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[halil]

Tassos Papadopoulos: A nationalist who did not have a vision of a ‘common homeland’


19.12.2008

Niyazi Kizilyurek

A short history of a politician who left his mark on the Cyprus issue

Tassos Papadopoulos was the son of a poor family. He read law in England after completing his bachelor’s degree in the anti-communist ‘Pancyprian Gymnasium’ which was a vessel for Hellenic-orthodox values. He became familiar with nationalistic ideas when young and worked in various student unions in his years in England and returned to Cyprus as a young lawyer on the 20th of March in 1955, ten days before EOKA began its active operations. On his way back he had a close encounter with EOKA when he had a layover in Athens. Patraklos Stavros, a known Makarios follower, told Papadopoulos about EOKA and asked him to form two groups of five men. Just like that he had found himself to be a member of EOKA. His code name was ‘Defkalion’. His responsibilities grew in time to include a group of 5 men. When the colonial government exposed EOKA’s Nicosia Regional Body, between the years 1956 and 57, Papadolpoulos, who was not caught, became its commander-in-chief. Now he was a close friend of Grivas, the EOKA leader, code-named ‘Dighenis’, who set up PEKA – ‘Politiki Epitropi Kypriakou Agona’ (The Political Committee of the Cypriot Struggle) as the political wing of the EOKA movement in 1958 Papadopoulos was deemed to be worthy to be head of the committee with the mission, besides propaganda, to monitor the Greek Cypriot community. PEKA closely supervised occupational organisations, associations and unions and was responsible for the bringing to ‘their senses’ of anyone who was against EOKA or criticised it. Grivas’ ‘death orders’ were based on these PEKA reports. Some Greek Cypriots were killed because they were ‘traitors’ and ‘against EOKA’ and the findings of PEKA played an important role in those killings. Papadopoulos later admitted that ‘some of those people were killed for nothing’ but showed no remorse. According to him ‘in a revolutionary struggle, there cannot be any courts and justice cannot be served.’
During the years of the EOKA struggle, Tassos Papadopoulos met an influential man in the organisation, namely Polikarpos Yorgacis with whom he developed a deep friendship. Yorgacis was a fanatical anti-communist who became Makarios’ right hand man and one of the strongest people after the founding of Cyprus Republic. Papadopoulos worked with Yorgacis for many years. When he died in 1970 Papadopoulos cried for the first time in his life.

Opposed to Agreements

Tassos Papadopoulos was strongly opposed to both the London and the Zurich treaties. He would say “the heroes, the ones who devoted their lives to freedom will not rest in peace in their graves because their dreams did not come true. We could not own up to their sacrifices.” Papadopoulos, Yorgacis and Clerides were Makarios’ closest colleagues after the Cyprus Republic treaty was signed. This ‘trinity’ were the leaders of the newly founded ‘National Front’. Papadopoulos became the Minister of Internal Affairs when he was only 24 in the temporary Cyprus Government. That was the will of Makarios. He said to Papadopoulos: “Sit down there; you are Minister of Internal Affairs.” On 16th August 1960, when the new Republic was declared, the Ministry of Internal Affairs was given to Yorgacis and Papadopoulos was transferred to be Minister of Labour with Clerides becoming the president of the House of Representatives.

Three names behind Akritas

The strength of this ‘trinity’ was not only coming from their influence in the ministries and the party but also that their names were prominent in the underground world. This ‘trinity’ was most influential in the secret organisation known as ‘Akritas’ founded on Makarios’ orders. Its real name was the ‘National Cyprus Organisation’ or ‘Organosis’ (the Organisation) in short with a mission to invalidate the treaties and to achieve Enosis based on the principals of self-determination. Yorgacis became its head with Tassos Papadopoulos as his deputy commander. The organisation was extremely anti-communist with ‘communist hunter’ Yorgacis once saying: “There is no room for communists in Hellenic Cyprus.” Papadopoulos, in his years in the ministry of labour, was making his best effort to strengthen the right wing unions’ confederation - SEK - against the leftwing confederation - PEO - in Cyprus. To this end he was receiving financial aid from the US.
Tassos Papadopoulos took an active part in the armed conflicts of 1963-4, during which time he threatened that should Turkey invade the island then there would be an extermination (cleansing) of all the Turkish Cypriots.
After the conflicts of 1964, against all Enosis rhetoric, Greece disappointed all the Greek Cypriot nationalists. Added to that, with the Greek Cypriots taking over the Cyprus Republic, Cyprus-centred Greek Cypriot nationalism was rising. Tassos Papadopoulos would soon become its most passionate voice and after 1974 he would put the ‘protection of the Cyprus Republic’ before a possible settlement.

