Event to cover the commemoration of the deaths of Kavazoglu and Misiaouli at the Cypriot Community Centre, Earlham Grove, Wood Green, London N22 5HJ this Monday 3rd of April 2023 at 7.30pm.

This is a tribute  to a Greek Cypriot and a Turkish Cypriot, murdered in the mid 1960s for promoting rapprochement between the two island’s communities.

In one of the darkest turns of Cyprus’ History when chauvinism and bigotry took up arms to divide our people, when partitionist imperialist plans were drawn up and elaborated one after the other, the Peoples Movement of the Left, which was fighting for our country’s independence and the unity of our people, stood up and resisted these plans daily. Kavazoglou and Mishaoulis were devoted to this cause, to the struggle of our Cypriot people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, to remain united; to combat the hatred and fanaticism; to forge a wall of resistance to nationalism and strengthen the common struggle of the two communities for the salvation of their common homeland.

Dervis Ali Kavazoglou, member of the Central Committee of AKEL and Costas Mishaoulis, cadre of our class-based trade union PEO and member of the District Committee of AKEL Nicosia, with their sacrifice became the symbol of this struggle. The terrorist murderers of the fascist TMT organization set up an ambush at a turn on the Nicosia-Larnaca road, killing them in the most barbaric way. Our two comrades were murdered, however they have never died! Their final embrace drowned in blood became the banner of our people’s struggle which to this day is raised high and rallies the people under the slogan “One country-One People!”

Back then, you had to be bold and courageous to be a Kavazoglou. You needed courage to be a Mishaoulis. You needed faith and conviction, an uncompromising ethos and dedication to our people’s struggle. Despite constant warnings, our two comrades defied the dangers and death itself. Their murderers ignored the truth: they murdered them because they feared them. The fascists feared what Cypriots, united, would say and do. Today, though dead, they fear Kavazoglou and Mishaoulis even more because their murder was a sacrifice that inspires our people.