A Half Century of Occupation is Unacceptable
Supreme President Savas C. Tsivicos, a native son of Paphos, Cyprus, has issued a statement on the 50th dark anniversary of the illegal invasion of the Republic of Cyprus by Turkey that occurred July 20, 1974 and subsequent ongoing illegal occupation:
Today, on the eve of our historic 102nd AHEPA Family Supreme Convention—the first one ever held in Cyprus— we observe a dark and solemn day—the 50th anniversary of the illegal invasion and illegal occupation of the Republic of Cyprus by the Republic of Turkey, an unreliable NATO-member country under the Erdogan regime.
Today, AHEPA—a revered and time-honored American-based Hellenic heritage organization woven deeply into the fabric of America—convenes its global membership in Cyprus—a U.S. strategic partner and EU member—in a strong show of solidarity and to say, ‘Enough!’ and that a half century of injustice and division must end.
To this very day Turkey’s act remains an intolerable one; an act that is a gross violation of the rule of law, human rights, and democratic ideals. We pause to remember the innocent civilians who lost their lives and the individuals who went missing, including five American citizens, four of whose investigations remain incomplete. The illegal invasion and occupation caused the displacement of 200,000 Greek Cypriot refugees who to this day are unable to return to their homes. This, too, is a blatant violation of human rights as determined by the European Commission on Human Rights. Moreover, Turkey’s restrictions upon religious freedom and destruction of Cyprus’ cultural and religious heritage in Turkish-occupied Cyprus have been well-documented by the U.S. Helsinki Commission, the Law Library of Congress, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, and several media publications.
We outright condemn Turkey’s history of provocative actions and constant assault on international law directed at Cyprus and deem them unacceptable. It is our hope the two sides resume their dialogue and work to resolve difficult issues to achieve a just and viable settlement. However, Turkish hostility under the Erdogan regime has not set the proper tone for talks, and furthermore, Turkish intransigence based on outdated and flawed positions must end.
We urge the U.S. government to convey a strong message to Turkey that it must play a constructive role in the movement of confidence-building measures, which includes the removal of 40,000 Turkish troops from the island. We maintain our longstanding contention that these troops would serve a better purpose elsewhere, especially to NATO, as opposed to Cyprus.
More must and can be done.
The time is now for the United States and the global community to become engaged determinedly with the Cyprus problem with the same level of focus and diplomatic resources they devote to Ukraine, whose invasion by Russia draws a parallel to the invasion of Cyprus by Turkey.
The time is now for Turkish military personnel to allow The Committee on Missing Persons the access it needs to excavate and properly identify the remaining missing persons and bring closure, resolution and peace to families who have been grieving for a half century.
These actions are in the best interests of the United States, which has conveyed appreciation for the strategic partnership it has with the Republic of Cyprus; a partnership that has evolved to its highest level yet, embarking on a Strategic Dialogue.
The time is now to end painful division and the anguish of occupation and instead foster peace and deliver a lasting justice for Cyprus—and yes, for Europe.
Our hope is we will no longer need to observe this solemn anniversary, but instead, celebrate the anniversary of a settlement. AHEPA remains committed to doing all within its power, and pledges to continue to work with all like-minded organizations, to keep the Cyprus issue in the public eye until a just and viable solution that benefits all Cypriots is realized. This week, during our time in Cyprus, we renew our oath and we declare that we are committed and determined to redouble our efforts until Cyprus is truly liberated!
