Government and ruling forces cannot implement two mutually incompatible policies

 

 

Statement of Georgos Loucaides, AKEL C.C. Spokesperson

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 17th November 2015, Nicosia

AKEL comes back to the issue of yesterday’s unprovoked attacks by fascist elements against unsuspecting Turkish Cypriot compatriots of ours.

With the goal of resolutely combating nationalist-chauvinistic ideology and the non-repetition of similar fascist attacks and actions, AKEL calls on the government to assume its responsibility in practice.

Given the critical nature of developments on the Cyprus problem, we urge the Government:

– To initiate the prosecuting authorities so as to bring to justice all those responsible for yesterday’s attacks on Turkish Cypriots.

– To take concrete initiatives, both within and outside the education system, for the democratic education and enlightenment of young people and for the preparation of the young generation and society as a whole for the prospect of the peaceful coexistence of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots within the framework of a free and reunited Federal Cyprus.

– To revoke government decisions that move in precisely the opposite direction in an attempt to vindicate and glorify Grivas, EOKA B and the commandos that attacked the President Palace with the order to murder Makarios and overthrow him through the execution of the coup d’état.

– To end its contradictory actions in general and stop serving petty expediencies and considerations. The government and ruling forces cannot implement two policies which are mutually incompatible. Namely, for them on the one hand to continue cultivating the ideology and example of Grivas, the manipulation/exploitation of the idea of “Greekness” and nationalism – chauvinism and on the other hand to claim that they are working for the peaceful coexistence of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. They cannot continue to send the members of the governing DISY party’s Youth Organization NEDISY to demonstrations without a single Cypriot flag, but only Greek flags and shouting Enosis slogans (Note: union of Cyprus with Greece) such as “Cyprus is Greek” and on the other hand to claim that they are working for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal solution.

– To finally realize that they are governing and handling the fortunes of the people of Cyprus; that they cannot put expediencies over and above their responsibility towards the country, as they did in opposition during the previous administration by attacking the efforts to prepare the young generation for peaceful coexistence with our Turkish Cypriot compatriots.