Amphitheatre "Ioannis Kapodistrias" War Museum of Athens
First of all, I would like to express again the my shock and deepest sorrow for the tragedy of Tempi with the collision of the trains that resulted in the death of dozens of people, mainly young people, but also to convey on behalf of the Cypriot people our sincere condolences to the families of the victims, the Greek people and the Government of the country. It is the responsibility of all of us who are in positions of power, and if you want the best memorial service for all those who unjustly lost their lives, to do what is necessary to ensure that we do not experience such tragedies again.
It is with feelings of great joy and honour that I participate in tonight's event to pay tribute to a glorious, yet largely unknown to the general public, historical moment of our Cyprus and Hellenism at large.
On the occasion of my presence here and as a sign of the Cypriot State's appreciation for the War Museum's hosting of many events of Cypriot interest, the State will upgrade and enhance the Cyprus Hall located here.
As a historian, I am a long-standing believer that peoples who do not know and honour their history well cannot have a promising future. And this need creates enormous responsibilities for all of us, as the history of Hellenism is rich in great moments, such as the one we commemorate today.
So, before anything else, allow me to express my sincere thanks for the invitation to the organizers of the event, the H.O.K.A. Council for the Historical Memory of the Struggle, the H.O.K.A. Fighters' Associations, the Foundation of the Liberation Struggle of the H.O.C.A., the H.O.C.A. Fighters' Hall,
As the title of the speech of our friend Dimitris Tagliadorou, which will follow, on 7 March 1953 not only the oath of the 12 was taken, but in fact it is the birthday, the informal birth of EOKA. It was then, here in the centre of Athens, on Asclepius Street, that twelve distinguished personalities from Greece and Cyprus took an oath to claim the liberation of Cyprus from the British yoke and the longed-for, by the whole of Cypriot Hellenism at that time, union with Greece. In other words, they claimed their freedom, but also the right to self-determination, to determine their own destiny, as the international climate of the time demanded, a few years after the end of the human slaughter of the Second World War, which favoured the decolonisation and self-determination of peoples.
The passion for freedom after centuries of slavery was unquenchable among the Greeks of Cyprus.
The passion for freedom after centuries of slavery was unquenchable among the Greeks of Cyprus. And since their universal human demand for freedom was not satisfied by the colonial Empire, and since they had exhausted all peaceful ways of claiming it, it had begun to appear as an inevitable option to take up arms to throw off the British yoke. The meeting of 7 March 1953 and the oath of the 12, like the creation of the Society of Friends in Odessa for the Greek Revolution of 1821, signalled the choice of the armed national liberation struggle and the subsequent establishment of EOKA.
Among the twelve were Cypriot exiles of the British and Lieutenant Colonel Georgios Grivas, the later Degenerate of EOKA, Greek politicians, military and professors of the University of Athens, as well as of course Archbishop Makarios, who read the oath, which was repeated phrase by phrase by those present.
The four-year liberation struggle of EOKA, Ladies and Gentlemen, which followed the April 1, 1955, may not have led to the proclaimed goal of union with Greece, but it brought the end of colonialism, the independence of Cyprus, and the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus.
Today's independent, democratic Cyprus, a member state of the United Nations and the European Union, is an achievement due to the struggles of all these ancestors who, with self-sacrifice and self-denial, without aiming to serve any personal interest, sacrificed their own lives so that we could be free today, but unfortunately, since 1974, in a semi-occupied country.
Referring to the Cyprus problem, I want to make it clear in the clearest possible terms that we cannot in any way compromise with the occupation and partition, with the current unacceptable status quo. Seventy years after the historic event we are commemorating tonight, we too are called upon today to assume our own responsibilities. The obligation to commit ourselves to the effort to liberate and reunite our homeland through a viable and workable solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of the relevant provisions of United Nations resolutions and European law. A settlement which will respect the rights and concerns of all the legitimate inhabitants of Cyprus while ensuring their coexistence in a climate of peace and cooperation.
I am well aware that this goal is not easy, especially at the present juncture with the increasing intransigence and the unacceptable claims put forward by the Turkish side. But this in no way means that we should stop working in this direction. On the contrary, drawing inspiration from the glorious pages of our history, such as the one we commemorate today, we must do everything in our power to break the deadlock and overturn the unacceptable status quo with perseverance and agility, with a clear plan and planning.
The period we are living through is perhaps one of the most critical for Cypriot Hellenism. The passage of time is creating new realities and removing the possibility of an acceptable solution to the Cyprus problem. In such difficult moments it is more necessary than ever to look back to our history for inspiration, as I have said before, but above all to draw the right messages and lessons, so that we can face events with reflection and consider our historical responsibility and course. Only then will we be able to look to the future of our country with more optimism, doing everything possible to achieve our number one priority, which is none other than the liberation and reunification of our homeland.
History teaches us that when all the forces of a people are united in one direction, towards a common goal, they can better and more effectively achieve their goals. On the contrary, when discord prevails, devastation and national disasters ensue.
So today, too, we must stand up to the circumstances, the challenges and the critical moments we are facing. With absolute respect for any different approaches and away from extreme excesses that have nothing to do with pure patriotism, we must continue our struggle today.
With our eyes fixed on the goal of liberation and reunification of our homeland, we are working, always in full coordination with the Greek government, for the lifting of the deadlock and the resumption of talks to reach a solution to the Cyprus problem. A viable solution that will ensure peace, security, progress and prosperity for all Cypriots, a solution that will ensure the development of the Republic of Cyprus as an EU Member State.
This will be both our own legacy and the most practical tribute to the 12 who swore the Oath of Athens and to those who fought and sacrificed with self-denial for freedom.
(PM/IK)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
