The government and authorities are disrespecting the heroic dead of the Resistance

10 July 2022

With feelings of deep bitterness, regret and indignation, we, the relatives of the fallen anti-fascist resistance fighters, protest in the strongest possible terms against the government’s position on the day of their official commemoration.

Today the State, the Church and the people of Cyprus should honor the memory of the heroic fighters of the Resistance, those who defiantly resisted and fought against the fascism of EOKA B and the Greek Junta, defending democracy and legality, by holding commemorative services in all the churches of Cyprus. Instead, the indifference shown by the government and its disapproving attitude towards the dead of the coup d’état, has confirmed yet again that certain forces and people are disturbed by the historical truth and undermining our people’s collective memory.

For the first time, representatives of the government attended the commemorations of the coup’s dead, but did not deliver a memorial speech. They just laid wreaths. In Paphos, at the official memorial service held in the Metropolitan Church of St Theodoros, the government representative, Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, Mr Prodromos Prodromou, was conspicuous by his absence, although the official programme noted that he would attend.

Indeed in Paphos the Church and the District Prefect, invoked from the dustbin of history a decision that was implemented only once during the Clerides administration, and appointed themselves as the speaker and not the Council of Ministers, as is usually the case.

Gentlemen, your behaviour towards the dead of the Resistance does not diminish their heroic sacrifice. Our dead are already in the Pantheon of Heroes, shining beacons in the defence of democracy and constitutional order. Your attitude is an insult to you and you alone, because you are attempting to promote forgetfulness and amnesia without acknowledging the historical truth. And the truth cannot be hidden: EIt was OKA B and the Greek Junta that executed the coup d’état, that abolished the constitutional order and opened the back door to the invading army of Turkey.

You cannot erase this historical truth because it is watered and kept solid by the blood shed by our dead, the blood of the dead of the Resistance, by those who defended the democratically-elected President of the Republic, because Presidents are changed by elections and never by the force of arms.