Greek Cypriot authorities in Larnaca are preparing to “revamp” one of the most beautiful Ottoman-era Islamic places of worship in Cyprus - the Zouhuri Tekke (a Mosque complex) and Shrine - by opening bars, cafés and restaurants on its premises.

The mosque, originally constructed in 1860, was dedicated to an unknown Muslim saint, whose body was found miraculously preserved by workers while they were digging the foundations of the building. This saint was reburied on location and the shrine within the complex remains his resting place.

By constitutional law, the land belongs to the Turkish Cypriot pious foundation, Evkaf, and the administration of all Muslim places of worship on the island falls to the Muftiate of Cyprus.

Not only are the attempts to gentrify the area without the consent of the Mufti's Office illegal, but the construction of bars and restaurants on this Islamic holy site is unethical, disrespectful and insulting to Muslim Turkish Cypriot heritage on the island of Cyprus.

As Cezire Association, we are dedicated to the research, representation and protection of Turkish Cypriot history, culture and heritage. Therefore we urge all those alarmed by this gentrification project to raise their concerns and help us petition the issue to the Larnaca Municipality and to the Mayor, Andreas Vyras.

Please also like and share this petition to raise awareness.

Günümüzde Güney Kıbrıs sınırlarında kalan ve Osmanlı dönemi yapıtlarından biri olan Zuhuri Cami, Kıbrıslı Rumlar tarafından yeniden yapılandırılmaya hazırlanıyor.

Bu ameliye esnasında yapıya barlar, kafeler ve restoranlar eklenecek. Yapıtın esasında Kıbrıs Türk Vakıflar İdaresi'ne -EVKAF'a- ait olması bir yana adadaki Müslüman ibadet yerlerinin idaresi de kanunen Müftülüğe bağlıdır.

Dolayısıyla aslen EVKAF'a ait olan bu tarihi ibadethanenin, Müftülüğün izni olmadan yapılandırılması ve üstelik yapı içerisine barlar ve kafeler açılması saygısızlıktır.
Rahatsızlığımızı, Larnaka Belediyesi başkanı Andreas Vyras'a iletmek için aşağıdaki dilekçeyi imzalayabilirsiniz.