On this day: Cypriots remember the traitorous coup d'état of 15th of July 1974

46th anniversary of the dreadful day

If you have never experienced this chilling, non pleasant atmosphere that hovers over the island every 15th of July at 08:20 am, then you can fully get identified with the feeling that is created. A sense of terror, remembrance, disappointment and betrayal combined with an indescribable shiver, bring to your mind all those things that your grandparents try to convey to you throughout the years. 

So this year, another black anniversary gives its presence under the sound of the morning alarm sirens. Forty-five years have been completed since that dreadful morning of July 15 1974, when strong forces of the National Guard arrived at the Presidential Palace, in order to overthrow the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III. The reason that led them to occupy the presidental palace, was mainly their vision of unification of Cyprus with motherland Greece ("enosis"), something that has been on the political front years before the coup. Therefore, their attempt  was to appoint a person who would give "flesh and bones" to what they were seeking.

(Archbishop Makarios III)

(Photo of the Presidental Palace, after coup d'état)

The more historically studied people, will know that  in most cases, the murder of the "dethroned" person is an objective itself. In our case, such a think was not achieved and Archbishop Makarios III managed to escape from the rear exit of the presidential palace. Nevertheless, the military coup set as the new President of the Republic of Cyprus, the then deputy and journalist Nikos Sampson, which means violation of the Constitution. As a result of all these events and political instability, it was Turkey's invasion on July 20th 1974 and the occupancy of 36% of the territory of Cyprus, citing the Zurich - London treaty on guaranteeing and protecting the Turkish minority of the island.

On July 20th, at 5:30am  we will wake up for the 45th time under the sound of the alarm sirens. However, no matter how many years will pass, the sound of the sirens will never "wake up" some of us. But some others will be awaken, because "nobody forgets and nothing is forgotten".