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- Ελληνικά
they hold the rope of the bell - they pass the time, they do not sleep,
they pass to mark the resurrection. This earth
is theirs and ours - no one can take it away from us."
Touching with reverence the touching verses of the poet of Romiosyne Yannis Ritsos and with feelings of eternal gratitude we came here today, in the Holy Church of Panagia Katholiki, in Psimolofou, to commemorate the heroically fallen inhabitants of the community in the battles of Tilliria in 1964 and the brutal Turkish invasion of 1974.
We respectfully bow our heads and pay due tribute to the memory of our fallen and missing brothers and sisters.
Today we commemorate those who fought and sacrificed for the freedom of our homeland and the ideals of our nation.
Those whose selfless sense of offer and concern for their fellow man and their unadulterated love for the land that gave birth to them and the home that nurtured them, prompted them to stand up, to be at the forefront of the struggles and ultimately to martyr themselves on the altar of duty. The decades that preceded and followed the proclamation of the Republic of Cyprus, and the events that decisively influenced the development of the history of our country.
In the first half of the 20th century, the chain reaction of anti-colonialism phenomena that took place at the international level, gradually fuelled the age-old desire of Cypriots for self-determination and union with Greece.
Britain's continuous refusal forced the Ethnarchy and Cypriot politicians to seek other, more radical options. The only way out was the armed liberation struggle of EOKA, which four years after its beginning, in 1959, was to make Cyprus free and independent.
Thus, on the morning of 16 August 1960, the flag of the newly founded Republic of Cyprus was flying in the public buildings of Cyprus.
"The Cypriot people breathe the air of freedom - Long live free Cyprus - At midnight the Treaties and the documents proclaiming the Cypriot State were signed - Cyprus became an independent Republic", the daily newspapers in Cyprus and Greece wrote on their front pages.
Cyprus became an independent Republic. A "fragile" democracy, however, as it turned out. From the very beginning, constitutional weaknesses were identified which hampered the proper functioning of the State. A typical example is the constant problems that the then newly established Parliament had to face in order to ratify legislation.
In addition, heterogeneous provisions of the Zurich Accords and unevenly distributed privileges created problems of mistrust among the Cypriot people from the very beginning. The climate gradually deteriorated, to the point where armed conflicts broke out in the capital in December 1963. At the same time, Turkish Cypriot MPs withdrew from their seats. So did all Turkish Cypriots who held positions in the public sector or other state offices.
At the military level, organised Turkish Cypriot resistance groups, which saw Zurich as a springboard for their nationalist claims, made secret military preparations, under the guidance and support of Turkish officers, seeking the dissolution of the state and the partition of the island.
In the following period of time, until the summer, bloody incidents continued to take place all over the Cypriot territory, while Turkish planning focused on trying to establish a beachhead in the Kokkinia-Mansoura enclave.
The events of the summer of '64 and the ruthless aerial bombardment of the land of Tillyria on 8 and 9 August was the culmination of an organised and devastating plan, and was in fact the first pre-planned Turkish military invasion of Cyprus, with the ultimate aim of dividing the island.
Critical historical events require seriousness, self-denial, boundless courage and a willingness to give of oneself to one's country. These characteristics, together with unimaginable self-sacrifice, were displayed by the personnel of the then newly formed National Guard, as well as by the volunteers who rushed to the battles fought in Tillyria.
These characteristics were also displayed by the twenty-year-old Grigoris Louvia, who was then serving his military service in the 216 Infantry Battalion and on 8 August he fell heroically fighting in defence of his homeland.
These characteristics were also displayed by the twenty-year-old Grigoris Louvia, who was then serving his military service in the 216 Infantry Battalion and on 8 August fell heroically fighting in defence of his homeland.
At the time when the 30 or so Turkish fighter jets were indiscriminately spreading death and destruction by dropping napalm bombs, firing rockets and mercilessly machine-gunning populated areas and civilians.
Four years later, in July 1968, the community mourned another young man, Kyriakos Theofanous, who, during his military service, lost his life on duty in a traffic accident.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The determined resistance of Cypriot Hellenism in 1963-64 to prevent the dissolution of the Republic of Cyprus was followed by a gloomy decade characterized by an escalating civil war climate, with underground machinations and divisive actions, which ultimately led to disaster.
