Justice for Brookwood Cemetery
Brookwood cemetery was purchased by Ramadan Guney in 1985 it has been a family run business since that date accommodating burials for many nationalities. Ramadan, Onder and Erkin Guney have been directors of the company since 1985. Onder and Erkin Guney have worked side by side with their father and have contributed to their father’s achievements in the last 40 years. Mr Ramadan Guney died on 2nd November 2006. It was his intention to leave England and return to his homeland. The Court disagreed. His wishes were that Brookwood remain with his children. Indeed, he requested that his adult children become Directors of that company with that in mind. Therefore Gulen Musa nee Guney, Alev Kanli nee Guney and Gonul Guney have been directors since 2001 at the request of their father. Erkin and Onder Guney, the two sons of Ramadan have successfully increased the turnover of the business since their father’s death. Erkin in the last 5 years has made Brookwood his home. His wife Melanie Guney also works at the cemetery. They have successfully increased the profile of the cemetery and undertaken substantial restorations and renovations to the cemetery, reinvesting the profits of the company to this end. They employ over 18 people. Indeed, the local authority has commended upon their input during this time. A vast majority of Muslim burials take place at Brookwood. The UK Turkish Islamic Trust owns a substantial plot at Brookwood. The adult children of Ramadan Guney are Trustees of that land as they are Trustees of UK Turkish Islamic Trust. Indeed, both Ramadan and Suheyla Guney are buried at the cemetery along with over 300 close relatives, family members and friends. . A Judge has decided that the cemetery in its entirety be given to Diane Holliday. A Judge has stated that all employers, directors and employees remove themselves from Brookwood to hand-over to Diane Holliday. This in turn will mean that the children of Diane Holliday will inherit from the achievements and hard work put in by Ramadan Guney, Suheyla Guney (his wife, also deceased) and their children. This is fundamentally wrong and unjust. This ruling excludes the true beneficiaries, the children of Ramadan and Suheyla Guney. The court has suggested that there is property owned by Ramadan Guney in Northern Cyprus that can be shared by the adult children. The Judge did not accept the evidence of a court appointed (northern Cyprus) administrator, Mr Guner Cakin, previously a prosecutor for the Turkish army. He stated that, 99% is Greek title land. He stated that in todays market the value is untenable and the land unsellable. The value given is that given by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus but not the marketable value. He also stated that no land or property is selling in Northern Cyprus. The market is weak. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ We are asking the Honorable Court to hear the voices of people that knew Ramadan Guney his good wife Suheyla Guney and their children. We the undersigned oppose the transfer of Brookwood to Diane Holliday. We the undersigned ask the court to offer a clean break from the adult children and the minor HG (the son with Diane Holliday) and Diane Holliday. We the undersigned asked the court to accept the proposal made by the adult children of a one off cash payment to enable the clean break to be achieved. We the undersigned will refuse to acknowledge Diane Holliday as the owner of the Cemetery. We the undersigned agree that it is accepted that Greek titled land in Northern Cyprus cannot provide an accurate market value and the market is stagnate. We the undersigned believe that Ramadan Guney would not have intended the cemetery to be given to Diane Holliday.
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