Speech by AKEL Parliamentary Representative G. Loukaides at the Event in honor of the decision of 16 June 1943

 

 

17 June 2024, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

Tonight’s event is an obligation to pay tribute to all those who fought for our people’s rights, for peace and the people. It is a modest expression of our gratitude to the veteran combatants of World War II, both those still alive and those who have passed away. Fighters who stand today as beacons and symbols of the anti-fascist struggle.

Only if we reflect on what and who they had to face will we comprehend the greatness of their heroism, service and contribution to Cyprus and the world.

Tonight we honor all those who volunteered to fight Hitler fascism, responding to AKEL’s decision to address a call to its members to volunteer and enlist.

We pay tribute at the same time to all Cypriot fighters of World War II, both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

We also honor the antifascist resistance fighters of the generation that followed, who defended the Cyprus Republic, Democracy and the Freedom of Cyprus from the Greek Junta and EOKA B.

However, tonight’s event is also a lesson in History. Today, when conditions resemble that of the period between the two World Wars, it is extremely important to remember, to review history and, draw conclusions, to look ahead and strive for the future.

Why is the decision [taken by the Central Committee of AKEL] of 16 June 1943 historic?

• Because it is a principal reference point of the Cypriots’ struggle against fascism, for the liberation of Greece and the world from Hitler fascism’s tyranny and for the securing of Cyprus’ national, political and social future.
• Because this decision represented the next stage in the anti-fascist struggle waged by the Party, taking the baton from the Communist Party of Cyprus, which had already had the voluntary enlistment in the anti-fascist front in Spain as part of its historical course, confirming AKEL’s character as an anti-fascist and anti-Hitler party.
• Because the decision of 16th June represents the clear imprint of the internationalist and at the same time patriotic political line that was charted by AKEL. The call for the people’s voluntary enlistment combined the anti-fascist struggle with the anti-colonial liberation movement in Cyprus. In short, AKEL correctly read the context and conditions in which the Cypriot people had to struggle for the freedom of their homeland.

It is therefore no coincidence at all that we honor this decision as a political act. Nor is it a coincidence that we honor it here, in the very heart of the city of Limassol. It was right here, in the ‘Rialto’ Theatre, that the Party Conference approved the list of 730 volunteers who responded to AKEL’s call.

It is also worth noting that all the members of the Central Committee without exception declared their willingness to enlist, however it was considered appropriate to enlist eleven out of its seventeen members, so as to ensure that AKEL would continue to function.

Lesson one. The leadership exists not only to take decisions, but also to step forward to implement decisions by leading by its own example.

Moreover, here, in the centre of Limassol, a Heroes’ Monument to the eternal glory of the heroes of the 1821 Revolution and World War II was also erected by the then elected People’s Municipal Council and with the voluntary work of the Local Clubs/Associations of the mass organisations of the Left.

The decision of 16th June 1943 was not a one-off anti-fascist action. It was preceded by a campaign that was launched by AKEL, within the context of which its members set out in every corner of Cyprus to inform the people about developments on the battle front, about the need for Cyprus and the world to fight against the monster of Hitler fascism.

Furthermore, AKEL submitted proposals to the colonial regime for the active contribution of Cypriots in the anti-fascist struggle, indicating that the first step should have been the removal of the British colonial regime of Governor Palmer.

In addition, AKEL called on the British colonialists to pledge that after the war the way must be opened for Cyprus to enjoy its freedom. That was one part of AKEL’s campaign.

AKEL did not confine itself to simply submitting proposals. It also went into action, organising a campaign under the slogan “A Day’s Work for the Defence of Cyprus”, calling on workers to contribute a day’s wages in order to boost Cyprus’ defences so it could confront a possible Hitler invasion. The response of the people was overwhelming.

Lesson two. Patriotism is not judged by empty talk and slogans but by practical action – in the moment when you need to stand up to be counted.

The biggest challenge, however, was to convince Cypriots to join forces with the British colonialists who oppressed them unbearably and who categorically refused to grant rights and freedoms to the Cypriot people. The British colonialists were equally adamant in rejecting AKEL’s demand for the liberation of Cyprus after the end of the war. But AKEL managed to convince that at the crucial moment the anti-fascist duty had to prevail.

