Cyprus-Forum.com

[miltiades]

perhaps you can describe to us the unknown packages. How big and how heavy were they. were they sealed. Did you have no idea what was in them.

The packages were small enough in most cases to fit in a bicycle satchel with very clear instructions as to delivery location, precice time for delivery and ordered not to open packages.

ANE was EOKAs mail delivery service since the carriers attracted less attention being young boys.

[miltiades]

The school teacher continued his " surveillance" appointing a slightly older boy as his "snout", I became friendly with Andreas, now a very succesful bussiness man , surprising to me as he was not that bright having remained at the same class - idia taxi- but a decent boy, also Anorthosis supporter. A younger brother of his was also a good friend of mine, they came from a well to do family and were generous with their ....treats !

One Sunday morning after church I was approached by an older boy, around 18 years old, I knew him since he managed a Kentro where I would pop in regularly and play podosferaki on his machines. A nice guy , friendly and polite. He asked if I would go that afternoon to the kentro, I know the name but for now I will not divulge, he wanted to discuss something with me. Beraing in mind that Ayios Loukas had at least 4 EOKA members who needed " delivery " services.

Later on that Sunday I rode my bike to the kentro and met up with the guy. He offered my a coke or something, withdrew into a room and he asked me bluntly if I would consider helping the struggle. Of course I responded, my older brother is an active EOKA member, when can I join, I asked, not till you are twelve he responded, but first you will be asked to do some trial "runs", when you are 12 you can then take the oath and become a full member of the Youth Movement of EOKA.

I was so overwhelmed, I wish I could tell my older brother but my .....mobile had no ...battery left .....

[kurupetos]

Have you ever delivered a package in Louroudjina?

[miltiades]

Have you ever delivered a package in Louroudjina?

Never, too far away, besides I only had a two wheeler

[miltiades]

After school I would cycle to the Alasia seaside resort which was run by another uncle of mine where I would help out clearing tables, looking after changing rooms and general cleaning odd jobs. I enjoyed it there since I would have a coke now and again and some treats, besides I had begun to show an interest in the opposite... sex and loved looking at the bikini clad ladies, wasnt sure why but something was brewing up even at that early age !!

On the way back home I stopped at the Kentro where my " leader" to be, gave me my very first "assignement". 3 packages to be delivered at a known to me destination, I would not meet the recepient but would place the packages on a pre determined place.

I was nervous and on collecting the packages I could not help feeling "important" I wanted to tell someone but my instructions were very clear. You tell nobody, be there at the precise time.

Kept looking at my watch and decided to have a trial run to determine the time it would take me to deliver the packages.
Spent some time in my uncles house, the byke safely in the rear garden and in my sight.

The byke was given to me by a girl cousin, a little older than me, we got on fabulously well, I adored her and she was good to me. Although a girls byke, it was easier to ride than my fathers byke back in the village where I had to ride across the bar.

10 or so minutes before the delivery time I made my way to the given location. Left the packages where agreed, at the precise time and I waited nearby, curious to see who would collect. I wasnt suppose to do this but my curiosity took the best of me.

A middle aged woman appeared ....

[Paphitis]

Attention! Ashtung! Tikkat! Προσοχή!

Before commenting on the subject raised by Miltiades I would like to issue a health warning to those with digestive problems. A TC who after reading one line of my previous post on a similar subject started looking for the sic bag and a GS (?) of similar disposition who “spewed a bucket”

Yes, that me out once again! not doing too well there old be!

YAWN!

Miltiades, please continue.

[miltiades]

What happened next was my realisation that I had made my first blunder on my first "assignment "
The organization functioned in a disciplined fashion and in a strict professional and moral code.

The middle aged lady was the mother of the intended recipient
Re miss , she shouted, ela dame tora!
Did you leave these packets here? Not me Kiria I replied
someone just rode away, psefti she called out.
With my tail in my legs I rode away. The next morning at school I was given the riot rights.
I disobeyed and failed on my first assignment
.....

