This year marks forty-one years since the sad day of the declaration of the pseudo-state and fifty years since the barbaric Turkish invasion of Cyprus and the continued occupation 37% of its territory. Half a century of refugees for 1/3 of the population and uncertainty for all Cypriots. Half a century of continuous and intense efforts to destroy our Greek and Christian traces in our occupied land.
Turkey's constant aim after the forced cession of Cyprus to England in 1878 was the return of Cyprus. This was clearly proclaimed at the Grand National Assembly of Ankara in 1920 and its practical realization began with the Nihat Erim Plan of 1956. This plan provided for the concentration of Turkish Cypriots in enclaves and their practice of self-government. This was achieved with the 1964 Turkish uprising. After the 1974 invasion, 37% of our occupied lands became an enclave within which the Turks could realize their plans.
Already from the summer of 1983, Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership prepared a declaration for the establishment of an independent state in the occupied territories of the Republic of Cyprus. The institutions, organizations and associations led by Denktash began to hold dynamic activities and to call for the unilateral declaration of a "Turkish Cypriot state", which they did on November 15, 1983.
The actions of the then occupation leader Rauf Dektash put a grave both on the hopes of our refugees for a speedy solution and return to their homes, and on the dream of many Turkish Cypriots to live peacefully in a united Cyprus. And Turkey has been quietly implementing its long-term plan ever since.
Having succeeded, thanks to our participation in inter-communal negotiations, and in time making the international community forget the nature of our problem, which is the problem of invasion and occupation, and tiring our people, it no longer hides the ultimate and its permanent goal - the occupation and Turkification of the whole of Cyprus.
And how are we reacting? Many of us are disoriented midway through. Many of us face this situation without dignity, without Greek pride. The daily announcements about the number of Greek Cypriots visiting the occupied territories, the amounts they spend there, the flights out of the illegal airport, the calls for opening other checkpoints to further familiarize ourselves with the occupation, create a sense of national aphasia. in which a large part of our people have fallen.
The situation is also deplorable at the level of the goals and demands of our struggle. We have been involved in a process of inter-communal negotiation aimed not at restoring the rights of our people, but to come to terms with usurpation and injustice. This reinforced Turkey's international propaganda about the nature of the Cyprus problem by presenting it as an inter-communal dispute and forcing itself into a defensive posture. How far Turkey has succeeded in achieving this goal with our cooperation can be seen from the proposals presented so far for a solution to the Cyprus problem, as well as from our own claims: no hint of invasion and occupation, no reason for settlements and national clearing.
As a Church, we believe that there is still a light of resistance and hope. And this belief of mine is based on the fact that the memory of our occupied homeland has not faded. The vast majority of our people have the will to fight, and we need inspiration and guidance. Today's event "Memories of the Occupied Land", organized by the committees of occupied municipalities and communities to denounce the declaration of the pseudo-state, is aimed in this direction.
On this occasion, we emphasize that today, in addition to condemning the pseudo-state, we must also revive the faith of our people in the final consolidation of our law, with the liberation of the currently occupied part of our island and the return of all refugees to their ancestral homes.
In order to achieve The Church will continue to be at the forefront of the struggle of our people. And we have no doubt that sooner or later the day of vindication will come. It is enough for all of us to remain steadfast and consistent to the end as adamant defenders of our rights.
We hope that with the help of God, and with the universal mobilization, unity and cohesion of all political forces of our country and Hellenism in general, we will soon be able to celebrate the triumph of our law, the liberation of our country.
Turkey's constant aim after the forced cession of Cyprus to England in 1878 was the return of Cyprus. This was clearly proclaimed at the Grand National Assembly of Ankara in 1920 and its practical realization began with the Nihat Erim Plan of 1956. This plan provided for the concentration of Turkish Cypriots in enclaves and their practice of self-government. This was achieved with the 1964 Turkish uprising. After the 1974 invasion, 37% of our occupied lands became an enclave within which the Turks could realize their plans.
Already from the summer of 1983, Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership prepared a declaration for the establishment of an independent state in the occupied territories of the Republic of Cyprus. The institutions, organizations and associations led by Denktash began to hold dynamic activities and to call for the unilateral declaration of a "Turkish Cypriot state", which they did on November 15, 1983.
The actions of the then occupation leader Rauf Dektash put a grave both on the hopes of our refugees for a speedy solution and return to their homes, and on the dream of many Turkish Cypriots to live peacefully in a united Cyprus. And Turkey has been quietly implementing its long-term plan ever since.
Having succeeded, thanks to our participation in inter-communal negotiations, and in time making the international community forget the nature of our problem, which is the problem of invasion and occupation, and tiring our people, it no longer hides the ultimate and its permanent goal - the occupation and Turkification of the whole of Cyprus.
And how are we reacting? Many of us are disoriented midway through. Many of us face this situation without dignity, without Greek pride. The daily announcements about the number of Greek Cypriots visiting the occupied territories, the amounts they spend there, the flights out of the illegal airport, the calls for opening other checkpoints to further familiarize ourselves with the occupation, create a sense of national aphasia. in which a large part of our people have fallen.
The situation is also deplorable at the level of the goals and demands of our struggle. We have been involved in a process of inter-communal negotiation aimed not at restoring the rights of our people, but to come to terms with usurpation and injustice. This reinforced Turkey's international propaganda about the nature of the Cyprus problem by presenting it as an inter-communal dispute and forcing itself into a defensive posture. How far Turkey has succeeded in achieving this goal with our cooperation can be seen from the proposals presented so far for a solution to the Cyprus problem, as well as from our own claims: no hint of invasion and occupation, no reason for settlements and national clearing.
As a Church, we believe that there is still a light of resistance and hope. And this belief of mine is based on the fact that the memory of our occupied homeland has not faded. The vast majority of our people have the will to fight, and we need inspiration and guidance. Today's event "Memories of the Occupied Land", organized by the committees of occupied municipalities and communities to denounce the declaration of the pseudo-state, is aimed in this direction.
On this occasion, we emphasize that today, in addition to condemning the pseudo-state, we must also revive the faith of our people in the final consolidation of our law, with the liberation of the currently occupied part of our island and the return of all refugees to their ancestral homes.
In order to achieve The Church will continue to be at the forefront of the struggle of our people. And we have no doubt that sooner or later the day of vindication will come. It is enough for all of us to remain steadfast and consistent to the end as adamant defenders of our rights.
We hope that with the help of God, and with the universal mobilization, unity and cohesion of all political forces of our country and Hellenism in general, we will soon be able to celebrate the triumph of our law, the liberation of our country.
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