Today 20th July marks the 44th anniversary of the invasion of the Republic of Cyprus by the Turkish military resulting to Turkey’s continuous occupation of the northern third of the island.
On July 15th 1974 supported by the military junta controlling Greece, paramilitary group EOKA B , led a coup against the President of the Republic of Cyprus Archbishop Makarios and installed a pro Enosis head
Five days later on July 20th, Turkish troops attacked and secured 37% of the island, forcing thousands of Greek Cypriots , as well as Turkish Cypriots to relocate to other parts of the island.
The results of the double crime of 15 and 20 July are still visible 37% of Cyprus territory is still illegally occupied by Turkish troops . 200,000 people are still refugees within their own country. The whereabouts of hundreds of missing people has still not been clarified.
Families are still mourning their death of their loved ones who heroically resisted the coup d’état or the Turkish invasion that followed.
The International community steadfastly condemned the crime against Cyprus and its people through numerous resolutions of the security council of the United Nations, though these resolutions cannot be implemented due to the negative stance of the Turkish side to comply with them.
The only weapon , yet the most valuable in our struggle against the continued occupation and the de facto division of our Island is our insistence to the principles of the International Law as described in the charter of the UN and included in the resolutions of the UN related to Cyprus.
Our struggle for justice continues, for lasting peace on the island, without the presence of foreign troops or settlers on its soil, for a reunited Cyprus – home to all its citizens – Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins.