Sirens wail out across the city of Nicosia marking the 50th anniversary of the start of ‘Operation Attila’, the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus. At 05:20 on 20 July 1974, heavily armed Turkish commandos launched an amphibious invasion near Kyrenia.
This is the second time this week that sirens have sounded. The first, at 08:20 on Monday, marked the 50th anniversary of the disastrous fascist coup that preceded the Turkish invasion. Coincidentally, the two anniversaries fall on the same days of the week as they did in 1974.
The UN SC met on the day of the invasion and adopted resolution 353 by which it called for an immediate ceasefire and end to all foreign military intervention. The US, which partly recognised the coupist regime, categorically ‘ruled out’ military action to turn back the invasion.
In his memoirs, Henry Kissinger explained that it suited the US for Cyprus, which was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement, to be split between two NATO member countries and thus come under the de facto control of the US-led alliance. The British government concurred.
On 23 July 1974, just three days after the invasion, the coupist regime in Cyprus collapsed. Along with it ended the reign of the military junta in Greece, which had ruled there since 21 April 1967. The civilian government was restored with Glafcos Clerides as acting president.
The mal-intent of the Turkish state, which claimed that it was exercising its duty as one of Cyprus’ guarantors as pretext for the invasion, was laid bare when its military forces subsequently fanned out to seize control of 37% of the island nation’s territory on 14 August 1974.
Around 150,000 people (a quarter of the population and a third of all Greek Cypriots) were violently displaced from northern Cyprus by the Turkish military forces. Thousands were forcibly disappeared amid other atrocities, including the rape of many Greek Cypriot women and girls.
In 1983, the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” was unilaterally declared. However, it has no legitimacy and is not formally recognised by any country other than Türkiye. In an affront to international law and decency, the occupation has been allowed to continue to this day.
Liberation calls upon the UK government, owing to its major role in the Cyprus problem, to push for its proper resolution at the UN and firmly oppose any attempt by Türkiye to impose a fait accompli. We call for strict prohibitions on Brit. nationals investing in northern Cyprus.
We applaud and support AKEL’s call on the Cypriot people to strengthen the flame of hope and galvanise in the struggle for reunification and peace… “For a Cyprus that truly belongs to its people, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Armenians, and Maronites!” Fascism never again!