Lesson three. It is a great thing for a political force to be able to distinguish what is the essence and principal task at a given moment. It is an even greater challenge, especially in the current circumstances, to find ways to convince of this, to bear in mind the big picture and at the same time to create and strengthen out ties and bonds with the people through actions, not by cultivating impressions.

The antifascist struggle was a great school for AKEL’s cadres. There, they developed a rich activity, asserting dignified conditions for their comrades-in-arms, organising educational and cultural events, establishing relations with the international anti-fascist movement. All these experiences that they had accumulated in their experience being fully utilized in the subsequent difficult social and class struggles in the years that followed, which were led by the People’s Movement in Cyprus.

The end of the war did not lead to the demobilisation of Cypriot soldiers. The British colonialists refused to demobilise them and so the AKEL cadres and members found themselves organising the demobilisation movement. The murder of comrade Takis Kythraeotis and the internment of Cypriot soldiers in the concentration camps of Egypt was the harsh response of the British colonialists, but this did not daunt the members of AKEL.

The Second World War ended with the crushing defeat of Hitler fascism. But for the wheel to turn, tens of millions of people sacrificed their lives shedding their own blood. The Soviet Union and communists everywhere were at the forefront of this anti-fascist struggle.  The war meat grinder that Hitler had set up at that time, was destroyed. The worst that human civilization and the human mind could ever produce went along with it. Namely, the inhumane Nazi-fascist ideology.

But the root cause of the horrific monster wasn’t eradicated. In the current conditions of repeated crises and profound deadlocks of the system, in the era of the imposition and perpetuation, at any price, of the global hegemony of the imperialist powers and the so-called “new order”, at the heart of the extreme phenomena that point to a deep crisis or rather a deep rot of the system itself, lies the aiding and abetting, the fomentation and revival of neo-fascist and neo-Nazi organisations.

This was unfortunately reflected in the result of the recent European elections, with the electoral growth of the extreme right in Cyprus and across Europe. And it may be that here the ‘Golden Dawn’ of Cyprus, which appears as the far-right ELAM party, is still portraying another image, but elsewhere the extreme right is now unconcealed. The statement by the German far-right leader Maximilian that “not everyone in the SS was a criminal” is characteristic and is revealing of the identity of the far-right, which is trying in the pool of percentages to wash away the crimes the neo-Nazis committed and exonerate them.

Equally characteristic was the statement made by the leader of ‘Golden Dawn’ Michaloliakos, that they are the seed of those defeated in 1945, as are the pictures circulating with ELAM leading officials giving the Nazi salute.

“But they have been elected by democratic procedures” is the reply of certain forces and circles when AKEL takes a stand against the far right. Hitler was also elected. This does not negate the obligation that we in particular have to fight fascism ideologically and isolate neo-fascism politically.

As to AKEL’s insistence from the very beginning on the need to isolate the far right politically, when the snake was still in its egg, the right-wing DISY party, the Anastasiades government and now the Christodoulides government, the majority of political parties and most of the state institutions responded by normalising the far-right. They have turned it into their institutional interlocutor and partner and have made electoral deals with it.

Worse still, they used, and still do so, similar nationalist and racist rhetoric, opening up avenues for the prevalence of the ideology of hatred and fear of anything they consider as different, thus creating the preconditions for the far-right narrative to gradually evolve into the dominant one.

Those who have been acting all this time as political and ideological communicating vessels with the far right, because they naturally became communicating vessels serving electoral expediencies and their electoral strength was threatened, have taken care, with shameless audacity, to attempt, if ever possible, to blame AKEL for the growth of the far right.

We are to blame because, they say without any shame whatsoever, we supposedly concern ourselves with them and that we too have refused to normalize them. In addition, they invoke the despicable “two extremes” theory. But the answer as to who is responsible for the rise of the far right is given by life itself and the otherwise tragic reality as it is evolving in practice.

