TGA News, Cyprus
July 19 2009
Message of the President of PSEKA for the 35th year of occupation of
Cyprus
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19-Jul-2009 @ 17:14:00 UTC αÏÏ? TGA News.com
NEW YORK.- Another year has passed and we are nearing the 35th Year of
the invasion and occupation of Cyprus. It is once again time for us to
reflect our strengths and weaknesses, achievements and
disappointments. We call on people to attend the Memorial Service at
St. Demetrios in Astoria and CYPRUS¦..35 YEARS LATER, a cultural
event at the Hellenic Cultural Center (information listed below).
A Congressional Commemoration of the Cyprus Invasion and Occupation
will also be held on Capitol Hill on July 21st & 22nd. Hellenic
Communities around the world are commemorating this tragic date in
various ways.
The world has changed since 1974. The Republic of Cyprus is now a
member of the European Union. Cyprus today, is not the Cyprus of
1974. Today The Republic of Cyprus is a cosmopolitan nation. The
Speaker of the Parliament is of Armenian descent. There is a Russian
community of 20,000, a thriving Armenian and Maronite Community, and a
significant East Asian community as well. Cyprus today is bridge of
Europe to the Middle East, with a strong economy, that guarantees all
rights to all citizens.
We urge everyone to remember that the Cyprus problem is not a
bi-communal problem, it is a problem of invasion and continued
occupation. The solution of the Cyprus tragedy lies squarely with the
Turkish generals and the Turkish government. A solution cannot be
achieved without the removal of all Turkish troops and settlers, and
the return of all Cypriot citizens to their ancestral homes.
Let’s all take some time on Sunday to remember the tragic events of
July 20, 1974. To spend a few minutes in recognition of those who gave
their lives, of the missing, of the refugees, and of the enclaved. Our
children and grandchildren have grown up never seeing their family
homes. The overseas Cypriots have waged their own war against the
Turkish occupation, and we have struggled against sometimes seemingly
insurmountable forces.
Although through the years we have not been frightened off by the
success of the affluent Turkish lobby or the general indifference of
the international community, many of us have been overtaken by the
feeling of complacency. I encourage everyone to continue the fight for
justice for the Cypriot people. Some things are clearly inherently
right or wrong. And right is on the side of freedom for Cyprus!
We urge everyone to stay strong and focused on battling this great
ongoing injustice, and assure you that we will not stop, we will not
rest, until we see the removal of Turkish troops, the removal of the
illegal settlers, and return of all refugees to their homes.
We urge all individuals, to express their frustration in the way they
feel appropriate. Whether it’s writing letters to their Member of the
Senate and Congress, writing editorials, or demonstrating their
frustration outside of the Turkish embassy hosting cultural events `
everything counts, everything matters, as long as we work legally and
cohesively, as long as our efforts are united and work toward a common
strategy.
I am very happy to see the younger generation of Cypriot and Greek
Americans active in the cause for justice for Cyprus. Our younger
people may not have seen first hand the pain and violence of the war,
but their hearts and souls are tied to Cyprus and the cause of justice
and human rights.
I remind everyone that we have promises to keep and miles to go before
we sleep. We have made promises to our children, our parents and
grandparents to see a united, free Republic of Cyprus.
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