THE Farmers Union (Eka) on Thursday urged President Nicos Anastasiades to make May 12 an annual commemoration of the struggles of Cypriot serfs and of their leader Re Alexis against the Frankish rulers of the island in the medieval period.

The general secretary of Eka, Panikos Champas, said he sent the president a letter asking him to set May 12 as the day of the struggles of the island’s farmers, who had the status of serfs during the Frankish rule (1191 – 1489), and for the rebellion against serfdom to be taught in schools and universities.

It will be 590 years on May 12 this year, the letter said, “since the hanging of the great Greek Cypriot rebel Re Alexis, the serf, who led the rebellion of the Cypriot villagers and farmers against the Franks”. It added that the rebellion lasted between 1426 and 1427 and ended with the hanging of Re Alexis by the rulers on May 12 of that year in Nicosia.

According to the chronicle of Cypriot historian Leontios Makhairas, the serfs rebelled against the Franks and established Re Alexis as a king in Lefkonoiko – the word Re means king in Provencal and Italian – and captains in Morphou, Limassol, Lefka and Peristerona. It took the Frankish nobility more than six months to defeat the rebels.

The rebellion, the letter said, “was a liberation movement calling for justice, freedom and for the land to be given to those cultivating it”.

Despite that this rebellion left a mark on the island’s history, the letter said, “unfortunately until today, and despite our repeated suggestions, the due importance for this great historical, national event of Cyprus is not given on the schools’ curriculum but is briefly mentioned”.

Champas urged the president to promote “objective research” on this historical event and for teaching material to be produced to be taught in schools and universities, which should commemorate the rebellion on May 12.

Such unique, historical moments of Cyprus and such great leaders as Re Alexis, he said, “should lead us, illuminate us with their example and their prowess, become inspiration, and a beacon for new struggles”.

It appears farmers are a bit of a marginalised group in terms of their contribution being given recognition globally. There does not appear to be an International Farmers Day listed when international days are being allocated for ‘World Hello Day’, ‘World Television Day’, according to lists on the web. The US and India have their own national day of farmers.





