Students protest north’s independence declaration

Students staged demonstrations in Nicosia, Limassol and Paphos on Friday to protest the anniversary of the unilateral declaration of independence in the occupied north. The rallies took place two days before the November 15 anniversary of the proclamation of the self-declared ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ in 1983. In Nicosia, demonstrations were organised by the Pancyprian student coordinating committee (Psem) and the far-right Greek Cypriot student group Efen. Students waved Cyprus flags, chanted slogans and carried banners in Greek and Turkish. Psem’s demonstration began in Kaimakli, while Efen’s rally started at Eleftheria Square in central Nicosia. (Photo: Christos Theodorides) Psem president Despina Kyprianou said the events of 1974 continued to affect Cypriots across both communities. “The dead, the missing, the refugees will not be vindicated as long as the occupation, the crimes of the imperialists and nationalists continue in both communities,” she said. Kyprianou warned against ethnic division and intolerance, saying they had brought destruction to Cyprus. “We will not allow imperialism and chauvinism to complete their crime against Cyprus. We declare that we do not compromise with the occupation, we do not compromise with the division of Cyprus,” she said. The education ministry had previously issued a circular stating that students participating in Psem events would not be marked absent from school. In Limassol, students from the district student coordinating committee (Esem) and the local branch of Efen gathered carrying banners with slogans including “Peace in Cyprus cannot be hindered” and “I do not forget”. Esem president Eva Savva said that although younger generations had not personally experienced the events of 1974, they continued to carry the memories of their parents and grandparents. In Limassol, students from the district student coordinating committee (Esem) and the local branch of Efen gathered carrying banners with slogans including “Peace in Cyprus cannot be hindered” and “I do not forget” “Let us not allow division to become a habit and occupation to become an accepted reality,” she said. In Paphos, students from the district student coordinating committee also took to the streets to protest the anniversary. The demonstration began with a gathering at the Stelios Kyriakides Stadium at 10am, followed by a march to the Makarios III and Resistance Monument and Paphos Municipal Hall. Outside the municipal hall, speeches were delivered by Esem Paphos president Charalambos Koufou and vice-president Christos Photiadis. Koufou described the anniversary as a reminder of one of the most difficult periods in Cyprus’ modern history. “We have a duty to remember. Not to let oblivion erase the stories of the people who were uprooted. To know our history and pass it on to future generations,” he said.