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- Ελληνικά
A sacred duty guided our steps again this year, here at the Camp "Lieutenant General Tasos Markos" in Clerou, to honour with due respect the heroically fallen fighters of the 231st Infantry Battalion, who sacrificed their lives during the Turkish invasion of 1974.
The spirited heroic officers, non-commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers, privates and reservists, who defied the danger, turned to the call of their homeland, fought courageously and fell heroically fighting the unequal battles with the Turkish invader, defending the freedom, independence and territorial integrity of our Cyprus.
With feelings of profound gratitude and immense pride, in a historical retrospective, we mentally return back to the grim days of July and August '74 and with awe and respect, we stand before the figures of the fighters of 231 TP.
Despite the fact that a few days earlier the fighters of the 231 CP experienced the treacherous coup against the legitimate Cypriot Government and saw democracy crumble and become a pawn in the hands of those who overthrew it, "as long prepared, as courageous", they remained calm, upright, unbowed in the face of devastation and destruction.
It is, however, an undeniable truth that the Turkish invasion that followed the coup d'état found the organization and cohesion of our armed forces in a dire state and the unity and morale of our people deeply wounded.
July 1974 was a nightmarish turning point for Cypriot Hellenism, a dark point in history and a moment of devastating and unfathomable destruction, the results of which we are still experiencing today.
The fratricidal division, the treachery and the coup d'état of 15 July, instigated by the deceitful methods, offered Turkey the opportunity to implement its plan and invade Cyprus.
"[...] Fifty airplanes buzzed over us, the first bursts of anti-aircraft guns sounded from the fortress. [...] The first rockets from the planes fell right on the northern terrace of the (hotel), breaking three huge windows of the lounge and bar. [...]
Looking out to sea, we also saw Turkish warships. So close to us! The Turkish invasion, which had been hanging over our heads since Christmas 1963, was now a fact. It was delayed for 11 years, but it came with all its ferocity. [...]
Rina Katsellis, in her diary narrative "Refugee in my place", in just a few lines, gives the tragic picture of the first hours of the invasion, when Attila, with his outrage against Cypriot Hellenism, with an all-powerful land, naval and air army, struck with hatred, rage and brutality the city of Cephas and Praxander.
"It is hard to believe that the beloved sea of Kyrenia brought us to them".
With these words our poet Kostas Montis captured the tragedy of Cyprus on that black July and August of '74, unable to believe that the idyllic sea of Kyrenia washed away the devastation, death and destruction that day.
The ruthless invader struck mercilessly, burning towns and villages, murdering civilians, shamefully raping women, seizing property, razing places of worship, cemeteries and heritage sites.
Today, reflecting on the deep wounds inflicted on the thousand-tortured Cypriot land and on our people, we commemorate the victims of that painful period and, paying due tribute, we declare at the same time our intention to continue the struggle for a just solution in order to build a free and prosperous homeland.
Just as the heroically fallen fighters of 231, whom we commemorate today, envisioned, desired and fought for it.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The men of the 231 Infantry Battalion, agile, conscious, deeply self-disciplined and with the fire of freedom in their hearts, gave their presence in the great hours of Cypriot history.
With their valor they revived new Thermopylae in Cyprus. Under unprecedented adverse conditions, they honoured their oath to their homeland and with the supreme weapon of bravery and cheerfulness they put forward their chests in an unequal battle with the most fully equipped and numerically superior hordes of the Turks.
In 1974, the 231 Infantry Battalion was based in the village of Agios Vasileios west of Nicosia, with the mission of controlling the Turkish Cypriot enclave of Ayrtas - Kioneli. Three companies of the unit were stationed in a defensive formation, which extended with outposts in a long line from the height of Gerolakkos, Agios Vasilios, Skullura, Agios Hermolaos, Agios Pavlos crossing, reaching Pentadaktylos and the Gomaristra hills up to Aetofolia.
