KARAVOSTASI

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Karavostasi is the name of what began as a port adjacent to the village of Xeros on the south shore of the Morphou/Güzelyurt bay. It is located eighteen kilometers southwest of the town of Morphou/Güzelyurt, and two and a half kilometers northwest of Lefka/Lefke. Xeros, meaning “dried” in Greek, was usually used for the whole area including the Karavostasi port which means “an anchorage for sailing vessels.” Turkish Cypriots adopted the alternative name Gemikonağı in 1959, also meaning “an anchorage for sailing vessels.” 
 
 
Historical Population:

There were not many people living in the village before the Lefka/Lefke mines began operating. As you can see from the chart above, a very significant increase was recorded first in 1931 and then in 1946. During this time the small, humble port of Karavostasi was transformed into an important center for the processing and exporting of Cypriot copper and asbestos. The village was always populated by both communities. Many people from different parts of the island came to Karavostasi to work at the Cyprus Mines Cooperation. During the emergency years of 1955-1959, there was a significant drop in the population of the village.

Displacement:

All the Turkish inhabitants of Karavostasi/Gemikonağı were displaced in late 1963 and early 1964. According to Richard Patrick, the first evacuation in the Lefka region took place at Karavostasi and Xeros at the end of December 1963. Some Greek Cypriot irregulars forced a number of Turkish Cypriots to leave at gun point. Patrick claims that this harassment was probably in retribution for the evacuation of hundreds of Greek Cypriots from Lefka/Lefke(060) and Ambelikou/Bağlıköy(016) in 1958 during the EOKA campaign. However, many more left following the freedom of movement agreement in January 1964. This second refugee movement was mainly into Lefka/Lefke(060) and the nearby villages of Angolemi/Taşpınar(018), Elia/Doğancı(029), Ambelikou/Bağlıköy(016) and Kazivera/Gaziveren(049). Some even went as far as Kampyli/Hisarköy(224). All the Turkish Cypriots of Karavostasi/Gemikonağı remained in the villages where they sought refuge until 1974 when they were resettled back to the village or in different parts of north Cyprus.

All the Greek Cypriots from this village were displaced in August 1974, as they fled from the advancing Turkish army. Currently, like the rest of the displaced Greek Cypriots, the Greek Cypriots of Karavostasi/Gemikonağı are scattered throughout the island’s south, with large pockets in towns. The number of the Karavostasi Greek Cypriots who were displaced in 1974 was around 300-310 (305 in 1973).

Current Inhabitants:

Currently the village is mainly inhabited by its original Turkish Cypriot inhabitants and displaced Turkish Cypriots, from the Tylliria region, from villages such as Amadies/Günebakan (015). Since the establishment of Lefke University, there are also many students in Karavostasi.

  

 
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