Events across the globe to mark anniversary

THERE WERE events across the globe yesterday to mark the 25th anniversary of the Turkish invasion.In London’s Parliament Square and outside the Capitol in Washington, thousands linked hands to form human chains in protest at the continuing occupation, while in Cyprus the anniversary was marked by the sounding of sirens, vigils and church services.The UK-based Lobby for Cyprus co-operated with all the major British refugee associations to arrange for their human chain outside the Houses of Parliament, and a protest later in the day outside the Turkish embassy in London. At a similar event in Washington, co- sponsored by the American Hellenic Institute, members of human rights organisations, church groups and the Hellenic community also formed a human chain, and speeches were made by Senate members and the US House of Representatives.Participants later marched along Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House and held a vigil in Lafayette Park, opposite the home of the US president.There was also a ceremony hosted by Governor George E Pataki in the Governor’s New York office. Community leaders, dignitaries, foreign and domestic government representatives and Greek Orthodox clergy gathered to listen to speeches about the invasion. Governor of California Gray Davis also held a ‘Day for Peace in Cyprus’, calling for a solution to the Cyprus problem.Yesterday the island itself awoke to the sound of sirens, and events to commemorate the day began at 8.30am, when President Glafcos Clerides attended a ceremony held at the Timvou burial site of many of those killed during the invasion. Last night, the President unveiled a plaque dedicated to the missing and the fallen, and a vigil was staged outside the British High Commission and American Embassy.In Nicosia’s Eleftheria Square, campaigners collected signatures on a petition demanding information about the 27 children who are among the missing. The petition will be sent to Unicef.Today relatives of missing persons will stage a vigil at the Ledra Palace checkpoint at 8.30 tonight. A petition will be delivered to United Nations representative in Cyprus Dame Ann Hercus and to the embassies of permanent members of to the UN Security Council.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.