ANTI-British bases MEP Marios Matsakis has written to the President of the European Parliament, Josep Borrell, claiming that he was attacked by British soldiers during a one-man protest to mark the April 1 anniversary of the EOKA struggle against colonial rule.
A Sigma TV news bulletin on the evening of April 1 showed Matsakis spray painting British bases vehicles and becoming embroiled in a shouting match with bases police.
“Every year on April 1 I make a symbolic protest within the territory of the so-called Sovereign British Bases in Cyprus, in order to draw attention to the continued presence and occupation by British troops of part of Cyprus,” Matsakis told Borrell in his letter dated yesterday.
“Such symbolic protests are always peaceful and there is no trespass into the fenced areas of the British Military facilities. This year was no exception.”
Matsakis said he took his protest to the area of the “spy” antennas, the site of numerous demonstrations in the past.
“With removable spray-paint I wrote ‘EOKA’ on three small signs on the outside of the perimeter fence adjacent to a public road. This writing was removed the next day. At all times I was outside the fenced area and on public ground. I then set off on the public main road to go to the village of Akrotiri,” Matsakis said.
Within seconds he saw a British Army Land Rover coming in the opposite direction “at speed”. He stopped the car in order to avoid a collision, he added. Martsakis said four soldiers jumped out shouting and pointing their sub machine guns at him.
“I remained seated in my car. I opened the window and asked, as calmly as I could and careful not to make any sudden movement, what was happening and I told them who I was. They continued to point their guns at me with their finger on the trigger and shouted at me not to move otherwise they would shoot me. I obeyed. After a few minutes the Bases Police and a local TV channel arrived and eventually I was allowed to go,” he said.
“I want to point out that my protest was peaceful and at no time did I pose any threat to anybody and for any reason. The action of the soldiers was completely unnecessary and could have ended in tragedy. I complained of course to the British Bases police when they arrived but they were very hostile and dismissed my claims outright.”
Matsakis said the action by the “British Occupation force in Cyprus” was carried out in order to scare him and prevent him carrying out further peaceful protests.
“I am reporting this incident to you knowing that the British Colonial Administration in Cyprus and the British government will completely deny that things happened as I describe them. I was alone and there were no independent witnesses. It is my word against theirs and I don’t expect you to believe me rather then them.”
Despite this, Matsakis vowed to continue his peaceful struggle to free his country from the British colonial presence.
“Such harassment by the British soldiers will not deter me from my determination to continue to support the struggle of my people to free my country from British as well as Turkish military occupation,” he said.
British Bases authorities had a slightly different version of the story yesterday.
“He came to Akrotiri and started hanging Greek and EU flags on the wire and was handing out leaflets with a declaration pledging support for the removal of the British bases on the island. We didn’t interfere at that point,” said Bases spokesman Dennis Barnes.
Barnes said Matsakis then headed towards the area of the antennas and began spraying ‘EOKA’ on signs along the perimeter of the fence.
A number of soldiers went to investigate in case someone was attempting break through the security fence, he said. “They yelled at him to stop. He claims they shoved him,” added Barnes.
The bases spokesman said the entire episode had been filmed by the Sigma crew accompanying Matsakis, even while he sprayed a British army Land Rover with the word ‘EOKA’.
“The soldiers showed remarkable restraint and drove off,” said Barnes. Matsakis was a recognised antagonist and soldiers had been advised not to antagonise him when he appeared, the spokesman added.
Minutes after the soldiers left, SBA police arrived at the scene, resulting in another shouting match with Matsakis.
“He started to write ‘EOKA’ on the door of the police car. They shouted at him to stop and he drove off,” Barnes said. “If he was shoved, I’m sure it would have been shown on TV.”
