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- Ελληνικά
It seems impossible that any reference to the modern history of Cyprus should not include Makarios. Along with the pages of our troubled history, the thread of Makarios' life unfolds simultaneously and in parallel. The multi-faceted course of the leader who was identified more than anyone else with the modern history of Cyprus.
Today, therefore, I take upon myself the heavy duty to refer to an inspiring personality, as well as to the lessons to be drawn from his course. For just as Makarios left his indelible mark on our modern history, the historical memory of those tragic, criminal events that led us to the occupation of our martyred homeland should remain just as indelible, as should the forged will for the reunification and liberation of our Cyprus. Events like tonight's cannot be approached formally. Our historical debt cannot be limited to the mechanical reading of lists of dates and events. By feeling the pages of our history, we can look to the future.
To draw lessons, to recall memories, to understand the high importance of our historical, national, collective mission. In the perspective of today, we must look at the past with clarity, sobriety and self-criticism, in order to be able to shape the present and build our future.
We are not here tonight, then, to review the biography of Archbishop Makarios III. How could we, after all? His labyrinthine course includes national struggles and aspirations, claims, attacks, riots, confrontations, exile, agreements, countless meetings, generally successive events.
Just a few metres from the house where he was born on 13 August 1913, Michael of Christodoulos and Helen, a lively child of humble origin, was destined to transform into the Makarios of Cyprus, whose path, but above all the popular consciousness, placed him in the pantheon of our country's history, giving him the not at all accidental characterization of Leader and proclaiming him the National Leader of Cypriot Hellenism.
He was loved as few leaders by his people, but also - unfortunately - fought with fanaticism by his opponents.
Visionary, proud, unyielding, charismatic and brilliant are some of the attributes attributed to him even after his death. Restless by nature, he never compromised with what was attempted to define him.
From Panagia, to the Holy Monastery of Kykkos, to the Pancyprian Gymnasium, to Athens, to Boston, to the Metropolis of Kition, to the Archdiocese, to the Presidential Palace.
He fought passionately and boldly for what he took for granted. For the survival of Cypriot Hellenism. From early on, he set as his goal the internationalization of the Cyprus problem, the international promotion of the demands of the Cypriot people, whose fate had been heteronomously determined by foreign imposition.
One of the pioneers of the referendum of 15 January 1950 for the union of Cyprus with Greece, political leader of the National Liberation Struggle of EOKA 1955-59 which led to the independence of Cyprus, the first President of the Republic of Cyprus. It is on Makarios' shoulders that the whole of Cypriot Hellenism placed its hopes to lead the newly established state.
A fragile, unstable state with multiple and complex internal and external challenges.
An internationally renowned political figure, a religious leader with a global reach. The Times, after his death in 1977, described Macarius as "one of the most recognisable figures on the international political scene", a "familiar and respected figure in the councils of the United Nations, the Commonwealth and the Third World".
And it is true that Makarios' historical image remains unchanged and unsurpassed. One cannot deny that Macarius was a rare, unique personality. One of those who are not moulded by the developments of history, but who shape and define it themselves.
Rarely in world history have leaders garnered the popular support that Makarios enjoyed in difficult and turbulent times.
But he also gained opponents, many without barriers or inhibitions. Opponents who did not hesitate to use every means, both legitimate and illegitimate.
The tragic culmination of their action under the cloak of national demagogy led to the treasonable coup d'état. The back door that Turkey had been looking for for years was "opened" by the treasonous coup of the Athens Junta and its collaborators here, who attempted to abolish democracy and stop the "heart of Cyprus".
It was the first act of the tragedy. A tragedy that has been eating away at our insides and souls for 50 years. You're having trouble spelling the words.
Fifty years, half a century. It is impossible for our minds to grasp, for our souls to digest.
18,285 agonizing days as we experience an incomprehensible national tragedy. The scars of the morning of 20 July 1974 are still visible in the flesh and soul of our Cyprus.
Fifty years on, it is more evident than ever that the present state of affairs cannot continue.
We do not accept the occupation. Under no circumstances can the present unacceptable state of affairs be the future of our country.
This is not the future we want to hand over to our children. The only solution is the solution!
The solution based on the relevant United Nations resolutions with one sovereignty, one citizenship, one international personality, in accordance with the European acquis and of course the principles and values on which the European Union is founded.
A solution that will allow all the inhabitants of our island to live in freedom and peace. A solution that will free our Cyprus from the barbaric invader. One that will dissolve barbed wire and erase the line that marks our country. The black strip that separates, that divides souls, that stands as a barrier between the past and the future, between light and darkness.
As Makarios aptly said, "Our struggle is not against the Turkish Cypriots. They are also victims of the Turkish invasion and they are not our opponents. We want to drive out the invader so that Greeks and Turks of Cyprus can be redeemed". And this remains our pursuit, the redemption and liberation of the invader, the occupation and the anachronistic foreign guarantees.
As the Government, we reiterate our unwavering determination to make every possible effort to break the deadlock and resume negotiations.
We are aware of the challenges and difficulties, but we will never allow ourselves to become complacent, nor will we be diverted from the path of international legitimacy and international law. We seek and demand the obvious; through dialogue to find a peaceful, definitive solution to the Cyprus problem.
President Christodoulides' efforts to resume negotiations will continue with deep conviction in the rightness and justice of our claims. With dedication, determination and assertive realism.
As the President of the Republic, Mr. Nicos Christodoulides, has declared, we will continue to devote every bit of our energies to building a Cyprus that will be a symbol of peace, stability and progress in the region.
A modern, European model country that guarantees the human rights of all its inhabitants, that guarantees hope and that is based on mutual respect and solidarity, ready to chart its own unique course on the map of world history.
Every person, every people becomes worthy of its historical mission as its consciousness of its history deepens. The greatness of a nation's civilization is always proportional to the purity and depth of its historical memory.
It is therefore our duty to draw on the lessons of the past, for this historical memory to become an experience, for the need of history to meet the historicity of need, for the imperative of unity to be transmuted into a national consciousness of our historical responsibility.
A collective historical responsibility: not to hand over to our children a divided homeland, but to offer them a smoother homeland, where they can enjoy the same -obvious- fundamental human rights as all citizens of the other member states of our European family. Above all, however, to offer them a secure future, a future with hope and prospects.
Ladies and gentlemen,
During his last public speech, Archbishop Makarios, on 20 July 1977 at the Pancyprian rally to condemn the Turkish invasion, said: "Innumerable sufferings and calamities, ruins and disasters have been brought to Cyprus by the Turkish Attila. We faced the danger of physical and national annihilation. And many probably thought that with the onslaught of the Turkish invader the end of Cypriot Hellenism was at hand.
But our people proved that they have a wealth of virtue, dynamism and vitality. And it will live forever and will never be lost. For there are no lost peoples who want to live and strive to live."
This will has not dried up, nor has this wealth of virtue of our people. 50 years later we remain with the same anguish, with the same desire for a solution.
For this is our national mission, undiminished and perpetual, our debt to those who have come and gone, but - much more - to those who will come. For we are the mountains, we are the seas, we are the earth, the memory and the pain.
With unwavering faith we will continue, after hubris we await purification, after the crucifixion we await the Resurrection, after darkness the light. We will not allow darkness to reign.
Besides, "memory"-and hope-"is the only thing they cannot take away from us, it is the thread that connects us with tomorrow" and yesterday.
And this thread cannot be broken, because as our poet Michael Passiardis says:"
(PM/NZ/GS)
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