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- Ελληνικά
It is with great emotion and national pride that I address tonight's anti-commemorative event commemorating the occupation of Kyrenia by this sacred site, the Mound of Makedonitissa, where several heroes of the resistance and war against the Turkish invader are buried, on behalf of the President of the Republic, who, due to other unfulfilled obligations, has not been able to be here with us.
This year marks the 49th anniversary of that bloody summer of 1974, which left its mark on all our souls and forever marked, in the worst way, the history of our small country. Already 49 years of sorrow, agony, struggle and anticipation have passed.
Our beloved Kyrenia was the first target of the Turkish invader. From the very first moment it was ruthlessly bombarded by Attila's forces from land, sea and air.
At dawn on July 20, 1974, the National Guard units with the mission of manning the positions in the bay of Kyrenia, as well as the residents of the city were bombed by air and cannon fire from the landing forces, while it was not possible to emit sufficient fire to stop the invasion
Later in the day, the National Guard advanced forces to Pente Mili, Kyrenia, who fired on the Turkish units that had already landed, causing them heavy casualties. But this was not enough to stop the reinforcement and enlargement of the Turkish beachhead.
The heroic forces of the 251 TP under the command of the hero Pavlos Kouroupis together with the heroic lockejides, the black-scouts of the 286 TP and the 281 TP and other soldiers of the National Guard fought the invaders with unparalleled courage in a fight that was betrayed from the beginning.
In the early hours of 22 July 1974, the second landing wave arrived on the shores of Kyrenia with the priority of occupying the entire province.
Despite the unequal struggle and the heroic resistance of the front line forces of the National Guard, the Turks occupied Kyrenia, Lapithos, Karavas, 37% of our Cyprus and left in their wake dead, orphans, missing persons, pain, misery, enormous destruction and thousands of our compatriots refugees from their land, their homes from the land of their ancestors.
According to Greek mythology, Kyrenia was founded by the Achaeans Cepheus and Praxander on their return from the Trojan War to their homeland, giving it the name of their city, Kyrenia, located in Achaia. Kyrenia our beloved city of Kyrenia...
It is hard to fit it into the mind of man! As the poet writes:
It is hard to believe that the sea of Kyrenia brought them to us
It is hard to believe that our beloved sea of Kyrenia brought them to us
It is hard to believe that our beloved sea of Kyrenia brought them to us
It is hard to believe that our beloved sea of Kyrenia brought them to us
It is hard to believe that our beloved sea of Kyrenia brought them to us.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Women and old men, with terror in their eyes, panic-stricken and without destination, took the road of refuge then, exhausted, seeking escape and salvation from the hell of war.
In our memory, the image of the black-clad mothers of our missing, day and night at the barricades, seeking with silent tears the truth about the fate of their children, comes vividly to mind.
The unacceptable situation created by the Turkish invasion and the continuing occupation of a large part of our homeland is, unfortunately, constantly consolidating. Turkey has been demonstrating the same intransigent attitude for decades and continues to violate human rights, usurp our properties, colonize, destroy our cultural heritage and claim the permanent presence of Turkish troops in Cyprus, disregarding the European acquis and ignoring international law.
It is imperative to put an end to the absurdity that sustains and perpetuates the presence of occupying troops, the violation of human rights and basic freedoms and the ongoing colonization and alteration of the demographic composition of our homeland.
We have an obligation to all those who have sacrificed for the justice and freedom of our country, to join in the common effort, with vision, with determination, but also with wisdom, in order to remove the current deadlocks.
We cannot and must not ignore the fact that Turkey continues to violate United Nations Resolutions, Security Council Resolutions and European Union conclusions condemning the military invasion and prolonged occupation of our country's territories.
We also cannot ignore the defiant and intransigent attitude of Ankara regarding the unacceptable proposal for a "two independent states solution", which is not and will not be an option for us to solve the Cyprus problem.
Despite all Turkey's provocative claims, the President of the Republic, Mr. Nicos Christodoulides, with a strong will, is making continuous and tireless efforts to achieve enhanced involvement of the European Union and the international actor in the process of dialogue for the resolution of the Cyprus problem.
The European Union is the best guarantee for the reunification of the island, for the smooth coexistence of all its legitimate inhabitants.
As the Republic of Cyprus we seek a just, viable and workable solution. A solution that will liberate our country and allow our people, after 49 years of continuous efforts and through historical compromises, to live together in security and prosperity in a free and reunited homeland.
This is the legacy we carry and this is the direction we have the obligation to walk towards.
Lift up your back and put them down, my five-fingered one,
lift up your back and put them down....
(Kostas Montis, Moments of Invasion)
(MΓ)
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
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