AKEL on government’s National Guard bill

  

Statement of Aristos Damianou, member of the C.C. and AKEL MP, on the Bill on the National Guard

 

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 31st January 2014, Nicosia

 

 

The Nicos Anastasiades government considers in the year 2014 that the military is entitled to intervene “in crisis situations or isolated incidents.” This is what the government Bill which is currently being debated right now in the House of Representatives provides for and supported by the Democratic Rally MPs supporting the government. It also provides for the suppression of protests using army.

The role of the National Guard has been defined for decades. Its role is the defence of Cyprus, acting as a deterrent force to the aggressions of the Turkish occupation. It is a very important role related to our national survival. It does not befit, not is the National Guard’s role to come out from the military camps and engage in activities that normally concern the police. This is a basic principle of democracy.

The history of the Republic of Cyprus should make everyone extremely sensitive about the role that the National Guard, the Army plays in peacetime or in a period of ceasefire. The government and ruling parties ought to have been doubly careful. Besides, the position expressed by the Chief of the National Guard that “it is inconceivable that in a democratic state the army would intervene in such incidents” is characteristic.

Regardless of the debate on the Bill in the House Defence Committee and of any changes that will occur, AKEL urgently calls on the government and the relevant Minister of Defence to withdraw this unacceptable provision of the Bill.

Let them show sensitivity to the betrayed history of the Republic of Cyprus, especially this year with the completion of 40 years since the double crime of the coup d’état and invasion, a tragic consequence of which is the Turkish occupation of our country.