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- Ελληνικά
Recalling the painful period of 1963-64 and the dramatic events of the first serious crisis that the newly established Republic of Cyprus had to face, we gathered today at the Church of St Raphael, Nicholas and Peace, to pay with due respect the minimum tribute to those who heroically died for altars and hearths during the battles of Tilliria in 1964 and to pray for the fate of our missing persons.
" [...] we know very well now
what we have to shoulder with these dead [...]",
he wrote in his poem "Mansoura area (Σχεδίασμα)", which was published by the newspaper "O Agon" on 10 August 1964, our "dafnostic" poet Kostas Montis.
"[...] we know well now
what we sign with these dead,
what they mean,
what they will write on the ground,
what they will write under the ground,
what they will deposit for our steps,
what they will deposit for our shovels
the charcoal of burnt hands". [WITH THESE THOUGHTS THE POET DESCRIBED THE BITTERNESS AND ANGUISH THAT ENVELOPED THE ISLAND LIKE A SHADOW AND THE HORROR CAUSED BY THE MERCILESS BOMBARDMENTS FROM THE HEAVY AIR RAIDS WITH WHICH THE TURKISH AIR FORCE STRUCK THE CYPRIOT LAND IN TILLIRIA.
At the same time he expressed his deep concern about the future, which ten years later was confirmed by the barbaric Turkish invasion of Cyprus and its disastrous consequences.
Our souls are still bleeding from the fresh wounds.
The memories of the suffering our people went through after the granting of independence to our homeland, up to the brutal Turkish invasion of 1974, recur and always have the same inexorable form.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The climate between the two communities deteriorated immediately after the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus. The Treaties of Establishment and the heterodox provisions of the Cyprus Constitution intensified the climate of suspicion and lack of trust. For the Greek Cypriot side, the Zurich and London Agreements were heterodox, granting super-privileges to the minority and leaving unfulfilled long-standing aspirations for union with the national body. On the other hand, Ankara had other plans that envisaged the creation of tensions and fait accompli aimed at the dissolution of the Republic of Cyprus, the partition of the island, the separation of the two communities and the establishment of a purely Turkish Cypriot administration over a large geographical area of Cyprus that it would exclusively control. It therefore proceeded rapidly to organise, equip and train armed paramilitary units with the aim of destabilising the state, which would facilitate the implementation of its plans.
On the Greek Cypriot side, to counter the Ankara-backed Turkish Cypriot armed units, corresponding voluntary armed groups were formed to counter the Ankara-backed Turkish Cypriot armed units, which, with the knowledge of the state, were given the role of defending the Republic of Cyprus.
In November, the Makarios Government, in order to improve provisions of the Constitution that made the state dysfunctional and often led to deadlocks, tabled "thirteen points" for the unimpeded exercise of powers.
A few days before Christmas 63, the armed clashes in the area of old Nicosia and subsequently in the northern suburbs of the capital and in the city of Larnaca escalated rapidly and spread to the other cities of the island.
The widespread incidents resulted in the withdrawal of Turkish Cypriots from their positions in the civil service and government, their removal from mixed villages, their enclosure in enclaves and the de facto separation of Nicosia from the United Nations with the drawing of the "Green Line".
In August 1964, new, bloodier incidents took place in the wider area of Tilliria. The events in Tilliria were essentially the first attempt by Turkey to militarily invade Cyprus, with the aim of breaking up the newly established Republic of Cyprus and de facto partitioning the island.
In the context of the implementation of its expansionist plans, Turkey in the past period proceeded to gradually reinforce the enclave of the villages of Kokkina and Mansoura, with the aim of consolidating and gradually enlarging it and merging it with that of Lefka and subsequently with that of Nicosia-Kioneli. Ankara's ultimate goal was to control a geographically large part of Cyprus, thus creating the destabilizing conditions it sought.
The Kokkin enclave was intended to be Turkey's beachhead in Cyprus, allowing a direct and unhindered sea connection with the island.
