there normally is for a Saturday in July. I counted about six tankers off the coast where I was - I can't say if that's normal or not. Last w/e I saw none.
Yesterday I heard on the grapevine that one of the old power stations (which is running now because the new main one is destroyed) will soon breakdown anyway. The other one (there were three on the island) was in the process of being decommissioned. When one or the other breaks down, we will have a total black-out of the country, in 48 degree heat... Some people who I have been discussing this with are starting to panic.
I was in a shop the other evening buying batteries, there were about 30 other people in this very tiny corner shop, in the dark, trying to buy torches and camping lamps - like there is a war on or something. It just felt weird and scary!
Anyway, sorry for telling you all this but I just thought I'd let you know. I'm trying to tell people because the Media is not saying anything much about it.
We have been told not to eat the fish, poultry or fruit and veg from the vicinity, and not to go and pick up 'souvenirs' and bring them 'into our houses'...quite specific instructions don't you think?
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