LOCAL NEWS
The book "Cyprus 1974: Voices of Captivity", concerning the prisoners of the Turkish invasion of 1974, was presented, which includes all the testimonies of those people who experienced the torture of the Turks, that black summer of 1974. The presentation was addressed by the Head of Humanitarian of Missing and Imprisoned Subjects, Anna Aristotelous, who he pointed out that authentic testimonies are recorded, ensuring that it is a stark reality.
In her greeting, Ms. Aristotelous noted that "it is with particular emotion but also pride that I am among you today, for the presentation of the book "Cyprus 1974: Voices of Captivity". After initially congratulating the writing team for the great research and work they have done, as well as the Prisoner of War Association 1974, I would like to note that these are really voices coming out of this book."
Mrs. Aristotelous noted that the book includes voices of people who from one day to the next, found themselves in the unknown. “Under the conditions described in the book and, at the same time, having within them a tremendous anxiety about their fate, about what became of their people, what became of their property, their towns and villages. Without the basics, under the miserable conditions and torture of the Turks, they had thousands of voices inside them, about what would happen to them, but also what happened to their parents, wives, children and friends".
In the book, the voices of people who, for fifty years, carry unhealed wounds resound deafeningly. Wounds that even the people around them didn't know they should help heal. They are the tragic stories of people who experienced the most violent changes, the most uncertain tomorrow and then when they returned, they felt the immense emptiness, after finding half of their homeland enslaved, emphasized Anna Aristotelous.
“After research, authentic testimonies are recorded in the book, thus ensuring that it is a stark reality. It does not beautify, dramatize, or heroize events. On the contrary, it presents the real picture, through the eyes of these people, each of whom perceives and describes in several cases differently his own truth, in relation to the truth of a fellow prisoner".
The Head of Humanitarian Issues of Missing and Imprisoned persons pointed out that "in these fifty years since the invasion, a lot has been written and said about the aspects of the Cyprus tragedy, about our missing persons, our murdered heroes, the imprisoned, the refugees. For these people, the prisoners of 1974 were written much less. And the explanation given for this was the fact that they experienced their own tragedy internally."
The book "Cyprus 1974: Voices of Captivity" identifies and places those who experienced captivity in the tragic picture of the invasion, Ms. Aristotle. It is certain that for the historian of the future it will be a point of reference, since the reader experiences the tragic moments, from the beginning of the invasion, until the return of the captives to the free areas. It is a parallel story, based on the events of the Turkish invasion, which unfolds individually/individually but is always connected to the central events of the period.
"It would be remiss of me not to mention the protagonists of this book. The 47 narrators, who found the fortitude to describe what they experienced in those tragic days, are to be congratulated. Fifty years later, they have found reserves and strength to recall and talk about those days that hurt their souls, and in a figurative way to offer us information that will contribute and bring to light tragic stories of the invasion."
All of us struggle every day to put aside thoughts about events that stigmatized us and negatively marked our lives, emphasized the Head of Humanitarian Issues for the Missing and Imprisoned, and then noted that if one really puts himself in the shoes of these people, he will see the magnitude of the offer to all Cypriots, to open their hearts and talk about their deeply etched traumatic experiences.
“Usually, a book, historical or not, is based on a plot. It introduces the reader to the theme, creates a scenario, heightens the suspense and ends with the climax. In this particular book, every paragraph is read with bated breath. Every page is a punch in the gut. Uncertainty, pain, anxiety about what comes next characterize all stages of our captives' journey. From the arrest, and the critical first hours of detention, to the beatings, their transfer to Turkey and redemption with the release two or three months later."
Mrs. Aristotelous noted that "this is a work of great importance, which illuminates a special aspect of our history, for which the writing team deserves congratulations. His writing should be seen as a testimony of the soul of young children who did not experience those tragic events, but made sure, through their hard work, to honor the generations who had to experience the brutality of war. This, as a fact, should fill us with courage and optimism, that the new generations do not forget. They honor and will honor the people who fought for us to be free today. For the people who threw themselves into battle and experienced the consequences of a war."
In closing, the Head of Humanitarian Affairs of the Missing and Imprisoned wanted to once again congratulate those who had the initiative and those who worked on this book and reverently thanked the 47 narrators. "Special thanks and congratulations go to the President and members of the 1974 Prisoners of War Association. It would not be an exaggeration to characterize the book Cyprus 1974: Voices of Captivity as one of the most remarkable publishing efforts recorded in 2024, half a century after Turkish invasion. We express our gratitude to the fighters, to our heroes, who did not lose weight in the difficult times, and self-sacrificingly defended the freedom of our country".
This great work proves that the traces of history neither fade nor fade away, he concluded. "On the contrary, it contributes to the preservation of memory, keeping it alive, indelible and immortal over the years, an element which is fully coordinated with the Government Program of the President of the Republic to highlight unseen, tragic aspects of the history of our country and to preserve mentality and the will to return. The half century since the invasion arms us with determination and fills us with endurance, to continue our efforts until the day of the just solution of the Cyprus issue and the reunification of our homeland".
It is noted that the event is under the auspices of the Speaker of the Parliament, Annita Dimitriou.
Recording
