Speech by the General Secretary of AKEL S. Stefanou at the memorial service of Giorgos Chrysanthos Kleanthous

 

18 July 2021, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

Duty brings us here today. The duty to honor the memory of a hero of our People’s Movement of the Left and Cyprus. Giorgos Chrysanthos Kleanthous, a twenty-year-old young man who fell fighting for the freedom of Cyprus, for the dignity of our people.

Giorgos was the third child of the large family of Chrysanthos and Panagiota from Kathikas. He was born on 27th May 1954. He attended the primary school of his village and then Paphos High School where he graduated in 1972.

Giorgos was a gifted child. A boy loved by everyone and socially active. From his school days he was an active member of the progressive school pupil’s organisation PEOM and EDON Youth Organisation. In 1972 he was called up for his military service in the National Guard, while at the same time he was granted a scholarship to study in Czechoslovakia. In the summer of 1974 Giorgos was preparing to spread his wings in life. He would be discharged from the army and leave for studies. He had his whole life before him. But the axe of treason in 1974 violently cut his life short, like so many other brave young men who rushed to defend democracy and their country.

Along with his life, the meaning of his parents Chrysanthos and Panagiota’s life was lost. The joy of life died with their son. They were left with the bitterness of the loss of their child, who paid the price – together with hundreds of other young people of his generation – for the crime that others committed by betraying our Cyprus.

How did Giorgos sacrifice his life? Who held his hand in those final hours? Who was he waiting to see before he closed his eyes forever? What could he have been thinking at that moment? Could he have been in pain and thirsty? Who knows?

What would he have done with his life had he been here? What would he say if he were here? What would his life have been like if the traitors hadn’t opened the door to Turkey’s invading army? Most likely he would have gone to college, become a scientist and been creative in life. He probably would have married, standing handsome in his wedding suit alongside his proud parents. He would lovingly embrace his children and then his grandchildren. He would build his life as every young man and woman aspires to.

So many lives were changed by the black summer of 1974. How much pain, how much blood and how many tears soaked the land of Cyprus.

It took 27 years for the remains of Giorgos Kleanthous to be found, who was killed in an operation against the Turkish army in Pekkiyou and by the time he was taken to hospital he had already passed away. Giorgos was the first dead soldier of the 298 Infantry Battalion. He was buried in the Nicosia Constantine and Helen Cemetery in a mass grave, but his family didn’t know exactly where he was buried.

The story of every hero of the resistance to the coup and the defence of our homeland against the Turkish invasion is moving because we realize how great their sacrifice was.

Giorgos could have turned his back, he could have fled for his life. His battalion was depleted and disorganized since most of its forces during the coup had been ordered to go to fight the supporters of President Makarios who were resisting. Ammunition was scarce.

With almost empty hands, the coup leaders subsequently sent our children to fight on the front line against the Turkish army, while the majority of the coupists stayed behind in the safety of the rear.

Giorgos however did not turn his back on his duty. He was raised and educated differently by the great school of the People’s Movement of the Left. He honored in practice the ideals he learnt with his political participation and action within the ranks of the movement of the Left, which taught him to be more patriotic than the “super-patriots”, more militant than the fighters.

Now it is our turn to honor the sacrifice of these sons of Cyprus who gave their lives for our homeland, which they defended with their blood.

The only way to vindicate their sacrifice, to not let their sacrifice go in vain, is to at long last succeed in liberating our land. With a solution that ends the Turkish occupation and reunites our homeland and people within the framework of a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality as described in the relevant United Nations resolutions. This is the basis of a solution that has been agreed between the two sides since 1977, been confirmed by our side many times since then and endorsed in numerous UN resolutions.

The solution will redeem our country from many dangers and sufferings. Unfortunately, however, the situation surrounding the Cyprus problem is difficult, extremely difficult – more than critical. We are on the brink of partition. Turkey appears more provocative than ever. It is now formally pushing for a two state solution. It is repeatedly violating the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus. It is provoking by creating fait accompli in Famagusta which violates UN resolutions.

All this has taken place in recent years and is the result of the collapse at the Crans-Montana conference. Its failure was blamed by the UN Secretary General on the two Cypriot sides, while Turkey walked away relieved of responsibility. It was entirely predictable that such a development would be exploited by Turkey to create new fait accompli and promote its partitionist designs on Cyprus. It has done so in the past, it is doing so now. But Anastasiades and his government did not act then, nor are they moving now for the resumption of negotiations. They are watching and following the ongoing negative developments instead of acting decisively and concretely by taking initiatives.

AKEL pointed out to the President last December what exactly needs to be done and how we can create momentum for the resumption of negotiations. The UN Secretary General stresses this in his latest report on the renewal of the mandate of UNFICYP. Mr. Guterres calls for the natural gas factor to be used as a catalyst for a solution. This is our proposal, which the President refuses to even discuss. We cannot force him to accept it. We are trying to help get our country out of the dangerous rut it has found itself in. It’s up to the President to act. He is handling the Cyprus problem and is responsible for whatever results. Right now we are heading towards the definitive partition of Cyprus.

In the face of the criticality of developments, it is imperative that we take action and we push things forward. AKEL is always ready to contribute to this effort. But the President must also be willing.

Forty-seven years onwards and we are still wondering.

What would Cyprus have been like if there had been no coup and therefore no invasion?

How would Cyprus have been like if the people were allowed to live together in their common home?

It is difficult to predict, but it is very likely that we would not have lived through the tragedies we have gone through. What is certain is that we can all imagine what Cyprus would be like if we manage to liberate and reunite it.

A homeland without armies, without barbed wires of division, a homeland whose people can move freely from one end of our island to the other, enjoying their rights and freedoms.

A homeland whose young people will create their future in conditions of lasting peace and security and give our country a new breath, a new perspective.

This is what Cyprus will be like if we manage to redeem it, if we manage to solve the Cyprus problem and reunite it.

And that will be the best memorial service for our heroes. The best tribute and memorial for our Giorgos.

May the memory of Giorgos Kleanthous live on forever!

Our love and gratitude for what you did for our country will accompany you forever.