LAST WEEK the column dealt with President Christofias’ declaration that he had no intention of raising the issue of the withdrawal of the British Bases and would leave this task to “our children and grandchildren”.
The next day, Phileleftheros, in its daily column which features stories from old editions of the paper, published the following:
“1964. A big peace march, in which 100,000 people will take part, took place. Personalities from the Greek world and from other countries participated.
“Addressing the crowds, the acting president of the House Antonakis Anastasiades, deputies Yiangos Potamitis and Vassos Lyssarides, the composer and deputy Mikis Theodorakis, Nicos Sampson, Ourania Kokkinou, the former mayor of Famagusta Andreas Pouyiouros and foreign representatives voiced the desire of the Cypriot people for peace and freedom.
“A message from the Turkish Cypriot fighter for democracy Ihsan Ali was also read. Many Turkish Cypriots also took part in the march adding their voices to the calls for withdrawal of the British Bases from Cyprus.”
The above was published last Monday. Two days later, the column had the following item: “1964: Triumphant references about the return of Makarios, following the Conference of the Non-Aligned in Cairo, are published in Phileleftheros…. Aboard a special plane of (President) Nasser Makarios arrives back today. Fighter planes of the United Arab Republic will escort the Archbishop. In a statement to a journalist of a Cairo radio station, Makarios said: ‘I will never allow the establishment of foreign bases in Cyprus, staging posts for raids against our neighbouring countries, which include friendly Arab states.’”
I could finish the column right here, as the above speak for themselves. I would be underestimating the intelligence of readers if I wrote about their importance. Even for someone who never heard anything about the history of the Cyprus problem, these few lines are enough for him to understand how we arrived at the mess we are in today. Political lunacy reigned supreme in our country.
At the height of the Cold War, the then President engaged in mindless, anti-American rhetoric in the region, declaring defiantly that that he would not allow the setting up of foreign bases in Cyprus. This, at a time when even the blind could see that there already were foreign bases in Cyprus and were operating very smoothly. And the communists of Akel were organising marches of 100,000 people calling for the withdrawal of what they referred to as the “bases of death”.
Fifty years later, the bases are still here and the Akel president admits that it is not yet the time to kick them out. This could be done by our grandchildren.
Readers may have thought that there was some kind of mistake, when they read above that one of the speakers at the communist-organised march was Nicos Sampson. For those who are unaware, Sampson was the creation of Akel and Makarios.
Makarios gave him the go-ahead to set up his paramilitary organisation and Akel turned him into a popular hero. The biggest ever political gathering held in the Dhali area was the one organised by Akel for Sampson, at the start of his political career. In the 1970 parliamentary elections Akel voters backed him and he was triumphantly elected an Representative for Famagusta.
Does any rational person need guidance to understand, having read the above, that all our woes are the result of the political schizophrenia and demagoguery of those who governed us? And the sad thing is that we are still governed by the same kind of politicians.
