For each country, for every people, state symbols represent the characteristics of its statehood and existence. The peoples and all countries-states throughout the world have asserted their membership of the United Nations, the European Union and other international bodies with their state symbols.
Unfortunately, 58 years since the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, national political forces have not honored the Cypriot flag as stipulated in our Constitution.
While they are very well aware that the 1960 Zurich-London Agreements, the agreements providing for the establishment of the Independent Republic of Cyprus, included a clear and explicit clause on the bicommunal character of the state, for the common coexistence of Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins, the necessary respect for our compatriots wasn’t shown.
During our homeland’s historical course, there was a time when our very state symbols were treated as rags and humiliated. I am of course referring to the critical period of the upsurge of nationalism, hatred and intolerance, culminating in the treacherous period 1971-1974, when the extreme-Right Greek Junta and its organs here in Cyprus, namely the illegal armed EOKA B’ organization, by executing the coup d’état abolished the Constitution and every state symbol of the Republic of Cyprus.
These policies, positions and behaviors were sometimes provocatively pursued and other times overturned since the foundation of the section of the Right wing, constantly downgrading our flag as a state symbol, without displaying the required respect and honour.
This is precisely where the constant contradictions of the policies of the governing DISY Rally party are identified. We can’t and it isn’t possible to project a vision for the common life of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and all the citizens of Cyprus and, at the same time, to look towards the “mother countries” and flirt with the policy of division.
You don’t cultivate a culture of coexistence by undermining the banner of our struggles, our statehood and existence. It is with our state flag that we travel all over the world. It is with our state symbols that we live and exist. It is with the Cypriot flag we hope!
On the occasion of Nicos Anastasiades’ proclamation rally as the new President of the Republic, we saw inside the “Freedom Stadium” the complete absence of the flag of Cyprus, during the most important political event in the country, with everyone’s eyes fixed on it.
The question is logically raised as to what messages are being conveyed to our Turkish Cypriot compatriots; what messages are also being transmitted to the UN, the EU, international collective bodies and international public opinion?
How then do we ask of others to respect, support and help us?
DISY and the President of the Republic cannot fool and trick everyone at the same time. They can’t go on pursuing simultaneously two contradictory policies! They are throwing caution to the wind!
Even at this stage, they must find the balance between our state and political status, in combination with our ethnic origin.
The President of the Republic, Mr. Nicos Anastasiades, needs to speak clearly and sincerely to the Cypriot people as a whole. Our long-suffering people can’t and don’t deserve to be ridiculed and mocked. If certain forces and circles have decided to compromise with the idea of two states, one purely Greek and the other a purely Turkish one, then they should say so openly.
The simple fact is that the possibility of a confederal solution with partitionist provisions will imply the end of Cyprus and every state symbol of ours.
Now is the time for big decisions to be taken about Cyprus and our people. Without hesitations, adventurist actions and regressions, we must talk with the language of sincerity and credibility.
Time is against us and the countdown has begun. For sure one pays a heavy price for mistakes. We wish and hope that the crime committed in 1974 will enlighten everyone, so as not to the disaster of Cyprus isn’t completed, by putting the nail in the coffin to the detriment of our homeland.
Because we defend our state symbols!
Article by Yiorgos T. Yiorgiou, AKEL Limassol District Secretary and Political Bureau member, “HARAVGI” newspaper 17th February 2018
