By Loucas Charalambous

IT IS 51 years today since December 21, 1963. Half a century ago, just three years after its establishment, our state was dissolved and partitioned. It was then that it entered an insane period, starting in a frenzy of political recklessness which continues to this day without any prospect of ending.

Because, 51 years later, we have still not been taught anything from its painful consequences, we have still not admitted our unforgivable mistakes and have still not realised what this partition actually means. It is estimated that some 10,000 people from both sides lost their lives in the 10-year period up to and including the invasion.

Blood was shed needlessly in the maelstrom of a conflict for which there is no rational explanation. If there is a God to whom people, at some point, are answerable for their actions, one wonders what the protagonists of this insanity – especially Makarios who was a priest – would say.

I will not go into the events of 1963 about which I have written many times in the past. It is more important to note our astounding inability to draw lessons from this bloody story which effectively led to partition as a first stage and – with the stupidity that characterises us – could, at some point in the future, lead to the annexation of the island by Turkey.

If the rules of logic were obeyed, one would have expected that at least our politicians, seeing where we had been led by the recklessness of 1963, would have become wiser.

Perish the thought. In fact, those who are in politics in the Greek Cypriot community today are no different from those who caused the tragic events of 1963.

They have the same sick mentality and the same obsession with slogans and big words. Pseudo-patriotism, the big lies and the trade in patriotism that caused the crisis in 1963 still come out of our politicians’ mouths every day.

Half a century later, with half of Cyprus in effect now another state (even if it is not recognised), they have still not understood what the problem is.

We still hear them uttering the same slogans about liberation, about ridding us of the occupation troops, the return of the refugees (many of whom have died in the meantime) to their homes, vindication, etc and we wonder if any of these people are aware of what has happened to Cyprus in all these years or whether they have been touched by insanity.

Take for instance the words of AKEL chief Andros Kyprianou on December 2. “AKEL’s view is very clear. Our aim is liberation and re-unification of the country and our people.”

But he does not explain why 10 years ago, when we were given the only opportunity for re-unification, his party leadership decided to vote against it and in favour of cementing partition.

Another liberation warrior, EDEK chief Yiannakis Omirou, in an article published on the same day, remembered the fairy-tale of the “Turkish rebellion of 1963-64” and called for a change of policy because “it is naive to expect the Turkish Cypriot leadership to decide the withdrawal of the troops and removal of the settlers.” He called for the holding of an international conference at which “Turkey will be present to accept its responsibilities.”

But when Turkey accepted, by saying ‘yes’ to the Annan plan, the withdrawal of the occupation troops and the reduction of the settlers to 41,000, Omirou took a leading role in the campaign to reject the plan – in other words he voted in favour of the troops and settlers staying in the north.

Now that there are 200,000 settlers he is demanding an international conference to get rid of them.

Another zealous campaigner for the rejection of the plan which cemented partition – Alliance chief Giorgos Lillikas – has been protesting because in the conclusions of the EU enlargement report by the EU General Affairs Council “there is no mention of sanctions” against Turkey. He is obviously residing in a fantasy-world.

This is the low level of today’s politicians, a level that causes despair among all rational people as it is no different from that of those who half a century ago threw Cyprus into a horrific adventure that continues today. And with these ruthless demagogues handling our fate things can only get worse.