Parting with Clerides

After 1974 Papadopoulos broke away from Clerides as the latter argued that: “There is no other way but a federation on the grounds of geographical separation” and that “It is necessary to gain the support of the western countries.” Papadopoulos suggested that any solution from the Western world would be ‘pro-Turkish’ and it would ‘legitimise the occupation’, ending the Cyprus Republic and replacing it with a ‘sectional state’. He was seeing the federal state as a separatist system, rejecting the two regions on the grounds that the return of the Greek Cypriots to their homes had been prevented. When he was assigned as negotiator, replacing Clerides, he had to give the Turkish side Makarios’ propositions of a federation of two regions and two communities. After Makarios’ death he rejected all the settlement solutions proposed and became the leading person in the ‘rejection front’. He did not have any disagreements with Spyros Kyprianou, who came to power with AKEL’s support, but the two politicians had a personal dispute which was why Kyprianou removed Tassos Papadopoulos from taking part in the negotiations. Tassos Papadopoulos was accused of the kidnapping of Kyprianou’s son as part of a conspiracy against him. Papadopoulos said that he suffered a lot and was very angry. Although he supported Kyprianou’s rejection of the settlement proposed by Perez de Cuellar and - in his words - he ‘put the national interests above the personal interests’.

Makarios’ dear man

In 1980 Tassos Papadopoulos founded his own political party, the Union Party, and started a newspaper called ‘Krikas’ for which he wrote under the name of ‘dimokritis’. Though he had started his political career early in life and had become Makarios’ ‘dear man’, after 1974 he was unable to achieve political success. His election to parliament in 1974 was only after Makarios demanded he be put on the DIKO list and because he was a negotiator. Afterwards, when he was befriended by Kyprianou again and they came across a common enemy like Vasiliou, Papadopoulos joined DIKO in 1989. When Spyros Kyprianou, as a result of health issues, stepped down from the DIKO leadership he appointed Tassos Papadopoulos to replace him. According to Kyprianou only Papadopoulos could defend the ‘national cause’.
In his convention speech on becoming DIKO leader on 7 October 2000, he said that he would not compromise the ‘national cause’ and that Kofi Annan’s attempts were ‘unacceptable’. Annan had recently taken on the role of UN Secretary-General. Papadopoulos reacted strongly to the S-G’s speech as a new series of talks had started on 12 September 2000 claiming that what Annan said was ‘the opinions of Turkish’.
When Cyprus was preparing to become a member of EU and heading a settlement with Annan’s initiative, AKEL decided to support Papadopoulos in the Presidential elections of 2003. AKEL leader Demetris Christofias assured everyone by saying ‘the man has changed, I guarantee’ and claimed that Papadopoulos’ ‘experience, knowledge, dynamism and seriousness’ allied to his ‘his commitment to the principals give hope and confidence for the future’. February 2003, during one of the most critical periods of Cyprus history, saw Tassos Papadopoulos elected as the 5th President of the Cyprus Republic.

Cyprus joins EU

For a short while after the elections Papadopoulos acted carefully. Cyprus was not yet an EU member. That would occur in April that year. Besides, his counterpart Denktas kept rejecting the Annan Plan, which was placed before the Cyprus communities in a referendum before Cyprus’ EU membership on 16th April 2003. Papadopoulos, who was hiding behind Denktas, was very comfortable at that time.
When the Turkish side were not ‘convinced’ until 16 April 2003, Papadopoulos was successful. Cyprus was now an EU member and nothing would be the same. In an interview he gave to ‘Vimagazino’ magazine in Athens after the EU membership on 11 May 2003, he said: “In a time like this when our hand is stronger than ever, why will I step back and agree to the Annan Plan.”
Tassos Papadopoulos remained faithful to his origins and rejected the Annan Plan and convinced his people to reject it too. He insured that the Greek Cypriots said ‘No’ at the ballots with a majority of 76%. He was a man of a certain view of the world and he remained faithful to his principals all his life. He was a nationalist. He did not have a vision of a common homeland with the Turkish Cypriots. According to him the Turkish Cypriots were a minority on these lands that belong to Hellenism. That is how he saw it, which is how he acted. There will be a lot to be said after his death but to me the most important question will be ‘why on earth did AKEL carry a politician like that to power during such critical times in the history of Cyprus.’

[Oracle]

If you Turks do not like our politicians, our Hellenic history, our honesty, our way of life, our desire for freedom and Democracy ... you have come to the wrong place ... because we are also no pushovers for your visions of a fascist world!

[Viewpoint]

Good riddens to bad rubbish, it is because of these people that this island is the way it is, ignorant and blind people will just carry on their work...You can place a saddle on a donkeys=GC back dont make it a race horse.