In addition, it would serve as an access point for the transfer of military personnel and war material, with the aim of strengthening the Turkish Cypriots.
In addition, it would serve as an access point for the transfer of military personnel and war material, with the aim of strengthening the Turkish Cypriots. During the first half of 1964, Turkey, having succeeded in transferring a number of military forces and significant quantities of arms and ammunition to the area, proceeded to advance its positions beyond the enclave's boundaries.
The culmination of Turkish aggression was the occupation of the strategically important "Lorovounos" hill on 9 July.
In order to prevent the expansion of the Kokkini enclave and to avert a fait accompli that would have tragic consequences for the State, the Cypriot State decided to conduct a military operation to recapture the heights occupied by the Turks in the area, which would lead the Turkish forces to retreat into the Kokkini enclave.
On 7 August, armed units of the State, led by the newly formed National Guard, assisted by volunteers from the area, having achieved their initial objective of recapturing the hills, were ordered to prepare for a night offensive operation in order to completely eliminate the bridgehead.
"The advance of the legitimate forces of the Republic continues in Tilliria. The clearing operations in the area [...] continuing at the same intense pace are bringing our brave militiamen ever closer to their main objective, namely the top of Lorovouno [...]" wrote the newspaper "O Agon" in its front page on 8 August.
The successful advance of our armed forces provoked the anger of Ankara, which on 8 and 9 August responded with merciless bombing by its air force.
Around 30 fighter jets attacked with ferocity, hitting with hundreds of rockets and napalm bombs National Guard positions, as well as civilians in residential areas, from Xeros to Pyrgos. [...] The only signs of life are the groans of the wounded and the cries of the surrounded animals," the Press and Information Office said in a statement on 9 August.
The culmination of the brutality was the merciless bombardment of the makeshift hospital deployed at Pachyammos, which wreaked indiscriminate havoc and destruction, killing and inflicting very serious injuries on staff and patients.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Every year on these days we recall the tragic events that took place in the area of Tilliria in August 1964.
As we ascend today to the martyred land, this land that received the last breath of its brave defenders, we feel its historically charged aura.
We recall the horrific images from the battlefields and the heartbreaking snapshots of a nightmare that continues to this day.
We respectfully return back in time and measure the still fresh wounds of our martyred homeland.
We reverently bow our heads to the proud defenders of the land of Tilliria.
To the brave commandos of the 31st Commando Squadron.
To the fighters of the 206th and 216th Infantry Battalions and the 83rd and 85th Companies of the 8th Tactical Group.
We bow to the heroic attitude of the men of the National Guard Company of Kato Pyrgos and Pachyammos, but also to the self-denial shown by the seven sacrificial soldiers of the "Phaethon" ship of the National Guard Navy.
"The heart is a strange thing", wrote our poet Kostas Montis.
"The more you waste it, the more you have."
If something characterized the heroes we commemorate today, it was none other than the endless mental and moral savings they kept for every difficult hour, for every difficult moment of our country.
For that moment when, as the Nobel laureate Odysseus Elytis suggests, you will be called upon to "pass through the fire to reach the glow".
The unparalleled heroic sacrifice of all of them serves as a thunderous voice that calls and commands the continuation of our struggle to end the occupation, liberate and reunite our homeland.
With their heroic deaths, they bequeathed us an inexhaustible legacy of values.
A perpetual ark of philanthropy, sacrifice and fulfillment of duty.
Receiving the bloodstained baton they handed us sixty years ago, we have the sacred obligation to renew the oath to continue the struggle until the final vindication of our Cyprus.
The unbreakable spirit of militancy of our heroic ancestors strengthens our faith, will and endurance in the struggle to lift the occupation, liberate and reunite our homeland.
Eternal and honoured will be the memory of those who died during the battles of Tilliria.
Eternal and honoured will be the memory of all those who watered the tree of freedom of Cyprus with their blood.
Thank you.
(AS/AF)
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Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
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