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With feelings of national pride and with great emotion we celebrate here today the memorial of the heroically fallen of the Community of Kampos, who with courage and self-denial faced the barbaric Turkish invader that dark summer of '74.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the most tragic event in modern Cypriot history. 50 years of Turkish occupation of the northern part of our Cyprus. 50 years of uprooting and refugeeism. The wounds have not been healed.
It is our duty and our national duty that the memory of our heroes and missing persons should never be forgotten. Everyday people who, knowing that the hordes of the barbarian invader were numerous, threw themselves into battle to defend their homeland as other Spartans, to guard Thermopylae.
Let us therefore remember together and keep the flame of the memory of these heroes unquenched.
Christakis Christodoulides, son of Aristotle and Maritsa. He was born in 1955 and had two sisters and a brother, Andreas Christodoulides, who is still missing. In 1974 Christakis was serving his military service in the heroic 211 Infantry Battalion. On 20 July 1974 he was killed in action at the age of 19 on the Green Line, defending Nicosia.
Aris Mavroskoufis, of Nathaniel and Elpida. He was born in 1949 and had three brothers and three sisters. During the Turkish invasion he immediately enlisted as a reservist and fought for the 256 Infantry Battalion at Limniti. On 16 August 1974 he fell heroically fighting at the age of 25, when during a tactical retreat he ran to the aid of his wounded comrade-in-arms and fellow soldier Christos Kalaitzis.
Christos Kalaitzis of Panagiotis. He was born in 1945 and was married to Evroulla, with whom he had two daughters, Elena and Maria. He fought as a reserve soldier on the fields of Lefka and Limnitis. On 16 August he was killed at the age of 29.
Ioannis Achilles, son of Achilles and Helen Gabriel. Born in 1950, he was the only son in a family of seven. He immediately rushed to enlist when called by his country, and served in the 256th Infantry Battalion. On 21 July 1974 he was killed in action in the Peristeronari area of Pentaya, at the age of 24.
Andreas Georgalidis, of George and Theodosia Georgalidis. He was born in 1952 and had one sister and one brother. He enlisted and fought bravely with the 256 Infantry Battalion. On July 21, 1974, at the age of 22, he fell heroically fighting in the Peristeronari area. He left behind his fiancée Christina Matthaiou, who was carrying their son, who, in honour of his father whom he never met, was named Andreas Georgalides.
Themistocles Drakos, of Ioannis and Eleni Drakos. He was born in 1955 and had one sister and three brothers. The summer of 1974 found him serving his military service in the 361st Infantry Battalion. On 14 August 1974 he was captured by the Turks in the Kythrea-Synchari area and thereafter his fate was unknown. His remains were identified by DNA and he was buried in Kampos in May 2012.
Evaggelos Evripidis, of Evripidis and Urania Demetriou. He was born in 1940 and was married with two sons and a daughter. He enlisted as a reserve soldier in the 305 Infantry Battalion. On August 15, 1974 his traces disappeared in the area of Neo Chorio Kythrea. He was identified by the DNA method and buried at the Tomb of Makedonitissa on 30 July 2014.
Charalambos Fandaros, of Savvas and Eugenia Fandaros. He was born in 1955 and had two more brothers. During the Turkish invasion he was performing his military service in the 286 Mechanized Infantry Battalion. On 15 August 1974 he was killed in action on Lapatsas Hill, between Skyloura-Kontemenou-Agia Marina. He was only 19 years old. His remains were identified by the DNA method and his funeral took place on 15 October 2017, in the Community of Kampos.
Theocharis Kimis, of Andreas and Chrysanthios Kimis. He was born in 1954 and had one sister. The black summer of 1974 finds Theocharis performing his military service in the 211 Infantry Battalion. On 22 July 1974 he fell heroically fighting at the age of 20 in Neapolis, Nicosia. His remains were identified by the DNA method and he was buried on 21 April 2018, in his beloved Tsakistra.
Charalambos Antoniou, son of Antonis and Maria Antoniou from Gerakies. He was born in 1951 and had one brother and one sister. He was married to Theodora Antoniou and had one son, Abraham. On August 15, 1974 he fell heroically fighting in the Voni Area at the age of 23. His remains were identified by DNA and he was buried in Kampos on 3 March 2019.
But there are also the lads who ran to the front to face Attila's hordes, and whose fate remains unknown. To this day, the Kabou community is waiting patiently for news of the fate of three of its lads who remain missing. Reserve officer Andreas Christoforou, who went missing on 20 July at Pente Mili in Kyrenia, Reserve officer Theophanis Orfanou, who was last seen in Boni on 15 August 1974 and Reserve officer Andreas Christodoulides, who was captured by the occupier in Lapithos on 6 August 1974 and has been missing ever since.
The drama of the missing keeps the wounds of the invasion open to this day. The Christodoulides government supports the efforts of the Commission of Inquiry on Missing Persons to determine the fate of the last missing person. It is our duty and responsibility towards our heroes, towards our country, towards our history. But above all, it is our responsibility to their families, who to this day are waiting patiently to hear any news about their loved ones.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The administration of President Christodoulides has as its highest priority the resolution of the Cyprus problem and the reunification of our long-suffering island. The President of the Republic has fought to make possible the appointment of the UN Secretary General's Personal Envoy Ms. Holguín and has reiterated many times his readiness to resume negotiations from the point where they stopped in Crans-Montana. Negotiations for a solution based on international law and United Nations resolutions, based on a bizonal bicommunal federation with political equality. These efforts will continue despite the difficulties, despite the intransigent attitude of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side. A homeland where Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latinos will live and work in security, peace and prosperity.
The ray of light that guides us towards these goals for the freedom of our Cyprus is the struggles of our heroes. And we promise that our efforts will not stop until we achieve our goals. What better memorial service can we give to our ancestors and heroes?
May the memory of our heroes be eternal, and may the Almighty put his hand to ascertain the fate of our missing brothers and sisters.
(Sap/MS)
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