[halil]

LoveTasos


19.12.2008

Ozcan Ozcanhan

Love for his country
enmity for Turks

Former ‘President of Cyprus’ Tassos Papadopoulos was buried last Monday after suffering from lung cancer and throat trouble for some time. His death did not come as a surprise because of the seriousness of his illness.
His funeral ceremony at Ayia Sophia Church at Strovolos was conducted by Archbishop Chrysostomos II and was attended by the Cyprus top protocol, Greek Cypriots who loved him, heads of diplomatic mission in Cyprus, Greek Prime Minister Karamanlis, Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, Opposition leader George Papandreou and needless to say, by an army of journalists.
President Christofias, EDEK’s shadow leader Dr. Lyssarides, DIKO (Papadopoulos’ own political party) leader Karoyan all expressed their profound grief, paid tribute and praised Tassos Papadopoulos.
European Commission President, Manuel Barroso also sent a message of condolence to President Christofias in which he said, “The Commission and myself will remember him for his unwavering love for his country, but also, for his sharpness of mind, hard work and dedication to duty and his courage in pursuit of his convictions.”
Will not the EU remember him for his rejection of the Annan Plan which was strongly supported by the EU? Will Barroso not remember him for “deceiving the EU” and for not keeping his promise to obtain a ‘Yes’ vote from the Greek Cypriots, in the Annan Plan Referendum?
That is their business and should be the concern of the EU.
But, for Turkish Cypriots Tassos Papadopoulos did not have any love, not the least similar “unwavering love for his country” as mentioned by Barroso. He was full of hatred and enmity against Turkish Cypriots, Turks and anything to do with the Turks. That is why he had worked with EOKA leader Grivas, notorious Polikarpos Yorgacis, hit-man Nicos Samson, Goshis, Archbishop Makarios, Drakos, Matsis and others for the annihilation of Turkish Cypriots, in line with the murderous AKRITAS plan.
Turkish Cypriots lost their lives, villages, properties and loved ones because of people like Tassos Papadopoulos.
That is why there was not a single Turkish Cypriot at his funeral.
How could the Turkish Cypriot people forget:
a) ethnic cleansing,
b) murders of innocent people
c) mass graves
d) road blocks
e) ghettos
f) kidnappings
g) isolation and embargoes
and the scourge of EOKA, EOKA ‘B’ during 1955-58, 1963-1974 periods of blood, death and exodus from their villages and homes?
Tassos Papadopoulos is remembered by the Turkish Cypriots as one of the architects and drafters of the AKRITAS Plan for their extermination in pursuit of the Greek-Greek Cypriot joint goal, ENOSIS – the union of Cyprus with Greece.
However, many Greek Cypriots I talked to attempted to clear the name of Tassos Papadopoulos. They told me, “You have wrong information about Tassos. He was not a murderer of Turks. The top, Turkish bloodthirsty killers were, George Grivas, Polikarpos Yorgacis, Nicos Samson, Goshis, Matsis and Drakos. Had the Turkish Cypriot leaders known this fact, surely they would be present at this funeral ceremony.”
I was stunned. How could a Greek Cypriot confess to me? Why did he feel the urge to defend Tassos Papadopoulos? Had he not heard that back in 1974 when Turkish armed forces intervened in Cyprus, Tassos had declared like Makarios, “If the Turkish armies proceed, they will not find a single Turkish Cypriot to save!” What was the meaning of that threat … Turkish Cypriots know best. They were not mistaken.
Hundreds of Turkish Cypriots, men women young and elderly even babies, were murdered in cold blood and buried in mass graves at Ayios Vssilios, Aloa, Maratha, Dohni, Mari and other places under Greek Cypriot control. Today, the remains of some have been exhumed by the Committee on Missing Persons. Many more are still missing.
To cut it short, the death of Tassos Papadopoulos may be “a big loss” for the Greek Cypriots, but, the Turkish Cypriots can never have good memories about him.
Nonetheless, May God rest his soul.
And, May God show the right path to the Greek Cypriot political leaders who vowed to follow his footprints “until our homeland is re-united and liberated” and guide them through peaceful avenues for a fair and acceptable solution and for co-existence with the Turkish Cypriots as good neighbours.
The desire and aim of Turkish Cypriots is self-rule and to determine their own future free from Greek Cypriot domination.
That is why they are represented at the negotiations table in the search for a fair and honourable Cyprus settlement.

[Bananiot]

I think the translation of Kizilyurek's piece does not do him any justice. The article was written in Turkish, I believe, for the Observer Newspaper.

[Viewpoint]

Bananiot, he was a loathed man in the TRNC, no one had a good word to say about him..he was viewed as the enemy of the TCs, a Turk hater and everyone just laughed in relief at his death.

[Bananiot]

I know how the Turkish Cypriots felt about him and I do not blame them.

[Oracle]

Bananiot, he was a loathed man in the TRNC, no one had a good word to say about him..he was viewed as the enemy of the TCs, a Turk hater and everyone just laughed in relief at his death.

They also loathe Law and Order and Human Rights in the "TRNC" ... that does not make you right!

