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- Ελληνικά
Forty-nine years have passed since that black summer of 1974 when the double crime against Cyprus, with the treasonous coup of July 15 and the Turkish invasion that followed on July 20, spread pain, sorrow, suffering and refugeeism in our country and led to the occupation of 37% of our homeland. 49 years. Almost half a century and the wounds are still open.
The barbed wire of the occupation is just a few meters away, all over Cyprus these days memorials of heroes who lost their lives defending the homeland are being held, while the relatives and families of the missing have either held funerals and received the remains of their loved ones after years or are still waiting patiently for an update.
The refugees had to continue their lives away from their beloved places, uprooted, leaving behind possessions, experiences and memories. The older ones are sadly leaving with the longing to return, while our occupied land, our temples, the cemeteries of our ancestors still groan under the boot of the conqueror.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The consequences of the Turkish invasion were traumatic for Cyprus and there is no community that does not have to commemorate heroes who gave their lives in defence of their homeland.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The consequences of the Turkish invasion were traumatic for Cyprus and there is no community that does not have to commemorate heroes who gave their lives in defence of their homeland. It is our sacred duty not to forget, to keep alive the memory of both the people and our occupied lands.
It is with feelings of heavy emotion that we honour today in this National Memorial Service the heroic dead of the Community of Peristerona. Charalambos Palmas, Andreas Pilavas, Costas Andreou, Doros Charalambous and Georgios Pantziaros were present at the critical hour and gave their lives in defence of the homeland.
At the same time we join with all Cypriots and Cypriots in praying for the determination of the fate of all those still on the list of the missing. Among them are three children from Peristerona. Andreas Papatryfonos, Mamas Kyriakos Tsiaklis and Kyriakos H''Mamas.
Fellow countrymen,
Charalambos Palmas was born in Livadia Larnaca, married in Peristerona with his beloved Androula and together they had three children. In 1974 he was 28 years old. On 20 July 1974, Palmas enlisted as a reservist in the 336 Infantry Battalion and was posted to an outpost in Agios Pavlos, Nicosia. On 15 August, the outpost was cut off from the rest of the Company after a fierce battle with the invader. When they found themselves surrounded by the Turkish army and having exhausted all their ammunition, the heroic fighters of the Battalion were shot in cold blood by the Turks and abandoned in a trench.
Their bodies were later transferred to the military cemetery of Lakatameia, where they were buried without identification. For 26 long years, Haralambos' wife, children and all his relatives did not know his fate. In 2000, his remains were exhumed from the Lakatameia cemetery and after identification, his body was handed over to his family. The hero's funeral was held with due honours in Peristerona on 23 September 2000. It is worth noting that Charalambos also fought the Turks during the period 1963-1967, in Kokkina and in the area of Trachona.
Andreas Pilavas was born in Peristerona in 1942. He was married to Maroula Loizou and was the father of two children. On 20 July 1974 he enlisted as a reservist in the 306 Infantry Battalion, which was based in Neo Horio Kythrea, and was called by the radio, along with other CYTA employees, to report to work for duty. But he preferred to serve his country, joining the National Guard.
His Battalion was transferred to Kyrenia, where he fought fierce battles with Turkish troops. On the morning of 25 July he was captured by Turkish soldiers along with other colleagues. They were led to a spot near the sea, where they were executed in cold blood. The remains of the hero were found in 2007 in a mass grave in Kyrenia, later identified and buried in Pallouriotissa.
Kostas Andreou was born in Kato Moni in 1947 and since 1973 he was married in Peristerona to Aliki Violari. He joined the National Guard on July 20, and just ten days before, his son Andreas was born. He enlisted as a reservist in the 306 Infantry Battalion, like Andreas Pilavas.
The privates of his company were ordered to man positions in the area of St. George of Glykiotissa. On 22 July, when there was a major clearing attack by the invaders, seven of the militia, including Kostas, took refuge in an adjacent house. On 25 July, Turkish soldiers located and arrested the seven militiamen, executing five of them, including Kostas Andreou, in cold blood. In 2007 his remains were found in a mass grave in Kyrenia. He was buried with hero's honours in Peristerona.
Doros Charalambous from Argaki Morphou, born in 1944, married to Chrystallini Hatzikostis from Katokopia and father of two children, joined the 321 Infantry Battalion as a reservist and participated from the very first day in fierce battles in the village of Kazivera.
