April 1st, 1955 – EOKA – The Greek Revolution of Cyprus
Cyprus like the rest of the Greek lands, fell to the Ottomans in 1570, beginning the same brutal occupation of the Greeks as elsewhere. In 1821 when the Greek Revolution broke out, so too did the Greeks of Cyprus revolt.
But like many other Greek regions following the Revolution, Cyprus was not liberated from the Turks and instead, in 1878, would begin another period of occupation, this time under the British.
During the 20th Century, the Greeks of Cyprus wished to be able to control their own affairs & be in charge of their own destiny. This ranged from being given limited powers, to independence, to Union with Greece, to urging the British regime to allow a referendum on the future status of the island. The occupying British regime refused all options.
The Church of Cyprus decided to take matters into its own hands. In 1950 it conducted its own referendum on Union with Greece, the result saw 95.71% of Cypriots vote in favour of Union with Greece. Once again all this was ignored by the colonial occupying British and the rest of the world.
Out of this, EOKA was born – Εθνική Οργάνωσις Κυπρίων Αγωνιστών – (The National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters), a resistance fighting group, who launched a military campaign to end British Colonial Rule of Cyprus, fought for self-determination and for eventual Union of the island of Cyprus with the Greek State.
On April 1, 1955, EOKA began their 5 year struggle, launching simultaneous attacks all over the island against British military installations, attacked British colonial troops and military convoys, disrupted communication lines, attacked British controlled broadcasting stations & sabotaged British operations in Cyprus.
Many of EOKA’s leaders, members and Greek civilians lost their lives during the Struggle, to free the people of Cyprus from British Imperialism and Colonialism and to be united with the rest of Greece.
The EOKA Struggle was an extension of the Greek Revolution of 1821. Just like was seen in places like Crete, Macedonia, Thessaly, Epirus and the other Greek lands that remained under foreign occupation following the Revolution of 1821. In Cyprus, the Greeks there never gave up on liberation and freedom and gave their lives for it.
Whilst not reaching their ultimate goal of Union with Greece, the 4 year campaign did manage to end almost a century of British colonial rule on the island and in 1960 an independent Republic of Cyprus was established.
Leading Figures included:
Georgios Grivas
Grigoris Afxentiou
Makarios III
Markos Drakos
Michalis Karaolis
Andreas Dimitriou
Evagoras Pallikarides
Stylianos Lenas
Kyriakos Matsis
Stelios Mavrommatis
Andreas Zakos
Tassos Papadopoulos
Fotis Pittas
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