On July 15 and 20, 1974, the island of Cyprus was physically divided by imperialism. Through the door opened by the fascist Greek military junta, which was guided by the United States-led NATO, the intervention of the Turkish army, also under NATO, entered. Turkey’s military intervention resulted in the de facto occupation of the north of Cyprus on August 14, 1974.

NATO imperialism did not approve any scenario in which it could not use Cyprus for its own interests then, nor does it today. The island of Cyprus is a strategic military base for imperialism, a logistical foothold against the Middle East and North Africa, and an intelligence centre suitable for keeping the Eastern Mediterranean under control. Today, British bases in Cyprus are being used to transport arms and logistical support for the genocidal attempt by Israel in Gaza, just as they were used against Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya in the past. In short, imperialism divides.

Imperialism divides, but it can never divide alone. The sources of the domestic division in Cyprus were the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot ruling classes. The Greek Cypriot ruling class initially desired to make Cyprus dependent on another country, Greece, with the push for ‘Enosis’, and then ignored the Turkish Cypriots by transforming the common Republic of Cyprus into a Greek Cypriot state. The Turkish Cypriot ruling class, on the other hand, pursued a separatist policy from the beginning, and accordingly collaborated with the separatist policy of imperialism. Thus, the foundations of the division of Cyprus were laid by the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot ruling classes, and all imperialism had to do was to execute that division in 1974.

These two opposing and ostensibly hostile ruling classes have always managed to unite their forces against the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot labouring classes. The great CMC miners’ strike of 1948 is one of the cases in that regard: while the labouring classes of Cyprus united to unite, the ruling classes of Cyprus united to divide.

The imperialists and domestic ruling classes did, are and will divide Cyprus.

The labouring classes will unite Cyprus, sooner or later.

Long live the struggle of the Greek Cypriot labouring class!

Long live the struggle of the Turkish Cypriot labouring class!

Long live the struggle of all the labouring class living and working in Cyprus!

Long live the class struggle of the peoples of Cyprus!

Long live the brotherhood of the peoples!

Long live a fully independent socialist Cyprus free from all foreign powers!

NEDA – New Internationalist Left, Independence Path, DiEM25 in Cyprus

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