Doros Charalambous from Argaki Morphou, born in 1944, married to Chrystallini Hatzikostis from Katokopia and father of two children, joined the 321 Infantry Battalion as a reservist and participated from the very first day in fierce battles in the village of Kazivera. On 21 July 1974, Doros was killed during an exchange of fire.
He was received by men of his company and transferred to the temporary hospital in Morphou, to be buried in the cemetery of the town. While the relatives of the hero had, from the very first days, reliable information that he had fallen heroically fighting, for about forty years they did not know exactly where he was buried.
For many years his memory was commemorated on his cenotaph at the Macedonitissa Tomb. After continuous performances and investigations, in 2016 his remains were exhumed from the cemetery of Morphou, where he was buried along with other freedom fighters, and his identity was confirmed by DNA.
His funeral took place on 17 November 2019 in Nicosia and he was buried with hero's honours in his grave, which had been empty for decades, in the sacred space of the Macedonitissa Tomb.
His funeral took place on 17 November 2019 in Nicosia and he was buried with hero's honours in the sacred space of the Macedonitissa Tomb. The Community of Peristerona has the honour of hosting the hero's family in its grounds for more than forty years.
George Pantziaros was born in 1948 in Kato Zodia. On July 20, 1974, the hero enlisted as a reservist in the 321st Infantry Battalion. Like Doros Charalambous, Pantziaros participated in the battles of Kazivera. George fell heroically fighting on the first day of the invasion.
Then, like his fellow soldiers, he was buried in the cemetery of Morphou. His parents were informed of his death by the priest of Morphou a few days later, after he had already been buried. The hero's individual cenotaph in the Macedonitissa Tomb was a place of memory and honour for many years. Following the same course as that of his fellow fighter Doros Charalambous, the remains of the heroic dead were exhumed from the cemetery of Morphou and identified. He was buried, in 2020, with heroic honours, next to the grave of his parents, here, in Peristerona.
At the same time as the memorial service for the heroic dead, we address a prayer service for another year to determine the fate of three brave men from Peristerona.
Andreas Papatryfonos was born in Peristerona in 1944.
Andreas Papatryfonos was born in Peristerona in 1944. On 20 July 1974 he enlisted as a reservist in the 366 Infantry Battalion in Paleometocho. In the evening of the same day he fought in battles in the area of Lapithos-Karavas. On 16 August, after fierce fighting, the men of the Battalion were ordered to retreat, and since then Papatryfonos has been missing.
Mamas Kyriakou Tsiaklis was born in Peristerona in 1956. On 20 July 1974 he was serving in the 190 Anti-Tank Artillery Squadron in Karavas. With the onset of the Turkish invasion, Mamas, along with his fellow soldiers, received instructions and moved towards Kyrenia. Near the "Six Mile" area the squadron was mercilessly hit by the Turkish air force. Mamas, along with a number of other soldiers, moved to the sea side. Since then their traces have been lost.
Kyriakos Hadjimamas was born in Peristerona in 1947. At the beginning of the invasion he enlisted as a reservist in the 306 Infantry Battalion in Neo Horio Kythrea and fought in the battles of Agios Georgios Kyrenia. On 22 July, and after a major attack by the invaders who were supported by their air force and a large number of tanks, a retreat was ordered, during which, unfortunately, the traces of the fighter, who is still missing, were lost.
As a small token of appreciation for the sacrifice and contribution of the heroes, the Community has proceeded with the erection of a monument to the Fallen and Missing before which we will soon pay tribute to the heroic children of Peristerona.
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is our duty and obligation to our heroes to continue the struggle for the vindication of the struggles of our people. The resolution of the Cyprus problem in a way that ensures the rights of all Cypriots is the highest priority of the Government of Nicos Christodoulides.
The intransigence of the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot leadership makes the resolution efforts even more difficult. Continued provocative statements about a two-state solution and sovereign equality will never be accepted. President Christodoulides' proposal for a more active involvement of the European Union in the Cyprus negotiations with the participation of a special high-level envoy, always under the auspices of the United Nations, provides an opportunity to resume the dialogue from where it was interrupted in Crans-Montana.
The President also called for the appointment of a special envoy for the Cyprus problem by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
The framework for a solution as set out in the relevant UN resolutions and the safeguarding of the European acquis are the main pillars of our policy, as is the safeguarding of human rights and freedom from occupation.
We owe the continuation of the effort to those who fought and gave their lives. We owe it to history, to ourselves and to the future generations of this country.
Thank you very much.
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