Recalling the painful period of the "Cyprus Crisis of 1963-64", when intra-Cypriot violence between the two communities of the island, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, prevailed, we gathered today at the Holy Church of Panagia Evangelistria, to celebrate the annual memorial service of the heroic student of Idali, Dimitris Hamatsos and the rest of those who died in the battle of Agios Sozomenos.
Dimitris Hamatsos, despite his young age, harmoniously combined the virtues of philanthropy and heroism.
With self-denial and self-sacrifice, he proved that true heroes include not only those who, appointed to guard Thermopylae, fought valiantly to the end. The sacred delts of the heroic martyrs of our homeland also include those who, guided by the inner need to offer, voluntarily stood up for it when it became an urgent and unavoidable necessity.
From the ramparts of offering and sacrifice, the 18-year-old student Dimitris Hamatsos demonstrated unparalleled determination and agility, defying and overcoming every danger and every obstacle.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Heroes retain the privilege of remaining forever in the collective historical memory, immortal and indestructible.
Dimitri's eternal youth is reflected in his statue, which is an irrefutable witness to his cheerfulness, and a minimal reward, on our part, for his sacrifice on the altar of defending the freedom of this land.
"[...] Heroes walk in the darkness [...]".
This is what our Nobel Prize-winning poet Odysseas Elytis submits to us in his poem "Last Station", expressing the bitter thought that flooded his mind as he contemplated the heroic sacrifices of his people and the uncertainty of the future. Not because he becomes a prisoner of his heroism, but because his very existence commands it. To walk the road of duty to the end, without compromise, without concessions, without other thoughts.
For them the road is not dark. It is glorious in the light.
For what else but light can the age-old need for freedom and justice be considered?
It is with deep emotion, therefore, that we honour the memory of Dimitris Hamatsos today.
Dimitris was born in Dali, on May 28, 1945, in the humble rural family of eight members of Nikolas and Milia Hamatsos, farmers by profession.
He was raised and educated with the universal human values of freedom and justice. He learned from an early age, through his experiences, that the virtue of philanthropy, as characterized by the ancient philosopher Epicurus, is an integral instinctive and primordial feeling of the Greek and his way of approaching the place where he lives, reflects and interacts.
After primary school, he attended the Central Pancyprian Gymnasium in Nicosia and from the third grade he enrolled at the Lambrakis School. His interests ranged from reading, painting and poetry, to sports and especially football, from which he served on the football team of Chalkanoras Idaliou from a young age.
His friends and classmates vividly remember his spontaneity and enthusiasm.
His friends and classmates vividly remember his spontaneity and enthusiasm. They have in their souls deeply engraved memories of the time of their student days, the period of the liberation struggle of EOKA 1955-59. When Dimitrakis, as his friends called him, together with the other children of the school, at every opportunity, holding homemade Greek flags in their hands, sang the patriotic songs praising the struggle of EOKA.
Friends,
On 6 February '64, a group of civil servants accompanied by gendarmes went to repair a water pump near the mixed village of Agios Sozomenos, which supplied water to Athienou. Armed Turkish insurgents ambushed them and unprovoked shot and killed the gendarme Andreas Loukas and the farm guard Takis Michael. Soon armed volunteer forces from the surrounding villages arrived in the area and the clashes reached uncontrollable proportions. As was evident from the events, the Turks had previously reinforced and organized themselves militarily within the village. They also transferred forces from the Turkish village of Lurutzina.
At the time, Dimitris Hamatsos, who was in the sixth grade of high school, was at home studying for his upcoming exams. When he was informed that clashes were taking place in the neighbouring village, he resolutely declared his willingness to volunteer to support the efforts of the local militia and police, who rushed to defend legality and enforce order.
Thus, he soon went to the scene and without hesitation, with self-denial and a sense of patriotic duty, he threw himself into the battle, in which the gendarmes Charalambos Varnava and Tasos Konstantinou also lost their lives. While trying to carry a wounded policeman, he was struck down by Turkish bullets and breathed his last on the field of honour. He sacrificed his life at the tender age of 18, trying to rescue a fellow soldier, and passed into eternity demonstrating unparalleled courage and supreme altruism at the critical moment. Since then he has been a symbol of the Idali community and an example for Cypriot Hellenism.
Greeks, Greeks,
The granting of independence to Cyprus in 1960 unfortunately left unresolved problems and gaps that increased mistrust between the two communities and paved the way for the implementation of Ankara's Turkish dichotomous policies.
The period of the inter-communal riots of 1963-64, as an outgrowth of Turkish policy, is a deep wound for the modern history of our country. Ten years after the heroic deeds of Cypriot Hellenism in 1963-'64, the civil strife and the traitorous coup of 1974 opened wide the door for Turkey to enter Cyprus. Ankara, implementing in practice its illegal plans, with the Turkish invasion of 1974, in violation of the treaties establishing the Republic of Cyprus and international law, militarily occupied and occupies 37% of our territory.
The thousands of dead and missing persons, the refugees uprooted from their homes, the stranded and the ruthless and widespread destruction of our cultural heritage are, among other things, the most important of the very painful aspects of the drama that has been unfolding in Cyprus for forty-nine years.
In the face of the contribution of Dimitris Hamatsos and all those who sacrificed themselves for the homeland, we are called upon to reflect on our own responsibility towards our history.
With the same determination and perseverance, we must continue to fight, with the ultimate goal of making our country a state of freedom, peace and justice.
We have no choice but to postpone and change our national goal for a solution to the Cyprus problem and the liberation of Cyprus.
We seek a just, viable and functional solution to the Cyprus problem, which will finally liberate our country, creating the conditions that will provide security and prosperity.
All the actions of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Chritodoulides, are focused in this direction, so that the deadlock is removed and the conditions are created that will allow the resumption of the talks.
All the actions of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Chritodoulides, are focused in this direction, so that the deadlock is removed and the conditions are created that will allow the resumption of the talks. The role and involvement of the European Union, in addition to the United Nations, must be important.
In this context, there is no room for communication games, unnecessary finger-pointing, insolent claims and assertions, provocative actions aimed at creating new fait accompli.
The proposal for a solution of two independent states is not an option for us.
The proposal for a solution of two independent states is not an option for us. On the contrary, it undermines any action aimed at the resumption of negotiations.
Nevertheless, it is a given and clear that Turkey's totally negative attitude does not diminish our will and commitment to continue fighting to achieve our ultimate goal, the solution of the Cyprus problem and the defence of the rights of our people.
This is what the sacrifice of the brave man we commemorate today suggests.
In the hour of crisis, Dimitris Hamatsos proved that, despite his young age, he had great reserves of determination, courage and bravery.
He did not bend, he did not hesitate, he did not shrink.
Taking, therefore, the message dictated by his sacrifice, we renew our oath that we will never abandon what belongs to us.
We will never, ever and for any reason, sell out what for centuries has shaped our national identity.
Only in this way will we be able to prove ourselves worthy of the march of our country's heroes, who offered their lives for the sacred cause of defending our homeland.
Eternal be the memory of Dimitris Hamatsos and the other heroes we commemorate today.
Thank you.
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