Greek and Turkish Cypriots unite to restore cemeteries along Green Line

More than half a century after the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus, the island's communities are restoring each other's cemeteries.

So far, restoration is under way at 15 cemeteries inside the Green Line, the demilitarised zone between the two parts of the island.

There are also talks of extending the project, which is costing €700,000.

After the Turkish invasion in 1974, churches, mosques and cemeteries were vandalised, damaged or abandoned.

For decades, people were not allowed to cross over to the other side to leave flowers beside their relatives' graves.

"People come to our village to see their graves, their houses, we have people visiting to see where their ancestors are," said Haroula Efstratiou, president of the Greek Cypriot community of Tochni.

"Just as we demand that they respect us, our dead, our religion and so on, I believe we owe them the same respect," Efstratiou added.

Murudeh Erzen, president of a Turkish Cypriot community in Palaikythro, also spoke of the need for both sides to respect each other.

"We want to make another arrangement," Erzen said. "We want to protect our stuff again, our mosques, our churches."

The cemetery restoration project, which is funded by the European Union, started last May.