Cyprus-Forum.com

[Jerry]

By Bejay Browne

Leader’s words mark historic anniversary for local station

IN THE AFTERMATH of the 1974 coup, famous words rang out from a ham radio station in Paphos. July 15 is an important anniversary for Radio Paphos, which was the first broadcaster to inform the island that deposed President Makarios III was still alive.

On that day in 1974, the Cypriot National Guard and EOKA-B launched a coup to overthrow President Archbishop Makarios III.

The presidential palace in Nicosia came under artillery fire from tanks, while Makarios was greeting a group of schoolchildren from Cairo. The presidential guard fought for several hours until the rebels stormed the building and set fire to it.

Makarios fled to the safety of Kykkos Monastery and mulled over his options.

At that time, Nicos Nicolaides was a CyBC technician in Paphos and was unaware that his life was about to change forever.

Fotis Nicolaides, the middle of three of Nicos’ sons, was only nine at the time and remembers his father’s story.

“My father was a technical whizz and could fix anything,” he told the Cyprus Mail.

“He was so good with electronics, he even built his own amateur radio broadcasting equipment, which he used from time to time.”

He continued, “My father was astounded when he heard about the Greek junta and the coup. He wasn’t sure if the President had been killed.”

State media broadcast Makarios’ demise at the time, as it was presumed the President had been assassinated.

“My father had the idea to broadcast a message to other patriots across Cyprus, to stand up to the Junta.”

Nicos Nicolaides went to the head of Makarios’ support base in Paphos, Mikis Tembriotis, who gave the idea his blessing. Many people came that day to broadcast on the airwaves of The Free Radio of Cyprus, as my father called it.”

The radio was set up in Nicolaides’ workshop, and broadcasts were made in Greek, English Arabic, French and Spanish.

Makarios, still in Kykkos, heard these messages on a small transistor radio he carried with him, and took the decision to travel to Paphos to broadcast to the nation he was still alive.

The deposed president found a safe-haven in the Cathedral in Paphos; and Nicolaides and other amateur journalists met with him, and recorded his message. Makarios spoke in Greek and English, and the Free Radio of Cyprus repeatedly broadcast the message continually for hours, to bring hope to the people and spur them into action.

Armed volunteer guards surrounded the workshop in the now named Nicos Nicolaides Street, offering their loyal service.

Israel picked up the message, and sent it to the BBC for conformation that the voice was indeed Makarios’. This was verified and the speech was broadcast later in the evening of July 15, by CyBC in Cyprus.

The coup d’état, had installed Nicos Sampson, as the de facto President of Cyprus, following the deposition of Makarios.

Nicolaides son explained the implications of this broadcast,

“This was very important, the international community believed Makarios was dead and governments were on the verge of recognising Sampson as the new President,” stressed Nicolaides. “Because of my father and those who helped him, this didn’t happen.”

Samson was only President for eight days, and failed to gain diplomatic recognition during that time. Glafcos Clerides was sworn in as acting President soon afterwards.

Nicos Nicolaides died of a heart attack in 1995 but not before overseeing the Free Radio of Cyprus evolve into a successful local radio station, Radio Paphos.

The Nicolaides family are hoping to obtain official museum status for Nicos’ workshop, which still stands today, full of equipment and memorabilia, used to broadcast more than thirty years ago.

Saw this in the Cyprus Mail. Where were you when you heard Makarios was alive and how did you react?

[bill cobbett]

Nice post, if I may say so jerry.

Have to think where I was at the time. (mmh - not good I suppose having to think about it.)

Was listening to Mak's (may he rest in peace etc etc) broadcast on the radio today as I'm sure many others did.

[Jerry]

What sticks in my memory is my reaction when I heard that Sampson was to be the new president. What a bunch of f...... idiots. I remember reports coming from Cyprus that this had nothing to do with the TCs and they had nothing to worry about and then saying in effect "oh by the way we have a murdering, Turk hating thug for president". Even my Cypriot relatives were worried about what Turkey would do, on previous occasions they had always said that the Americans wouldn't permit an all out attack on Cyprus but this time the US government was almost leaderless because of Watergate.

My cousin was on holiday in Cyprus, he said that people were told to keep calm and stay indoors but he went out and told the first policeman that he met that they were a bunch of idiots and no good would come of the coup. Apparently the policeman was speechless, he couldn't understand why my cousin was so hostle towards him.

[Oracle]

We were on a school trip to France and I was a young teenager.

The full force of the devastating change in Cyprus' fortunes did not strike me until the day after when I caught my mother and father discussing it animatedly

[bill cobbett]

I do remember we were booked to go to Cy a few days after the coup and subsequent barbaric invasion. It would have been my first trip to the old country. Never went of course. I think my old man got a refund which was much, much, much more than so many others who suffered so.... So, so sad.

[denizaksulu]

When I first heard the news of the Presidents overthrow, my first reaction was "effing hell". What next? Then we heard of Sampson becoming the new president. We all believed that Makarios was killed. It was shocking news, as we had hope for the future. When Sampson was pronounced as president, we thought that all was lost. We were hearing of the 'civil war' and the nmerous killed. We thought that we were next. It was a terrible feeling.

The rest was tragi-history.

[DT.]

When I first heard the news of the Presidents overthrow, my first reaction was "effing hell". What next? Then we heard of Sampson becoming the new president. We all believed that Makarios was killed. It was shocking news, as we had hope for the future. When Sampson was pronounced as president, we thought that all was lost. We were hearing of the 'civil war' and the nmerous killed. We thought that we were next. It was a terrible feeling.

The rest was tragi-history.

WHat gave you hope for the future Deniz? Was something under deveopment at the time?

P.S this question is not loaded. (gotta point these things out these paranoid days.)

[74LB]

As 14 yr olds, we were swimming near what is now known as 'Gulseren Army Camp' just north of Famagusta (not sure what it was called in 74 - it was still an army camp though) when we had some elders come screaming at us to get out of the water. They didn't even give us time to dry ourselves !

We had what seemed like 5 days of 'house-arrest' before the fireworks really started

[denizaksulu]

When I first heard the news of the Presidents overthrow, my first reaction was "effing hell". What next? Then we heard of Sampson becoming the new president. We all believed that Makarios was killed. It was shocking news, as we had hope for the future. When Sampson was pronounced as president, we thought that all was lost. We were hearing of the 'civil war' and the nmerous killed. We thought that we were next. It was a terrible feeling.

The rest was tragi-history.

WHat gave you hope for the future Deniz? Was something under deveopment at the time?

P.S this question is not loaded. (gotta point these things out these paranoid days.)

We were aware of the bombs and raids on police stations, but still hopeful that Makarios would have been able to keep the lid on things. Obviously no one expected the Junta to tip the balance in such a way. When it came to choices, Makarios was much more prefered that the murderous N Sampson.

[Oracle]

Now you admit some kindness towards Makarios ...

If you had not spent the best part of three decades opposing his leadership against the British, then his presiding over Democracy for Cyprus ... we would not have a ruddy great dictatorship like Turkey dragging us backwards ....