AKEL on the 41 years since Makarios’ death
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 2 August 2018, Nicosia
41 years have elapsed since 3 August 1977, when the heart of the First President of the Republic of Cyprus Archbishop Makarios III ceased to beat. He lost the last battle of his life at a very difficult turning point in our country’s history. His death left a big vacuum in the political life of Cyprus, which was waging a difficult struggle for its survival, the healing of the wounds caused by the twin crime of the treacherous coup d’état of the Greek Junta, EOKA B and the barbaric Turkish invasion.
The heart of Makarios ceased beating, who struggled for the rights of the Cypriot people in difficult and adverse local and international conditions. He fought for a Cyprus far from military alliances, a bridge of peace and co-operation, and not an unsinkable NATO aircraft carrier against our neighboring peoples. That is why his vision was fiercely attacked. He was viciously slandered and vilified as few political leaders by his political opponents. For years, NATO and the CIA had been organizing conspiracies, plans, and making attempts to assassinate and overthrow Makarios, because he was seen as an obstacle to their subversive, anti-Cypriot and partitionist plans. In the realization of these plans, they found fervent sold-out traitors in both Cyprus and Greece, who, in the name of an unrestrained sick “national-mindedness” and using an extreme nationalism betrayed Cyprus and opened the back door for the taking over of the Republic of Cyprus.
Historic leaders are not born but are shaped in the course of time. Makarios, being the head of our people’s struggles for freedom, democracy, for the defense of the Republic of Cyprus, emerged a historic leader because in difficult times he took difficult decisions aimed at preserving and promoting the Cypriot people’s well-intentioned interests. The people supported him in these difficult decisions he took and rallied and marched with him for their realization and for the vindication of Cyprus. Unfortunately, the vindication of Cyprus has not been achieved. The wounds of the tragedy of 1974 are still open and will not heal as long as Turkey illegally occupies a large part of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus and continues violating the human rights and freedoms of our people.
Makarios did not manage to complete his effort to vindicate our people. He passed away too early. His heritage, however, with regards our struggle’s goals are alive and guide us. A key legacy of Makarios is the liberation and reunification of our country and people on the basis of bizonal, bicommunal federation, which the historic leader agreed and signed in 1977.
We can realize the vindication he envisioned by remain faithful and consistent to this historical compromise Makarios had agreed to. On the basis of this historic compromise, we can put an end to the Turkish occupation, remove the occupying troops, restore the human rights and fundamental freedoms of our people, render Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins the true masters in our country, without guardians and protectors, in a free, peaceful, democratic and prosperous homeland.
That was Makarios’ vision. This is our own vision too!
