Cyprus-Forum.com

[1308_Nick]

Hi all

I am currently researching Cyprus history and would like to ask the question "What is the current day Cypriot view of EOKA and its campaign for Enosis?"

Thanks

Nick

[Sotos]

The same as it has always been! The British refused to Cyprus its freedom (no referendum for us... like they did in Gibraltar and Falklands where they knew the results would suit them) so Cypriots had to fight for their rights. The native Cypriots are Greek and the native Cypriots are also the majority so enosis was the natural choice for most Cypriots. So what EOKA fought for represented what the majority wanted and what would be the result of a referendum if we were allowed to have one.

[repulsewarrior]

...you won't find EOKA scrawled on every corner, or the word ENOSIS. of course there are brash Patriots who are "Greek", but one would expect that anywhere, where there is a large enough population of Greeks. Cypriots, the vast majority Greek are more concerned with Cyprus, and its unity, as well as the Freedom which such a State demonstrates, without discrimination and distinction, a People who love Cyprus, first.

[Get Real!]

The EOKA generation was probably the dumbest generation of Cypriots that had ever existed for they began an armed campaign just 5 years prior to the pending global UN decolonization law of 1960!!!

EOKA’s folly resulted in a completely botched “decolonization” of Cyprus which only further legitimized the colonialists’ stay on the island in the form of bases that would not have otherwise been permitted, and the installation of an undemocratic and utterly racist political arrangement that was doomed to fail and forever plague Cyprus right to this day!

On the basis of the above I have to conclude that EOKA was the biggest disaster in the history of Cyprus’ native struggles which is no surprise as it was funded and speared on by Greece’s expansionistic aspirations at the detriment of Cyprus.

[Sotos]

Nick, the only real Cypriot view was mine. The other two are raised abroad and brainwashed by those foreigners who need excuses for their crimes in Cyprus.

[1308_Nick]

That is the difficulty I am having in gaining a real grasp of EOKA's morals and their goals.

I have watched a few British documentaries on the subject and EOKA are branded as a terrorist group, Grivas is portrayed to be a character that failed in Greece on the political front and therefore turned to his home nation to make a name for himself. One Cypriot I have spoken to so far though partly agreed with the above, saying that Grivas brainwashed people in to following him and used them to murder innocent police officers, civilians that did not follow his cause as well as British soldiers.

I would be interested to hear from more Cypriots on this matter.

Thank you all for your contributions thus far.

Nick

[Sotos]

The cause for freedom and enosis predates EOKA and Grivas so those British documentaries you watched are nonsense. Another fact is that EOKA had the support of the majority of Cypriots. EOKA executed traitors and those who helped the British... there can not be "innocent police officers" when the police was an organ that the colonialists used to impose their rule! When most Europe was occupied by the Nazis the various resistance groups also targeted the traitors and the Nazi controlled police. Did this make them "terrorists"? Grivas personally was also anti-communist so maybe some of the executions had some ulterior motive... but you can't ask for perfection when you are talking about a paramilitary organization when regular armies are known to have committed all sorts of atrocities! The goal of EOKA was simple: Free Cyprus from the British and achieve what the majority of Cypriots wanted which was enosis. Their morals were surely far better than the morals of those foreigners who thought it is OK to impose their rule and exploit other nations! And as I told you there wouldn't be any need for EOKA if the British accepted to hold a referendum in Cyprus like they did in Gibraltar and Falklands. Why didn't they do that?

[repulsewarrior]

...from what I was told, from a family member of Grivas, upon returning from Greece, he saw what disappointed him most, unruly soldiers, undisciplined and menacing, and worst they were British, considered by military men to be the, if not one of the, best trained. I was told he went to complain to the Commander, being a military man himself, he was dismissed, and his complaint ignored. I am told the idea of fighting the British came soon after, visiting a friend in a radio shack by the airport, shots rang through that shed, more unruly pot-shots, fortunately no one was hurt, but it was, apparently then and there that he decided, he too, would shoot back at them.

[Jerry]

The cause for freedom and enosis predates EOKA and Grivas so those British documentaries you watched are nonsense. Another fact is that EOKA had the support of the majority of Cypriots. EOKA executed traitors and those who helped the British... there can not be "innocent police officers" when the police was an organ that the colonialists used to impose their rule! When most Europe was occupied by the Nazis the various resistance groups also targeted the traitors and the Nazi controlled police. Did this make them "terrorists"? Grivas personally was also anti-communist so maybe some of the executions had some ulterior motive... but you can't ask for perfection when you are talking about a paramilitary organization when regular armies are known to have committed all sorts of atrocities! The goal of EOKA was simple: Free Cyprus from the British and achieve what the majority of Cypriots wanted which was enosis. Their morals were surely far better than the morals of those foreigners who thought it is OK to impose their rule and exploit other nations! And as I told you there wouldn't be any need for EOKA if the British accepted to hold a referendum in Cyprus like they did in Gibraltar and Falklands. Why didn't they do that?

As GR has said above their was no need for an armed uprising, genuine independence would have been gained in the 1960s without bloodshed and without giving Turkey the excuse it needed to become involved. As for murdering GC "traitor" police officers - what a brilliant idea - handing over policing to the Turkish Cypriots. The majority of GCs supported EOKA and Enosis because they were intimidated by Grivas and followers, they knew the consequences of dissent so they went along with the "patriots".

As to the question of the morality of the situation in Cyprus, colonialism was on coming to an end throughout the world but big shot Grivas was too stupid to see it he would rather try to prove to the world that he was a military genius regardless of the consequences. Comparisons with Falklands and Gibraltar are misleading, the inhabitants were British and always expressed their desire to remain so.

[erolz66]

As GR has said above their was no need for an armed uprising, genuine independence would have been gained in the 1960s without bloodshed and without giving Turkey the excuse it needed to become involved.

Armed uprising was not needed to gain independence of Cyprus, it was needed to try and gain ENOSIS without having to pay any regard to the wishes of the TC community, though in the end even with the resort to armed uprising this objective failed anyway.