Common Speech for the joint event on 1st September 2016, the International Trade Union Day of Action for Peace, by Pambis Kyritsis General Secretary of PEO and the President of BES
1st September 2016, Nicosia
Brothers and Sisters,
Fellow compatriots,
The 1st September has been established by the World Federation of Trade Unions (WETU) as the International Trade Union Action Day for Peace in memory of the millions of victims of the atrocities committed by the Nazis. Our country’s class-based trade union movement in line with the spirit of this appeal, has established an event to honor this day with a mass, popular and bicommunal gathering of Peace and Reunification
We Cypriots have many good reasons to utilize and highlight this day. Fate has it that Cyprus is situated in the most troubled and volatile area of the world. Our country remains a victim of the imperialist geopolitical machinations, de facto partitioned for decades and with foreign troops and foreign bases on its territory.
We are here tonight to assert for a solution of the Cyprus problem and the reunification of our country and people, to condemn the policy of imperialist interventions and to demand the respect for the independence and sovereignty of states, to demonstrate our solidarity with the peoples struggling for national independence, peace, democracy, political and social rights.
Right now our thoughts are with the Palestinian people who are fighting for the right to have their own homeland and for a perspective. Our thoughts are also with the peoples of Syria, Iraq and Libya, all suffering as a result of the external interventions aiming to serve imperialist interests and exploit their natural resources.
We denounce with all the strength of our soul the recent attempted coup d’état in Turkey. Through military coups progress and a democratic perspective are not ensured, but authoritarianism and militarism are strengthened.
What both the people of Turkey and the peoples from the countries of the region want is a modern Turkey governed by the rule of law which guarantee the Turkish people all its democratic rights and freedoms, irrespective of nationality, colour or gender and far from any ethnic and religious fanaticism.
Tonight we are all here together again, because we are united by our common vision for the future of our common country and our common class identity. As a workers movement we know that no gains can be permanent and stable so long as our country remains forcibly divided and the presence of foreign troops in our country continues and is perpetuated.
On this opportunity, we welcome the recent militant and mass mobilizations of the Turkish Cypriot community with the young generation at the forefront, which rejects the measures aiming at its cultural and ideological guidance and the alteration of its identity.
The spirit and content of these mobilizations too is in the same direction with the spirit that was highlighted in the common celebrations of Workers May Day here in the buffer zone area, in the spirit of the Livanelli – Farandouri mass concert and in the spirit of today’s event.
This is so because it is it clear that the protection of the Cypriot identity and independence, the protection of our cultural and ideological values, can only be effectively ensured through a just and viable solution of the Cyprus problem and within the framework of a peaceful, democratic and free common homeland.
It is our common and strong conviction that the solution has been delayed for too long.
The intercommunal talks are the only way for an honorable agreement between the two communities, in order to pave the way for a better and hopeful future for our homeland and people. This is why the class-based trade union movement of Cyprus, from positions of principle, actively supports in practice the procedure of the negotiations.
We call upon the two leaders to rise to the occasion and based on all that has so far has been achieved at the negotiating table, to work honestly and with greater commitment and determination in order to achieve a result as soon as possible; for a bicommunal, bizonal federal solution with political equality as set out by the relevant UN documents within the framework of a reunified state with a single sovereignty, a single citizenship and a single international personality; for a Cyprus without foreign military presence, without protectors and guardians, far from any military alliances, a Cyprus that will be a bridge of peace and security for the whole of our region.
Brothers and Sisters,
Fellow compatriots,
Through the cooperation and joint action between the progressive forces in both communities, a bastion of resistance is being forged against chauvinism and the resistance to hatred and intolerance is being strengthened. This is why rapprochement is being targeted by all sorts of nationalists and apologists of partition.
To all those who are fighting against this cooperation and looking for ways to limit it, we will again tell them one thing – you will not frighten us, nor will you lead us astray. We will continue to repeat over and over again the renowned slogan of the big mobilizations of the Turkish Cypriot community for a solution and reunification, which has now become the slogan of all progressive Cypriots:
“Peace in Cyprus cannot be prevented”
Let’s sing again this year together with our distinguished fellow artists for peace and friendship for a united, common, free and democratic homeland; for our visions which do not stop here but go much further; for a qualitatively better society with equality and social justice, which will respect and reward the people of labour and toil and put people over profits and big interests.
– Long live peace, cooperation and friendship of peoples!
– Long live the solidarity and unity of workers!
– Long live the reunified Federal, free and demilitarized Cyprus!