From 20 July to 15 August 1974, even during the ceasefire, the 231 Infantry Battalion was in contact and engaged in battles with the Turkish invaders throughout its zone of responsibility. Despite obvious shortcomings, scarce and worn-out resources, its men fought with daring and courage and wrote pages of glory and unparalleled heroism.
The battlefields will be eternal witnesses of their bravery and guardians of their valor. This is what the surviving fighters of the 231st bear witness to in their stirring accounts. The battles fought by the Battalion against the barbarian invaders were fierce, stubborn, but sadly unequal.
The 18 killed and 33 wounded of the Unit are the most irrefutable proof of its acts of bravery and resistance. Along with them, Sergeant Stylianou Andreas from Paphos who is still included in the long list of our missing brothers, adding to the drama experienced by his family for almost half a century.
The legends of 231, from "Outpost 26" to "Aetofolia", Gomaristra, Profitis Ilias, St. Paul's Crossing, Krini, Fotta, Pyleri, Kambos Agios Vasileiou - Skyloura and Agridaki fought with unparalleled courage and put up a fierce resistance.
On the "White" Heights, when the invaders attacked with fury, in waves, the brave defenders, clinging to their positions, repelled them, pinning them down in positions far from the range of their weapons.
At Outpost "AETOFOLIA", the few fighters of 231, in the triple attack they received, resisted with supreme vigour two armoured companies of Turkish paratroopers.
On the Kalambaki hill, the eternal cry "AERA", shouted by the men of the 3rd Company when they stormed it, was repeated.
The men of the 231 Infantry Battalion were not subdued. They remained steadfast to the last moment on the ramparts of duty and duty. They did not think of giving up land and water.
Following the examples of the glorious heroes of Hellenism, they repeated the Molon Lave and threw themselves into battle, writing their own history and earning laurels of heroism and honour.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The sad memories of the Turkish invasion of 1974 are not forgotten, the open wounds are not healed.
Our people, half a century after the black summer of 1974, cannot come to terms with the unbearable internal anguish, grief, sorrow and shock caused by refugeeism and the unnecessary loss of loved ones.
Our people do not accept, do not consent to and disapprove of the achievements of the invasion and occupation.
We must and we are determined, ladies and gentlemen, with unity, unanimity, faith and determination, learning from the past, to fight for the present, and to claim the future that is right for our children and future generations of Cyprus.
As Cypriot Hellenism, we have proven our resilience, fortitude and determination to resist and make every possible effort to redress the injustice suffered for half a century in our homeland.
The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Nicos Christodoulides has repeatedly stated that we are determined to fight tirelessly to break the deadlock in the talks, to resume dialogue and to engage in a sincere process of negotiation and compromise, with a view to reaching a just, viable and workable solution.
A solution that will lift the occupation, restore the unity of our homeland and allow Cypriot citizens to live together in a state of equality and justice.
We will fight tirelessly and tirelessly until the longed-for sun of freedom and justice finally shines in the skies of our long-suffering homeland.
We owe it to our homeland, to our ancestors, we owe it to our people, to our children.
We owe it to our heroes.
To those who, with a free conscience, without any deviation from their primary objective, defended with self-denial the sacred and sacred of our people and sacrificed themselves for the supreme values of freedom and democracy.
The lifting of the occupation and the reunification of our homeland will be the best memorial.
This is what our unpaid debt to them demands of us and this is what their sacrifice has been calling us for so many years.
This is the unfulfilled legacy we carry and in this direction we are committed to march, until the blessed day of final vindication.
This is the unfulfilled legacy we carry and in this direction we are committed to march, until the blessed day of final vindication.
Until the longed-for hour comes when we will broadcast the joyful message of freedom from all corners of Cyprus.
The sacred example of the fighters of the 231 Infantry Battalion charts the course we must follow and strengthens our own will, faith and hope for return.
For "t is idle deep in the heart of the homeland", Kostas Montis suggests.
Eternal be the memory of all the heroes of our homeland and may the Virgin Mary answer our prayers and pleas for the determination of the fate of all our missing brothers and sisters.
(MB/SX)
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