UK court to hear Eoka lawsuit next week

[Paphos Life]

A court in the UK will this week hold a preliminary hearing relating to a lawsuit filed by 35 Greek Cypriots who claim they were tortured by the British during the Eoka struggle to end colonial rule and unite with Greece.The hearing will start at around 10am on Tuesday....

Read the article and chat about it below...

[clive of payia]

This probably is the third time former EOKA members or the families of EOKA members have tried to obtain money from the British Government. They will probably be shown the same evidence that previous claimants were shown. The cases were then suddenly dropped. It was the same evidence originally shown to Archbishop Makarias in 1959 by MI5 when he first refused to sign the Zurich Agreement, he immediately signed.

This evidence can be found in Nigel West's (Rupert Allason), MI5 historian's book, A Matter of Trust, MI5 from 1945-72. Note: MI5, the UK's internal intelligence service, were in charge of security matters in the British Colonies, including Cyprus, until its independence.

[josef k]

Compensation is long overdue. The UK settled out of court regarding torture by the British in Kenya, and there is sufficient evidence (including that from the military itself) to indicate the British used torture in Cyprus. It is telling to note that Britain's opposition to the court case is based on a little used point of law, rather than evidential facts.
EOKA were fighting for independence, the same independence Britain has always taken for granted, and indeed many claim to have based their brexit vote on. Britain should be ashamed of it's behaviour during this period, apologise, and pay up.

[WHL]

EOKA were fighting for Enosis, nothing to do with Independance, but unity with Greece...Cyprus would have gained their Independance, like Malta did in the early sixties anyway, peacefully and to the benefit of all Cyprus not just the GC majority ...EOKA fighters were indeed lions misled and lied to by donkeys...the biggest donkey being Grivas himself..they murdered their own, they murdered Turkish Cypriots, they murdered Men women and Children...I suggest JK you read up on the conflict...not the Greek Cypriot version of events but the truth....Britain has little to be ashamed of..the shame lies directly with the Cypriots themselves...

I suggest its you who needs to learn the history of Cyprus....all involved Britain..Greek Cypriots...Turkish Cypriots all have Blood on their hands..

[Dominic]

Also remember whose country you are in, and treat it with respect.

[Dominic]

The UK has, I am sure, covered up more than it's fair share of facts too.

And quite frankly, having read your comment on the dog charity thread, I have to say you don't treat it with respect. Quite the opposite in fact. If I felt the way about anywhere that you seem to feel about Cyprus, I sure as heck wouldn't want to live there.

For the purpose of clarity I have repeated what you wrote here:

"I wish they could get their collective heads together and force this unwilling incapable country of taking responsibility for its animal population..."

You don't seem to have a whole lot of love for Cyprus!

[ApusApus]

That's unfair Dominic ............... and you know perfectly well why!


Shane

[Dominic]

In what way was it unfair?

[Dominic]

I'm not coming from anywhere. I guess, if I thought about a place the way you think about Cyprus, I wouldn't want to live there. I'm not saying you shouldn't think the way you do. That's entirely up to you. I am just saying that if I thought the way you did I would rather live somewhere else.

If that makes sense...

[Poppy]

Surely you can love Cyprus without burying your head in the sand and believing all is wonderful. No sane person can condone the animal cruelty that occurs on a daily basis all over the Island and yes of course there is cruelty in other countries but not to the extent as in such a small Island as Cyprus. Nowhere is perfect.

[Jimgward]

HUDSWELL, you’re problem is always, Brtitin=Good, Everyone who has fought us, has a grievance=bad

You’re a typical ex-serviceman who wont accept that Britain could have committed attrocities, especially perpetrated by its military.

Nobody is saying that Eoka or any other group did not commit attrocities, but British troops were here to protect, keep the peace etc. And they tortured in addition. They also ran concentration camps.

[Dominic]

But your opinion only ever seems to be negative.

[Dominic]

Oh Dominic.....not true....my points on Brexit are always pretty positive...

I meant your opinion on Cyprus.

But then again, Cyprus is in the EU, and you quite obviously don't like EU!

HOWEVER

Let us both make a pact not to turn this thread into yet another EU debate.

[Uncle D]

And yes there were "concentration camps" in Cyprus...although I think the term Detention Centre is probably more appropriate...let's not associate their use with the crimes against humanity committed during WW2.

And the Boer war

[WHL]

HUDSWELL, you’re problem is always, Brtitin=Good, Everyone who has fought us, has a grievance=bad

You’re a typical ex-serviceman who wont accept that Britain could have committed attrocities, especially perpetrated by its military.

Nobody is saying that Eoka or any other group did not commit attrocities, but British troops were here to protect, keep the peace etc. And they tortured in addition. They also ran concentration camps.

Got it in one..

[Dominic]

Surely you can love Cyprus without burying your head in the sand and believing all is wonderful. No sane person can condone the animal cruelty that occurs on a daily basis all over the Island and yes of course there is cruelty in other countries but not to the extent as in such a small Island as Cyprus. Nowhere is perfect.

I take it you haven't travelled much in Asia?

[WHL]

Surely you can love Cyprus without burying your head in the sand and believing all is wonderful. No sane person can condone the animal cruelty that occurs on a daily basis all over the Island and yes of course there is cruelty in other countries but not to the extent as in such a small Island as Cyprus. Nowhere is perfect.

Try looking a bit closer to home

https://media.rspca.org.uk/media/facts

[Rita Sherry]

I am with Hudswell on this one. Eoka were never fighting for independence from the British the object was Union With Greece (Enosis). Even Archbishop Makarios eventually came to realise he had been misled on the issue. I visited my husband who was serving in Cyprus during 1956 following his stint in Korea and Malaya and it was not the most pleasant of visits at that particular time. I recall Mrs Barbara Castle MP visiting also and causing an absolute outcry back home for her criticism of the British troops stationed here.

I would commend the quote attributed to George Orwell to those doubters i.e. "We sleep safely in our beds at night because rough men stand ready to do violence on our behalf"

There are evil people in this world who will do violence upon you and your family without a second thought. Those who accept that prepare for it. Those who deny it will always call for help from those "rough men" at the moment of truth. Perhaps one should spend some time studying counter-insurgency history instead of Round the World Apology Tours.

Dominic. I like Cyprus and its people but I cannot agree with your contention "why are you here etc." when there has been a rewritten history of the facts. Let the court decide and if, as I expect, there will be some recompense made let us not forget the wives and children of servicemen who were particularly targets also.

Rita

[WHL]

Great Britain like other colonist's has had blood on its hands in every country it colonized....you keep your head up your Arsenal and keep denying it, how many innocents did the British troops massacre in India, O they dont count , its only our women and children who matter, so please no lectures from you about..about rough men and sleeping safely in our beds......

[Dominic]

I haven't said Hudswell shouldn't be here. I have said that I don't understand why he would choose to be here. Hence, I haven't actually made a contention.

With regards to that quote, it wasn't Orwell. You will find this interesting, I think.

https://quoteinvestigator.com/2011/11/07/rough-men/