Firstly, it is their own model of normalisation that was imposed and not, unfortunately, the warnings issued and suggestions outlined by AKEL. The policy of the far-right’s normalisation, like the policy of appeasement towards Hitler, in practice strengthened this phenomenon instead of combatting it.

Secondly, again as a result but also on the basis of historical experience, the policies imposed in Cyprus and Europe by the economic-political ruling classes, which instead of improving people’s lives, reinforce social and economic inequalities, widen poverty and social marginalisation and cause the massive decimation of the middle strata, also create the fertile ground for the far-right to grow.

So let them stop boasting that they supposedly don’t understand what is to blame and trying to deflect their grave responsibility for its development. Let them stop calling the far-right “good guys” and presenting the far-right as just another voice in democracy. Because the far-right is nothing but a voice against democracy and against human rights. Because “good guys” don’t salute Nazis. “Good guys” don’t carry weapons illegally, nor do they send hooded men to settle scores and count money in churches and monasteries.

The Right’s operation to pardon and exonerate the ultra-right so as not to lose the support of the far-right, apparently seeking to continue to employ it as a reserve force in critical moments, does not work on AKEL.

We know very well who they are and we will not stop exposing their true face. This is the minimum debt we owe to those who gave their lives to prevent fascism from prevailing. But it is also our greatest duty to the future generations to whom we must hand over a free and reunited homeland, a homeland of peace, progress and prosperity.

The result of the double elections of 9 June was marked not only by the rise of the far-right, but also by the emergence of a candidate who, without any political positions, won the support of a significant proportion of the electorate. Obviously, those who supported this candidate do not agree among themselves either as to why they supported this candidacy or as to what they expect from it.

In any case, we will study both the electoral behaviour of society as it is evolving and focus on how we improve our work and overcome weaknesses in order to reaffirm AKEL as the leading political force of the country. As a political party with long experience, with positions and proposals, with a serious and consistent political line on all the issues that concern the country and society.

The loss of a seat in the European Parliament is unquestionably a negative result for AKEL, as is the failure to achieve our goal of increasing our electoral percentages in relation to the 2021 parliamentary elections. A result that we have no intention of hiding under the carpet.

On the other hand, however, we must underline that in the local government elections, AKEL recorded many significant successes. This must not be overlooked.

AKEL achieved victories in the overwhelming majority of the candidates it supported in the Local Government Elections, even in the cases where it supported its own candidate alone. It is indicative that through the alliances that were forged, we elected the Mayors of the five biggest cities of Cyprus, as well as a total of 14 out of the 20 Mayors, and the Mayors of the largest Municipalities of the refugees from the occupied areas, namely a total of 7 out of 9.

It is also significant to point out that AKEL recorded an increase of more than 5% in the votes for AKEL Municipality Councilor electoral lists for local government compared to the last parliamentary elections. Within the Municipal Councils and School Boards, persons belonging to the Social Alliance were elected by 25% and 43% respectively, which refutes the attempt by certain forces and circles to portray the newly created institution as a failure. In addition, with regard to our objective of increasing gender representation, women elected to Municipal Councils and School Boards represented 32% and 54% of our electoral lists respectively.

The above figures prove that the hard work and effort made by AKEL’s cadres and militants, its members and friends on a local level is recognised and embraced by society. Local communities know and recognise that the Left has the experience, the positions, the people and the ability to forge cooperation and joint action at a local level to produce work in local government.

That is precisely why they have put a great deal of trust in the Local government Reform, especially at a critical juncture when the implementation of the new, reformed institutional framework is beginning. This trust must and can be vindicated.

The result of the double elections has therefore revealed weaknesses, but it has also demonstrated unlimited potential. It is up to all of us to correct the weaknesses and develop our potential. We will do so, rest assured.

AKEL carries in its long, almost hundred-year history, many prestigious historical badges of honor. AKEL’s decision of the 16th of June that we are commemorating tonight, the struggle against fascism, the struggles for democracy and freedom of our homeland, for working people’s rights, for social gains, for dignity, for people’s rights, for the Homeland are just some of them.

All these are the strength of our history. And with this strength we will win the future, setting new goals, achieving new gains, always moving forward!

Long live the 16th of June!