The treacherous coup of 15 July opened the door wide to Attila's brutal military hordes.
In the black summer of Cyprus in '74, when, as our poet Pantelis Mechanikos "testifies", "the footsteps of the barbarians arrived" and Onesilos, roaring with rage and indignation, "seized his pride and shattered it on our heads", the sirens of war and the deadly danger our country was in were sounding in the towns and villages.
Our "own country", "the "wonderful Cyprus", as Leontios Machairas calls it, was subjected to the barbaric attack of Turkey.
After the tragic consequences of the coup d'état and with the National Guard weakened and completely disorganized, our country was called upon to fight against the omnipotent Turkish invader, who attempted to occupy the island, spreading death and destruction.
Faithful to the call, the fighters of Cypriot freedom, poorly organized and with antiquated equipment, stood up once again against the numerically and militarily superior forces of the Turkish invader and defended once again the freedom and territorial integrity of Cyprus.
Today, therefore, we honour the then reserve soldiers of the 306 Infantry Battalion Stelios Georgiou (Ppasia) and Nikos Chrysanthou, whose traces were lost in the black summer of '74 at Palaikythro and Templos respectively.
Their remains were identified by the DNA method and were buried one year apart in 2021 and 2022.
His parents, George and Antigone George, and his brother Christodoulos passed away with the pain of the loss of Stelios Georgiou engraved on their souls. With the same pain, the same sorrow and the same anguish, Nikos Chrysanthos' mother passed away in 2003, and in 2014, his two-year-old son Chrysanthos, who died during the Turkish invasion.
This is the bitter reality for the families of our missing persons, who continue to experience the deep despair brought about by the loss of their loved one. The despair of prolonged mourning and the fear that the passage of years increases the chances that their loved ones will never be found.
This is the reality for the families of our missing brothers and sisters in the community as well. Eugene and Christos Chrysostomos. Both of them, on July 20, 1974, presented themselves as reservists to the 306 Infantry Battalion. On the evening of the same day they were transferred to the area of St. George of Kyrenia. After the uneven fighting in the area, they were ordered to retreat. They were last seen with other privates of the unit at Lapitho. Since then, their traces have been lost.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As we reflect on the sacrifice of the people we commemorate today, we also count our own responsibility.
The same fortitude, the same determination, perseverance and patience that they displayed in the critical hours of Cypriot history, we too must demonstrate in responding to contemporary national challenges.
It is our duty and obligation to exert every bit of our strength to finally make our country a place of freedom, security, justice and progress for our people.
We declare that we will not give up the struggle we are waging until the final vindication.
Despite the adversities, despite the challenges, despite the negative current situation.
The President of the Republic Mr. Nicos Christodoulides has set the removal of the deadlock that has arisen in the Cyprus problem as a primary objective.
We wish that the perpetuation of the occupation ceases to exist.
We seek the continuation of the talks process and the resumption of dialogue between the two communities.
An honest and sincere dialogue, under the auspices of the United Nations, with a more active contribution from the European Union, the end result of which will be the achievement of a mutually acceptable, viable and workable solution to the problem that has been plaguing our country for half a century.
Unfortunately, the recent incidents caused by the Turkish occupying forces in the buffer zone in the Pyla area and the unprovoked attack against members of the UN peacekeeping force, confirms once again that Ankara does not intend to honour the agreed framework, which through dialogue and negotiation will lead to a solution of the Cyprus problem.
It is for this reason that the international actor must turn its attention and exert its influence on Ankara with more will, in order to curb its intransigence and aggressive policy. Despite Turkey's attitude and its refusal to abide by what has been agreed, we, with the same zeal and willingness, will continue to defend internationally the right of our people. A solution that will free our country from the shackles of occupation and reunite it, providing our people with conditions of peace, security and freedom.
We owe this future to our history.
This will be the best memorial for the heroes we commemorate today.
By anchoring, then, our faith and our assertiveness in the principles and ideals that inspired our heroic ancestors and by drawing all those lessons that their sacrifice emanated, we renew our pledge to continue the struggle for the redemption of our long-suffering homeland.
Eternal and honoured be the memory of the heroically fallen children of Psimolofos, who gave their lives in the struggle for the freedom of our homeland.
May the merciful God answer our prayers for a speedy determination of the fate of our missing persons.
Thank you.
(NΓ)
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