It just makes you criminals whose words mean nothing ...

[Get Real!]

Will Barroso not remember him for “deceiving the EU” and for not keeping his promise to obtain a ‘Yes’ vote from the Greek Cypriots, in the Annan Plan Referendum?

This sentence alone goes to show what kind of garbage there exists in the “TRNC” and anyone else out there who thought they could “obtain” a specific result in a “democratic referendum”!!!

[DT.]

LoveTasos


19.12.2008

Ozcan Ozcanhan

Love for his country
enmity for Turks

Former ‘President of Cyprus’ Tassos Papadopoulos was buried last Monday after suffering from lung cancer and throat trouble for some time. His death did not come as a surprise because of the seriousness of his illness.
His funeral ceremony at Ayia Sophia Church at Strovolos was conducted by Archbishop Chrysostomos II and was attended by the Cyprus top protocol, Greek Cypriots who loved him, heads of diplomatic mission in Cyprus, Greek Prime Minister Karamanlis, Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, Opposition leader George Papandreou and needless to say, by an army of journalists.
President Christofias, EDEK’s shadow leader Dr. Lyssarides, DIKO (Papadopoulos’ own political party) leader Karoyan all expressed their profound grief, paid tribute and praised Tassos Papadopoulos.
European Commission President, Manuel Barroso also sent a message of condolence to President Christofias in which he said, “The Commission and myself will remember him for his unwavering love for his country, but also, for his sharpness of mind, hard work and dedication to duty and his courage in pursuit of his convictions.”
Will not the EU remember him for his rejection of the Annan Plan which was strongly supported by the EU? Will Barroso not remember him for “deceiving the EU” and for not keeping his promise to obtain a ‘Yes’ vote from the Greek Cypriots, in the Annan Plan Referendum?
That is their business and should be the concern of the EU.
But, for Turkish Cypriots Tassos Papadopoulos did not have any love, not the least similar “unwavering love for his country” as mentioned by Barroso. He was full of hatred and enmity against Turkish Cypriots, Turks and anything to do with the Turks. That is why he had worked with EOKA leader Grivas, notorious Polikarpos Yorgacis, hit-man Nicos Samson, Goshis, Archbishop Makarios, Drakos, Matsis and others for the annihilation of Turkish Cypriots, in line with the murderous AKRITAS plan.
Turkish Cypriots lost their lives, villages, properties and loved ones because of people like Tassos Papadopoulos.
That is why there was not a single Turkish Cypriot at his funeral.
How could the Turkish Cypriot people forget:
a) ethnic cleansing,
b) murders of innocent people
c) mass graves
d) road blocks
e) ghettos
f) kidnappings
g) isolation and embargoes
and the scourge of EOKA, EOKA ‘B’ during 1955-58, 1963-1974 periods of blood, death and exodus from their villages and homes?
Tassos Papadopoulos is remembered by the Turkish Cypriots as one of the architects and drafters of the AKRITAS Plan for their extermination in pursuit of the Greek-Greek Cypriot joint goal, ENOSIS – the union of Cyprus with Greece.
However, many Greek Cypriots I talked to attempted to clear the name of Tassos Papadopoulos. They told me, “You have wrong information about Tassos. He was not a murderer of Turks. The top, Turkish bloodthirsty killers were, George Grivas, Polikarpos Yorgacis, Nicos Samson, Goshis, Matsis and Drakos. Had the Turkish Cypriot leaders known this fact, surely they would be present at this funeral ceremony.”
I was stunned. How could a Greek Cypriot confess to me? Why did he feel the urge to defend Tassos Papadopoulos? Had he not heard that back in 1974 when Turkish armed forces intervened in Cyprus, Tassos had declared like Makarios, “If the Turkish armies proceed, they will not find a single Turkish Cypriot to save!” What was the meaning of that threat … Turkish Cypriots know best. They were not mistaken.
Hundreds of Turkish Cypriots, men women young and elderly even babies, were murdered in cold blood and buried in mass graves at Ayios Vssilios, Aloa, Maratha, Dohni, Mari and other places under Greek Cypriot control. Today, the remains of some have been exhumed by the Committee on Missing Persons. Many more are still missing.
To cut it short, the death of Tassos Papadopoulos may be “a big loss” for the Greek Cypriots, but, the Turkish Cypriots can never have good memories about him.
Nonetheless, May God rest his soul.
And, May God show the right path to the Greek Cypriot political leaders who vowed to follow his footprints “until our homeland is re-united and liberated” and guide them through peaceful avenues for a fair and acceptable solution and for co-existence with the Turkish Cypriots as good neighbours.
The desire and aim of Turkish Cypriots is self-rule and to determine their own future free from Greek Cypriot domination.
That is why they are represented at the negotiations table in the search for a fair and honourable Cyprus settlement.

you hide behind the words of others too much halil.