41 years since the fascist coup
In the early morning of July 15th 1974, the fascist coup d'état of the Junta and EOKA B took place, which opened the doors for Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The actions and consequences of the coup d'étatand of the Turkish invasion are well known, as the people of Cyprus still bear the consequences: Turkish occupation of 37% of our country territories, illegal Turkish troops, refugees, dead and injured people, missing persons, settlers.
With the outbreak of the coup, thousands of Cypriot democrats from all corners of the country rushed to defend democracy, many of whom selflessly sacrificed their lives. Many were tortured by the coup plotters of EOKA B, others were executed by Junta officers and others were killed or injured during battles, defending the Republic of Cyprus. Five days later, they did not hide, they ran to the trenches instead, in order to defend Cyprus against the Turkish invasion.
Amongst them were members of EDON, AKEL and of the Popular Movement of Cyprus: Andreas Kestas, Nikos Flourentzou, Pampos Christofi, Christakis Kompos, Kostas Misiaoulis, Achilleas Kourtellis, Sotiris Adamou Konstantinou, Sotiris Papalazarou, Andreas Stylianou, Kostakis Andreou and many others, who lost their lives in the name of our tortured homeland, sacrificing their youth and future.
The coup d'état did not come as a bolt from the blue nor as the result of a civil war. It was a well organized plan, elaborated in the headquarters of the imperialist NATO, financed by the CIA and executed by the Greek Junta and the fascist EOKA B, which since its founding in 1971 and under the leadership of Grivas, was leading Cyprus to destruction with mathematical precision.
The fascist coup was not executed by any unscrupulous people, as the advocates of fascism want us to believe. The nationalist action, the torturing and executions of Cypriot leftists and democrats were conscious tactics of the extreme right and of Grivas' followers long before the coup d'état. This vigorous fascist action is clearly listed with gruesome details in the conclusions of the Reports of the Ad-hoc Parliamentary Committee of the Cyprus issue
Moreover, there is nothing coincidental about the efforts of making the aggressor and the victim equals, the defenders of democracy equal with those that tried to overthrow it. This is an effort that has been intensifying in the last few years with memorials from the official State to coup plotters and to the construction of monuments dedicated to the commandos that participated in the coup d'état against the Republic of Cyprus. This is a conscious and shameless effort of counterfeiting history and exculpating the coup plotters of DISY (Democratic Rally), its Government and the Archbishop.
However, we are well aware of the fact that remembrance feeds the present and leads to the future. We are aiming towards a future were repeating past mistakes will not be possible, as remembrance and historical truth have taught us that, when we are united, the people of Cyprus can accomplish great achievements. Furthermore, they have taught us that as Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, it is our duty to hold the Cypriot flag high and to fight for the unification of our divided country.
EDON is not only present in this fight, but is in the frontline, leading our youth in the fight for the liberation and unification of our country, in the framework of a Bizonal-Bicommunal Federation, withsingle sovereignty, single international personality and single citizenship with political equality, as set out by the relevant UN resolutions
The Central Council of EDON invites all Cypriots to participate in the great anti-occupation event organized by AKEL for the condemnation of the double crime against Cyprus, on Wednesday July 15th, on the day of the anniversary of the coup d'état at the amphitheatre “SKALI” in Aglantzia at 8:00 pm. Prior to the event, a big youth march will take place at 6:45 pm, with its starting point at the KAPNOS Airport Shuttle bus station (Kyrenias Avenue, opposite the Archbishop's Makarios III school in Dasoupoli).
Press Office
Central Council of EDON
14/07/2015