A CEREMONY marking the beginning of the EOKA struggle against British rule from 1955-1959 ended on a sour note yesterday as youths hurled abuse at DISY deputy Christos Pourgourides for his apparent “treachery” on the Annan plan.
Officials gathered at the monument of EOKA leader George Grivas in Limassol to mark the occasion. But as they were leaving, a band of youths moved threateningly towards Pourgourides, shouting abusive slogans.
The DISY deputy departed with a strong police presence forming a human circle around him while youths followed behind, shouting “traitor” for his views on the Annan plan.
Pourgourides later told reporters: “Thugs have destroyed Cyprus many times, I hope they don’t destroy it again,” adding: “people should respect an opposing view, whatever it is”.
“It is a reaction from brainless people and I hope they are isolated cases. Fanatic people always existed and they will continue to do so,” said Pourgourides.
Opposition towards the plan appears to be growing, as the Pancyprian Youth Movement (PYM) yesterday called on all pupils to demonstrate against the Annan plan at 9.30am today outside the Limassol District Administration.
The Movement’s secretary, Panoyiotis Ellinas, told Cyprus News Agency that the PYM had been founded as a result of the latest developments on the island. He called on all Limassol pupils to demonstrate today against the latest version of the United Nations Secretary-General’s plan.
This will be the third demonstration by pupils against the plan in four days. One thousand Paphos secondary school students abandoned their lessons to hold a one-hour demonstration against the Annan plan on Wednesday.
At around 11am, around 1,000 lyceum students gathered outside the town hall and marched towards the bishopric carrying placards and chanting anti-Annan plan slogans. Police said the demo was peaceful and ended at noon.
A similar demonstration was held in Limassol on Tuesday, when pupils from Polemidhia lyceum marched along the town’s central streets in opposition to the Annan plan.
In a written statement, Education Minister Pefkios Georgiades appealed to the students to remain calm and remain in their lessons. He said such demonstrations created an unnecessary climate of tension as well as upsetting the smooth running of the educational system.
