-
.
- Ελληνικά
Naval Base "Evangelos Florakis"
I am here today, first and foremost and humanly, with a deep feeling of sadness, but also the empathy of the ongoing grief of parents, children and relatives, which time cannot erase, for the unjust loss of the 13 heroic martyrs who died so tragically in Mari, exactly 12 years ago.
Who can forget that tragic July, the explosion, the children and the officers who, faithful to their mission, remained on duty, choosing the glorious, bloody, yet fatal road to immortality.
The tragic event has scarred us all and, beyond the pain, I am here today with sincere feelings of duty and honour, because we as a state must, on the one hand, pay tribute to all those who fell in the line of duty, preventing with their lives any greater suffering and the cost of more lives, and on the other hand we have an indisputable duty not to forget. On the contrary, to draw valuable life lessons that will guide our actions from now on.
We pay today, all together, the appropriate, minimal tribute and gratitude to the witnesses of the deadly Mari explosion, an explosion that not only tragically marked the lives of 13 of our fellow human beings and their families that July, but also traumatized the souls of all Cypriots. It would not be an exaggeration, and this is something that the historian of the future will evaluate, to say that the Mari explosion then heralded new trials for the multiply afflicted people of Cyprus. Unfortunately. As if the blackness and darkness that spread across the sky that morning, which no one could have imagined, foreshadowed new calamities for our country, along with the tragic human losses that we are still mourning. Justifiably agonizing "why" torment relatives and friends. Omissions, wrong decisions and failure to take the right actions in time. What went wrong and why, why was evil not foreseen, why was it not prevented as it should have been?
The state or rather the safety and control system did not work and the tragic accident happened, it was not prevented. The state owes a big and sincere apology, not only to these 13 pure patriots who sacrificed themselves in the line of duty, but most importantly to their families who are enduring the unrelenting pain and paying the heavy price of the unjust loss of their loved ones and it never, ever ends. The state, the state, the institutions must function properly, on the basis of rules, mechanisms and control, protecting citizens, people and human life at all times.
Therefore, to all of you, the everyday heroes who have been called upon to suffer the consequences of this tragedy, I want to repeat my sincere apologies, assuring you that no one has forgotten the dedication and unparalleled virtue shown by our heroes honoured today on that fateful day, as they have done since their first day of service to their country.
The most important message, however, in honouring the tragic dead, is not this. It is the awareness on our part, on the part of our government of the grave responsibility of those who command to ensure the implementation and protection of the fundamental right of every human being to life, in time of peace, in time of work, in time of duty. Our concern must be to establish proper procedures, training and constant checks to guarantee, to the extent humanly possible, the safety of human life, of our officers, officials and citizens. In times of peace, but also in times of crisis, to guarantee that we live in a safe country that reduces, as far as humanly possible, such tragic developments. This, the awareness of the responsibility of those in power to protect human life and public health, is the heaviest burden on all of us who decide to get involved in public life and we must not forget it for a single day, and this assumption should always guide our policy-making.
Respected relatives of our heroes, as a state, unfortunately, whatever we do, I know that it cannot ease the pain of the so unjust, untimely loss of your beloved children, brothers, sisters, wives and parents. But I want you to know that I will do everything possible to ensure that their sacrifice becomes a shield of protection for citizens, a springboard and a commitment to do all that is needed to ensure that through the modernisation and upgrading of procedures, operating and monitoring rules, continuous training, that Cyprus does not experience such a tragedy again.
The sacrifice of Andreas Ioannidis, Lambros Lambros, Kleanthis Kleanthous, Michalis Irakleous, Miltiades Christoforou, Christakis Christoforou, Antonis Charalambous, Andreas Papadopoulou, George Giakoumis, Vassilis Krokos, Spyros Tantis, Panagiotis Theofilou, Adamos Adamou is the heavy price that you, their families, are the first to pay. At the same time, for all of us, their sacrifice is a constant and unceasing reminder of our duty to do our utmost to ensure that tragic events such as this are never repeated.
We reverently bow today with respect and gratitude to the memory of our 13 heroes of Cyprus, reiterating our strong promise that we will never again allow parents to mourn their children, children to lose their fathers, women to be deprived of their partners, families to lose their children so tragically, unjustly and inexplicably. At the same time, we assure you today, respected relatives of our heroes, that the State will continue to stand by your side in an effort to ease the pain and support you in the difficulties you are facing as a result of the tragedy we all experienced 12 years ago. May the example of dedication and self-denial for the good of the many guide us as a beacon of patriotism, so that each of us may do what is good and right for our country and its citizens.
(PM/NG/SX)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
