Speech of Andros Kyprianou, General Secretary of AKEL, at the burial of the remains of the Themistocleous family
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 10th October 2015, Nicosia
The modern history of Cyprus is not only fraught with stories of heroes who fell heroically in the battle for freedom and the dignity of our country. It is also watered with thousands of tears of human suffering and pain. It is full of stories of people who lost everything in a few hours. It is loaded with the unbearable pain of verifying the fate of all those who perished. The same tragic end is being repeated in the cold chambers for the identification of the remains of missing people. It again brings back in the minds of those who lived these tragedies; it haunts the lives of those who have simply learned to live the loss daily with every day the same hope fading away. How and so many, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, have not passed away during these forty years in the refugee settlements with the absence of their beloved ones haunting them – yearning for their beloved ones from one day to the next passing by, until you hear the news… How many beloved ones have remained forever old photographs?
Where will someone today find the strength to write a few words for the epilogue of such a crime? Where can one find some words to say about the murder of an infant just six months old, Andreas Kyriacou, his mother Angela and Themistoulas, about the murder of Maro, Soula and Eleni Themistocleous?
Grandmother Eleni held the house key in her hand. The six month old baby Andreas was in his mother’s arms and Aunty Angelica with the wedding ring on her hand. Rings, pieces of dresses and diapers unearthed reveal the life that war unjustly and cowardly takes away. Keys held in hands that hold the hope of return. Wedding rings on fingers waiting for a partner that was a victim to the crime of betrayal and invasion that was committed. A mother’s embrace who cannot part with her child, not even in that final hour and who strives to protect it against weapons.
That August in 1974 the whole family ran to leave the village of Trahoni, moving towards Palekythro village. The father and the brother of the family were on the way and the rest in a nearby field. The father managed to shout to the others to climb on a tractor that was coming so that they could all leave together. At that time a cousin of their family informed them that his father had been hit. They heard shots and what seemed to be the first tanks appearing. The tractor driver began the drive to Lythrodontas village. It is said that a mortar shell split the family, which was wiped out with the few that survived that had move ahead of them searching for traces of their beloved till today.
The family broke up as a result of the horrible double crime committed in our country in 1974; by the crime of the Turkish invasion which forced our people to live divided in its own homeland. It was separated by those who planned, executed and by those who tolerated the crime. There is only one way to punish this crime and to defeat its goal, which is none other than the partition of our country.
Forty years after that summer of 1974, there is only one way to soften the pain and heal the wound: to liberate once and for all our homeland from the occupation troops, to defeat the barbed wire, to live in harmony and unity on the land of our birth without fear for the day after.
The talks between President Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci have revived this hope. It is true that this is due largely to the presence of Mustafa Akinci in the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community. He is a politician whose long-standing positions on the Cyprus problem are based on the agreed framework of the solution. The time has come for him to confirm this at the negotiating table as well. President Anastasiades as well needs to negotiate consistency to principles, with collectivity and seriousness. We note with satisfaction that the adoption of much of the Christofias-Talat convergences by President Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci, gives an impetus to the procedure. We certainly do not underestimate Turkey’s role, which must appear ready to make its own concessions on security issues, the withdrawal of the occupation troops and settlers, but also9 with regards the territorial issue.
It’s true that there is a positive climate which opens a window of hope. The challenge is to manage to open wide open this window for the reunification of the country. The role of each of us is to act patriotically and responsibly, work for the solution as agreed for 38 years now, to fight for the liberation and reunification of the common homeland of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. We do not want to cultivate any illusions among the Cypriot people. We do anticipate as of now celebrating about the solution of the Cyprus problem. But neither are we absolute in our estimations by rejecting any positive step. We have before us a favorable conjuncture. We must all rise to the occasion and not let it go to waste.
For us the solution of the Cyprus problem is the principal and unwavering goal. It’s the only way for our people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, to live without jeopardizing the survival of the place of their birth. It is the only way to create conditions for growth, prosperity and progress. When we talk about a solution, we of course do not mean any kind solution. We mean a solution that will terminate the occupation and colonization; that will restore the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity of the Republic of Cyprus. We are struggling for a solution based on the UN resolutions, the High-Level Agreements and on International and European Law; for a solution that will demilitarize Cyprus and exclude any guarantee or rights of intervention in the internal affairs of the country by foreign forces; for a s solution that will reunite the territory, the people, institutions and economy under a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality, as described in the UN texts; for a s solution with such characteristics that must be put before the people of Cyprus, after having been agreed at the negotiating table.
For such a solution to be achieved, we are ready to work with all our strength. Forty years is a long time. Self-criticism, consistency and sincerity for cooperation and collectivity can act as a catalyst so that we can finally move forward. We should all work together to bury forever the nightmare of partition, to write the epilogue to the tragic chapter of 1974 and deliver to the next generations a peaceful and reunified Cyprus.
No mind can conceive how the history of humanity can tolerate such crimes as those that occurred in Cyprus in 1974. There is no justice that can comfort the victims of such crimes, of which our country’s history and humanity is full of; that enables the killing of a six months old baby. There are no words that can comfort the Themistocleous family on such a day… There is no way to heal this wound, stop the thought that is hurting an entire people, who in spite of the misfortune and pain, wants to take the keys from the hand of grandmother Eleni and go back to the old times, to go back where she was born and took root; to the home and neighborhood of the village. To go back without being targeted by weapons and guns, without being followed by the watchful eye of the army, without being reminded that the occupation is a passing visitor. Going back to the land watered by our people with so much blood.
We will struggle for that day to dawn, to redeem our people so much injustice…so that this will remain the consolation for the pain suffered by the Themistocleous family.
May their memory be eternal…
