[MGSA-L] May 10, 1956: The anniversary of the execution of two Greek freedom fighters

[Allen, Peter S.]

I have no desire to prolong this discussion, but I do want to point out that in fact the two young men were technically Cypriots or Greek Cypriots, not Greeks or something else. It is irrelevant what they called themselves (I can call myself Chinese, but that does not make me Chinese). They did not have Greek citizenship nor did they have Greek passports.  They were citizens of a British colony named Cyprus and thus Cypriots. The island at that time had a majority of Greek speakers, but a large Turkish-speaking population and some Armenians and probably other ethnic groups. It  was customary then, as it is now, to refer to Cypriots as Greek Cypriots or Turkish Cypriots, designations that reflect religion and language (the Armenians and other seems to have been left out of this).

PSA

Peter S. Allen
Department of Anthropology
Rhode Island College
Providence, RI 0290
401-456-9639
Fax: 401-456-9736

From: Aristide Caratzas [mailto:acaratzas at gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, May 12, 2014 10:09 AM
To: Allen, Peter S.
Cc: Christos D. Katsetos; MGSA-L LIST
Subject: Re: [MGSA-L] May 10, 1956: The anniversary of the execution of two Greek freedom fighters

Indeed Michalakis Karaolis and Andreas Demetriou were Greek Cypriots — they both were members of EOKA and fought specifically to rid the island of British colonialism and unite it with Greece ('Enosis' was the explicit goal of the liberation struggle); in this they were supported by the vast majority of the Greek Cypriots, indeed even many "Turkish" (Muslim) Cypriots (cf. the referendum of 1950).
I used the designation Greek for Karaolis and Demetriou because that is how they designated themselves — there is plenty of evidence.

There is no conflict between the designations "Greek" and "Greek Cypriot," as the latter refers to origins and local traditions, as in Pontic , Epirotan (or North Epirotan), Macedonian, Thessalian etc.
Over the last decades, after the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974 and subsequent occupation, the term "Greek Cypriot" has assumed an additional meaning with political overtones, to designate one ethnic group (with the overwhelming majority) and juxtapose it to the "Turkish" Cypriot. This is basically a screen to legitimate the creation of an entity that ignores basic democratic precepts such as majority rule.
Finally, I put "Turkish" in quotes because in their overwhelming majority they are native Cypriots who were Islamized over the last two-three centuries — thus they are to be distinguished for the Turkish settlers from Anatolia that Turkish governments have been moving into the illegally occupied territory of the Republic of Cyprus.
It would be interesting if some scholar-members of the MGSA would focus on the efforts of Ankara and the occupation regimes to alter the cultural foundations of the occupied areas, not only by the settlement of Anatolians, but also by the physical destruction of the evidence of the presence of the Greek Christian culture.
Aristide Caratzas

Aristide Caratzas


On Mon, May 12, 2014 at 4:27 PM, Allen, Peter S. <PAllen at ric.edu<mailto:PAllen at ric.edu>> wrote:
In his post, Mr. Caratzas refers to the two young men as “Greeks”.  Were they not in fact Greek Cypriots?

PSA

Peter S. Allen
Department of Anthropology
Rhode Island College
Providence, RI 0290
401-456-9639
Fax: 401-456-9736

From: Christos D. Katsetos [mailto:cd_katsetos at yahoo.com<mailto:cd_katsetos at yahoo.com>]
Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2014 5:45 PM
To: Aristide Caratzas; MGSA-L LIST
Subject: Re: [MGSA-L] May 10, 1956: The anniversary of the execution of two Greek freedom fighters

Echoing Aristide Caratzas' post in memory of the two young freedom fighters,
Mihalakis Karaolis and Andreas Dimitriou, who on May 10, 1956 were sent
mercilessly to the gallows in a Nicosia prison, I should like to add the
following thoughts.

In 1956 Mainland Greeks from all walks of life and political persuasion
voiced their strong solidarity with their Greek Cypriot brethren in their
struggle against British colonial rule and for self-determination. The historical
memory of the 1955-59 Greek Cypriot uprising and the people's yearning
for ΕΝΩΣΙΣ (unification) with Greece, during that time, ought to be part of our
γνώθι σαυτόν and not be misconstrued as a "nationalist" manifestation in
the name of realpolitik.  Importantly, Greeks across the democratic political
spectrum nowadays should stand united and not allow this sacred memory
to become contaminated --or worse, be held hostage-- by the purveyors of
perverted patriotism, hate mongering, and national socialist totalitarianism.

RELATED LINKS

E.O.K.A. RIK - CYBC Documentary
EOKA Documentary broadcasted from Cybc (RIK) Cyprus featuring footage
from newsreels of the period.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loVBPDQ0VNk


"Θα πάρω μιαν ανηφοριά"
Στίχοι:  Ευαγόρας Παλληκαρίδης
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kDjQwgmENE

Colonial administration records -- Death sentences
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/migrated-archives-6-tranche-guide.pdf

=======
CDK
5/10/2014
On Saturday, May 10, 2014 1:21 PM, Aristide Caratzas <acaratzas at gmail.com<mailto:acaratzas at gmail.com>> wrote:
On this day fifty-eight years ago (May 10, 1956) the British colonial administration in Cyprus hanged two young Greeks, Michalakis Karaolis and Andreas Demetriou (aged 23 and 22, respectively). Both men, who fought for the liberation of their land, went to their death with dignity and without fear.
We live at a time during which the notion of self-respect is devalued for many and the idea of freedom limited to those that happen to agree with them. Furthermore the evocation of the Greek identity, is denied by effete internationalists, perverted by Nazi sociopaths, and deranged Anarcho-Communist fanatics.
Karaolis and Demetriou, and the others murdered by the British occupation forces in that corner of Hellenism, died so that the rest of us maintain our self-respect, to live and produce in the context of an identity in which the human being is at the center, and the roots of which stretch back at least three millennia.


--
Aristide D.Caratzas
acaratzas at gmail.com<mailto:acaratzas at gmail.com>

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--
Aristide D.Caratzas
acaratzas at gmail.com<mailto:acaratzas at gmail.com>
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