Anniversary of 1974 fascist coup d’etat

 

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 15th July 2014, Nicosia

The 15th July 1974 was the beginning of the gravest disaster that struck Cyprus in its modern history. The fascist coup d’etat of the junta of Greece and EOKA B attempted to overthrow and murder of Makarios and resulted in the barbaric invasion of the Turkish Attila. Since then 40 years have gone by and Turkey still has 37% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus under its military occupation, imposing by force of arms partition. Since then, the wounds on the body of Cyprus and our people are still open with the Cyprus problem remaining unsolved. The issue of the missing persons, the enclaved people in the occupied areas, refugees and war-stricken people continues.

The threat of new woes and tragedies is still looming over Cyprus. These would not have existed had there not been a fascist coup d’etat. The responsibilities of all those who prepared (politically and ideologically), organized and executed the coup d’etat are very heavy. The responsibility of all those who mora;;y and politically welcomed and supported the coup d’etat morally are also very grave. The passage of time does not annul or erase these responsibilities.

The Finding of the House of Representatives on the File of Cyprus is very clear. The coup d’etat was the result of a conspiracy engineered by the U.S. and NATO, whose execution was assigned to the Athens Junta and EOKA B of Grivas. Any other approach constitutes a vile distortion of the historical truth and aims to pardon and exonerate the main culprits of the Cyprus tragedy. The leadership of the governing DISY party is leading the attempts aiming at the falsification/revision of history and the acquital of Grivas and EOKA B from the very first moment of its foundation until today.

Today, these same circles, assisted by researchers and journalists, who are committed to the political spectrum of the ​​so-called cosmopolitan Right, have set as their goal the negation and repudiation of the historical reality. They are attempting to acquit the U.S. and NATO, claiming that it is the interests of the former Soviet Union that were being served by the Turkish invasion and not those of the U.S. and NATO. Consequently, according to the logic of these forces, the US and NATO bear no responsibilities for the plans promoting partition and “double enosis”, for the Junta in Greece and EOKA B in Cyprus, for the coup d’etat and subsequent invasion and in general for the crimes committed that eventually led to the tragedy of 1974, as it would be absurd for them to act against their own interests. On the contrary, those whose interests would have been served with the Turkish invasion and partition of Cyprus, such as the Soviet Union, are at least equally guilty. Therefore, this proposperous assertion that the perpetrators of the destruction of Cyprus are AKEL, Makarios and of course the Soviet Union and international communism, is further justified. All of these claims are clearly being promoted in order to prepare the ground for the Cypriot people to accept any solution of the Cyprus problem; a solution that will provide for Cyprus’ accession to the suffocating tentacles of NATO and its branches and the cancellation of our side’s long-standing position in favour of  demilitarization.

We stress that as far as it depends on AKEL this revision and distortion shall not pass. As far as it depends on AKEL, we will not permit the dust of forgetfulness that certain forces and circles are deliberately promoting to cloud people’s minds and consciences. We will continue our struggle to keep alive the historical truth because this is the only way n\ot to repeat in the future  the same mistakes and relive tragedies.

Today the ideology and practices of Grivas in the form of extreme nationalism, the elevation of the leader of EOKA B into a hero and the hysteria of right-wing fascist organizations against a federal solution is awakening. All those who breed these phenomena seeking petty partisan and electoral gains are putting democracy and this country’s future in danger.

On the occasion of the black anniversary of the coup d’etat, AKEL condemns in the strongest terms the fascist coup d’etat of 15th July 1974 and all accomplices. AKEL pays hommage to the memory of the fallen Resistance martyrs/fighters and embraces their families with respect. It addresses a greeting of honour to all the Resistance fighters, who through their struggles defended the dignity of our people. AKEL condemns once again the crimes committed in the eight days the coup d’etat prevailed. It denounces and stigmatizes the theories about “following orders” and “honest patriotic motives’, on the basis of which certain forces and circles equate the coup d’etat and resistance fighters.

AKEL condemns and denounces in the strongest terms the Turkish invasion, the ongoing occupation and all its consequences, as well as the intransigent policy of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership who are perpetuating and consolidating the partition. AKEL reaffirms its willingness to continue the struggle to reach a bi-zonal bi-communal solution as soon as possible; a solution that will liberate and reunite our country and people; a solution based on International Law and the UN Charter and which will restore our people’s human rights and fundamental freedoms.

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the coup d’etat and invasion AKEL is organizing a mass anti-occupation meeting in memory, honour and struggle on Tuesday, 15th July in Nicosia. AKEL calls on the people with their mass and militant participation in this event to honor our dead, reassert our determination not to let nothing be forgotten and to continue the struggle for the vindication of Cyprus and our people.