[The subaltern]

First I would like to apologise to Miltitades for intruding in his domain. Unfortunately Miltiades once an idea is put out it is no longer yours. People start interpreting, manipulating, discussing it, looking at it from different angles etc. It’s a process that you have no control over. Be pleased though that you have touched upon a subject of interest to others.

Here I will only comment on errolz66 post as the other two are of no interest.

On first reading I started worming a little towards your interpretation and objections of what I have posted. I sensed a hint initially of a Marxist interpretation of events especially when you talked about the various revolts before 1821, where both “Muslims” and “Christians” revolted against the oppressive elite, which I happen to know about but I give it a totally different interpretation.
In some way you divorce the “Muslims” as somehow different from the Ottoman masters and the revolts as class revolts; Interesting but wrong in my opinion. Unfortunately on my second reading I was very disappointed. I noticed that your arguments were largely based on the “megali idea” (Great Idea) with out actually telling us what this idea was or is, how it came about etc, yet you based most of your objections to my points on it. I find most of your objections are seen through the lens of megali idea thus rendering them very naïve and not worth commenting upon.

BTW, there were/are plenty of megali ideas about: German, Turkish-very alive and kicking; you know what I mean…- Slav, Greek, Arab, modern Muslim ie caliphate etc. some of them dead. Even the EU is a Megali idea. What Megali Idea really means is the bringing together of…
Yet the Greek one was aimed at redeeming and bringing together the Greek populations groaning under the Turkish yoke which died out after the Asia Minor catastrophe.

The Cyprus freedom movement was like all other freedom movements going on all over the world at the time, against colonialism. In Cyprus this movement was not supported by the TC. (See my previous comments as to the reasons why)
Funnily enough you do not recognise this and by doing so you exonerate the Brits from any responsibility of what happened in Cyprus!! By equating the Megali idea to the Cyprus freedom movement you exonerate what ever the TC did as well as the Turkish invasion of Cyprus!

Do you think the English are naïve? If they got a hint that behind the Cyprus freedom movement was lurking the megali idea, were they to hush it up for our benefit? They knew it was dead.
Of course they went about in undermining the identity of the Cypriots in a very conscious and systematic way very long ago, well before 1955. What was the reason? They knew that Cyprus is an unredeemed part of the Greek world that would in the future pose a problem. They have never though tried the same with the TC.

The left wing party AKEL, done the same mistake for political reasons for not participating in the freedom movement; big mistake on their part. If they had the sense to participate in the struggle and your father as a Cypriot, matters would have turned out very different.

However on your interpretation of events in Cyprus are largely motivated by megali idea!! Drawing your argument to its logical conclusion you can justify the Attila invasion, the destruction of the culture of northern Cyprus and anything you like in between; it’s the fault of Megali Idea!!! Pull the other one! You have exonerated everything Turkey has done at a stroke.
Your approach to history reminds me of another argument, a new one by Davudoglu if I am not mistaken, equating Devsirme (the abduction of boys by the Ottoman Turks from their Christian provinces to be enlisted to the janissary corpse) to upward social mobility!!! Soon we will hear that the Armenian massacres were birth control!!
Trying to sanitise Turkish history is not I think a good thing unless you consider the rest of us idiots.


I would have liked to point out the fallacy of your suggestion that the EU right of veto by a small country like Cyprus is the same as granting a say to a minority as to the freedom of the majority. If this is the Turkish way of thinking, then if ever Turkey joins the EU any country smaller than Turkey would have no veto!!

This is written in a rush as I was thinking of not responding to erolz66.

[Get Real!]

Here I will only comment on errolz66 post as the other two are of no interest.

At least you’re smart enough to figure out who to avoid…

[Lordo]

perhaps you can describe to us the unknown packages. How big and how heavy were they. were they sealed. Did you have no idea what was in them.

The packages were small enough in most cases to fit in a bicycle satchel with very clear instructions as to delivery location, precice time for delivery and ordered not to open packages.

ANE was EOKAs mail delivery service since the carriers attracted less attention being young boys.

were they heavy. you telling me you had no idea what were in them boxes.