AKEL on the Anniversary of 1 April

 

1 April 2026, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

AKEL honors the self-sacrifice and heroism of all the sons and daughters of our homeland who fought against the British colonial yoke for the freedom and self-determination of Cyprus. It honors the heroes of the struggle of EOKA who gave their lives in battle and at the gallows to shake off the colonial slavery.

Cyprus’s struggle to free itself from the colonial yoke intensified in the mid-1940s and onwards. A multifaceted struggle developed, which was expressed through mass demonstrations, strikes, mobilizations by pupils, and daily acts of resistance. Britain responded by imposing a state of emergency, curbing civil liberties, carrying out mass arrests, torture, and hangings, while its “divide and rule” policy intensified tensions among the Cypriot people themselves.

The oppression and violence against the Cypriot people increased, and the measures and persecution against the Left were particularly harsh whose party, AKEL, together with the mass organizations of the Left (Note: the People’s Movement of the Left) had been banned by the colonialists in December 1955. Our assessments with regards the armed tactics that were subsequently chosen, as well as the role played by Grivas, are well known. The fact that the armed struggle of 1955–59 did not lead to the achievement of its goal lends itself to drawing valuable lessons and conclusions.

It is, of course, an indisputable conclusion that popular unity based on principles and objectives, and the correct choice of strategy and tactics that should take into account the objective realities and the given balance of forces, are decisive factors in the struggle of any people. This serves as a valuable compass for our country’s current struggle to put an end to the Turkish occupation and the partition of our island, and to achieve liberation and reunification by achieving a solution to the Cyprus problem on the agreed basis and within the agreed framework.

This also applies to the issue of the British bases, which are a remnant of the colonialism that was imposed on our homeland.

Particularly in light of the current dramatic developments in our region reaffirm just how dangerous the presence of the British bases on our island and their use as an aggressive launching pad against the peoples of the region is to the security of our homeland and people.

AKEL reiterates that the non-involvement of the bases in wars and invasions is of paramount importance and that the dismantling of the bases was and remains the ultimate goal of our people.