The following project Themis-Cyprus calls for the support of citizens in America and the citizens of the Global community to help bring an end to the invasion of Cyprus that occurred on July 20, 1974.
Since 1974, the northern territory of the Republic of Cyprus has been occupied by the armed forces of the Turkish Republic. In the aftermath of the Turkish invasions of July 20 and August 14, 1974, over 200,000 Greek Cypriots were ethnically cleansed from their homes and had to flee as refugees to the southern part of the island, while more than 50,000 Turkish Cypriots were forced un-willingly to move in the occupied area. Over 5,000 Cypriots were killed. Eighty percent of Cypriots are of Hellenic descent, and Eighteen percent of Cypriots are of Turkish.
The Turkish occupation forces are working to make the occupation of Cyprus irreversible, by refusing to abide to the UN resolutions, the international law, and the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights. Their intransigent position is for legalising the fait accompli (Turkey is the only state that recognises the pseudo-state of the north), by proposing a solution of two states and a louse con-federal status between them, by threatening to unite the occupied territories to Turkey, and by importing illegal settlers from Turkey who eventually occupy homes and property belonging to Greek refugees. At the same time native-born Turkish Cypriots in the occupied north diminish in numbers, due to harassment and hardships.
The Cyprus issue today is in front of
important crossroads:
• On November 11, 2002 the United Nations Secretary General, supported
by the United States and Great Britain has put forward a framework solution
(Anan Plan) to re-unify Cyprus. This framework has been later (December
2002) modified and offered to the representatives of the two Cypriot Communities
for consideration.
• On December 12, 2002 Cyprus application to join the European Union
(E.U.), was considered and accepted by the decision of the E.U. summit
in Copenhagen.
• Since December 2002, the genuine T/Cypriots have rallied in thousands
demanding the resignation of the Turkey-backed intransigent Denktash regime,
for the re-unification of the island, the finding of a truly Federal solution
that will make possible to the Turkish-Cypriots to engage the E.U. in
partnership with the Greek-Cypriots.
This new environment brings new dimensions to the year long Cyprus problem, whose primary purpose is to brake the Turkish intransigence and to find among the two island’s communities a peaceful, viable, workable and long-lasting solution. A re-unified Cyprus with a truly Federal structure that will guarantee one international legal personality, one indivisible sovereignty and one sole nationality is the solution sought; this will reject groundless thoughts about two separate states or a confederation. Such a solution is prescribed in the relevant UN Resolutions, the High Level agreements between the two Cypriot communities, and the Aqui Communitaire & rules of the European Union. Cyprus membership of the E.U. offers the possibility that this solution guarantees the respect of Human Rights and basic freedoms for all the legal citizens of Cyprus and especially to exercise in the whole of the Cyprus territory the rights to property, movement and settlement.
The THEMIS Cyprus project aims primarily at assisting in achieving the goal of re-unified Cyprus as prescribed here above.
We ask Greek Americans as well as Americans to contact their state Representative and ask him/her to support a resolution in the state legislature that remembers the date of the Turkish invasion, which was followed by atrocities and ethnic cleansing of the Greek Cypriot population of the island.
We ask Greek Americans as well as Americans to contact the office of their Governor and Mayor and ask them to sign a proclamation, which observes the anniversary of the invasion of Cyprus and/or the State Legislatures to issue a resolution.
We believe it benefits the cause of Cyprus if prominent American leaders stand with Hellenism and observe this dark anniversary in Hellenic history. Every show of support for Cyprus is crucial.
We ask Greek Americans and Americans who have stood in solidarity with America during the tragedy of September 11 to ask that American officials stand in solidarity with the people of Cyprus.
We ask that Greek
Americans and Americans urge their Governors and Legislatures to remember
those Hellenic Americans who were killed during the invasion of Cyprus.
Over 200,000 Greek Cypriots were ethnically cleansed in the days and weeks
after the first Turkish invasion, while more than 50.000 Turkish Cypriots
were forced un-willingly to move in the occupied area. Over 1,600 remain
missing. America is the symbol for freedom in the world. Hellenes everywhere
look to America to help restore freedom to Cyprus. As such, efforts by
Hellenic Americans to obtain recognition for Cyprus will be highly significant
DISCLAIMER
Themis-Action Cyprus is a grass-roots intitiative by Hellenes, worldwide, to promote a just resolution to the Turkish occupation of northern Cyprus through the use of legislative means. Our objective is to coordinate legislation, beginning with American state legislature Resolutions and Proclamations, up to and including Turkish Divestment Legislation by states and Federal bills precluding Most Favored Nation Trading Status for Turkey. Our activity is accomplished strictly in accordance with proper legislative means, and our legislation is based on the same principles as similar Cyprus bills coming out of the World Court, EU and UN.
A second objective of the Group is to act as a repository of facts, documents and knowledge to those who, like us, want to utilize the offices of the United States Government-state and federal-to promote a just resolution in Cyprus. In this regard, THEMIS-Action Cyprus, an HEC Action Group, desires to “build bridges” with any and all other Hellenic Organizations worldwide. The challenges to Hellenism in the modern world are numerous and our resources are limited. We MUST work together to achieve our objectives !
Our organization will initiate formal activity on July 20, 2002, the 28th anniversary of the Turkish invasion and occupation of the Republic of Cyprus. Pre-kickoff activities have already resulted in several State Resolutions, Governors Proclamations and Mayoral Proclamations being issued. The language of these bills is included in this website and is intended to support the development of similar legislaton by any interested parties.
Interested parties who would like to join us in this activity first need to become members of HEC (can be contacted through the HEC link on this page). Once membership is acquired, you should petition the moderators of THEMIS-Action Cyprus for membership to the Action Group by emailing us at action-cyprus-request@hec.greece.org.
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