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[BOF]

the main article in todays Cyprus Mail...
Is it true that Cypriots were told there were Russian warships just over the horizon, and they wouldnt allow the Turks to invade?

Dark day remembered

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus-probl ... d/20100716

STATE officials and ordinary people alike yesterday paid tribute to those killed resisting the coup on July 15, 1974 to overthrow President Makarios. The wailing of the sirens at 8.20 am yesterday came as a chilling reminder of the hot summer day 36 years ago when tanks and troops launched an assault against the presidential palace in Nicosia, prompting Turkey’s invasion of the island five days later. “These days bring back painful memories,”

President Demetris Christofias said after a memorial service – presided over by the archbishop -- for the resistance fighters who died during the coup. “Days where the (Greece’s) Junta and EOKA B raided the presidential palace, sowing destruction, targeting President Makarios and democracy and achieving to bring the Turkish invader to Cyprus.” Christofias took the opportunity to issue a call for unity on the domestic front. “Unity is an inevitable need. I am calling for unity, at least the minimum unity at a time when Turkish propaganda is striving for Turkey to come up on top,” the President said.

Christofias said any petty political ambitions should be set aside and efforts for a solution should be supported that would rid the island of the occupation and secure the unity of the state, the people and the institutions. “This is the message of these days … the anniversaries of the fascist coup and the Turkish invasion,” Christofias said. Parliament yesterday observed a minute’s silence to the memory of those killed in the coup and the subsequent invasion. During the extraordinary session, House President Marios Garoyian said parliament once more condemns the “double crime of 1974” and declares the Cypriot people’s irremovable decision to continue the struggle until the end of the occupation – until finding a fair, functional and viable solution of the Cyprus problem. “The wounds caused by the double crime of July 1974 remain open and the sacrifice of our heroes and martyrs remains unvindicated,” Garoyian said. The memorial service at the Constantinou and Elenis cemetery in Nicosia was followed by a second one at the graves of 22 young conscripts, members of a commando unit, who took part in the coup. It was the fourth year running, and the service, which sparked controversy in the past, was again carried out by Archbishop Chrysostomos. The events of that period, especially the Greek junta-inspired coup, are highly emotive issues for Cypriot society especially since no one – except the man who assumed the presidency briefly -- has been brought to justice.

Only Nicos Sampson, installed as president by the coupists and lasted eight days, stood trial and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Three years into his sentence he was allowed to go to France on medical reasons. He returned to prison in 1990 but was freed again a few months later. He died in 2001. Sixty-two civil servants who had been sacked following the events were restored in the 1990s by the Glafkos Clerides administration.

[bill cobbett]

"Eemeh O Makarios....."

Those seem to remember were the words Big Mak used to start the radio broadcast from somewhere over in Paphos, to say he was alive and which doomed the coup to failure.

[RichardB]

"Eemeh O Makarios....."

Those seem to remember were the words Big Mak used to start the radio broadcast from somewhere over in Paphos, to say he was alive and which doomed the coup to failure.

O Makarios Zoi

[bill cobbett]

Was that it? Or did he say both? Do remember the o Makarios Zoi bit.

[Acikgoz]

Mak the knife. The lying cheating murdering backstabbing evil megalomaniac.

[bill cobbett]

Mak the knife. The lying cheating murdering backstabbing evil megalomaniac.

.... says Acigoz the karagoz

[RichardB]

Was that it? Or did he say both? Do remember the o Makarios Zoi bit.

Still written on some of the walls in the old village Mr Cobbett , takes a while for progress to reach the mountains

[Natty]

Part of a documentary charting the events of 74. A few minutes in it plays a recording of the Makarios radio announcement.

Sorry Richard, I think Bill wins. The mountainous regions probably had dodgy radio signal back then, but if not word for word, at least there was a general understanding of what was happening.

[Acikgoz]

A man of the church a man who always eyed power.

"Greeks of Cyprus, this voice is familiar, you know who is speaking, its makarios your elected leader." His words.

Note that he is the leader of GCs, not TCs, that was before the Turkish intervention on July 15th 1974.

We did not have one government then, the falacy that is promulgated across the world and used to justify a full democracy now. You extremists are the spawn of the sickness perpetrated by the likes of makarios on OUR island.

[Gasman]

Just watched the next YouTube vid after that one. Where the Greeks would not allow the wounded GCs to be treated in the hospitals, saying they should bleed to death.



And some Cypriots love these Greeks? Hail them as heroes? Totally baffling.

It is quite interesting to see, watching vids of Cypriots back in 1970s, how very different they were then, and how very different they were compared with people in, say, England back in the 70s.

For the life of me I cannot imagine any modern 70s westerners voting in anyone who looked and sounded like Makarios did! And, yes - he DID address GREEKS of Cyprus, as their elected leader. Before the island was split.