* By Petros Assiotis
In 1570 the Turkish Lala Mustafa invades our country from Larnaca. He conquers Nicosia and Kyrenia, beheading the defender of Nicosia, Dandolo. Arriving at the walls of Famagusta, he demands the surrender of the city from its defender Marcantonios Bragadinos. He shows Dandolos' head, threatening him that he will suffer the same if he does not surrender the city. These do not belong to the past, we still receive similar threats from the modern Lala Mustafades.
But Lala Mustafa had made a mistake. He had not calculated how good a leader Veneto Captain Markantonios Bragadinos was and how much he loved Famagusta. As soon as he took over in 1569, anticipating the danger of a Turkish invasion focusing on Famagusta, together with Astorre Vaglione and the architect Francesco Di Marci, they undertook to improve the bastions and walls of Famagusta. Increasing ammunition depots as well as food supplies from Karpasia and Mesaoria. In other words, they acted precautionarily and strengthened their position.
General Manolis Spiliotis arrived from Galinoporni of Karpasia, together with his soldiers, horses and mules loaded with ammunition and food. At the same time, they deepened and widened the moat, built forts inside the walls, demolished buildings in the city that violated the defense, burned plantations that they could not collect, cut down the gardens in the south of the city and transported the timber to the city, changing it outside. wall area in desert. These fortifications and preparations made Famagusta an invincible city. And so it was!
With only 5,000 soldiers, Markantonios defended Famagusta, while Lala Mustafa lost 80,000 of his selected soldiers. At the urging of many, and after the food and ammunition had run out, Bragadinos declared a truce. He walked as if he were the winner, on the stage of Lala Mustafa for the signing of a handover agreement of Famagusta. After the signing of the agreement, the first signed by a Turk in Cyprus, Lala Mustafa killed Bragadino's entourage, and expressing his bestial feelings, slaughtered him alive. With the fall of Famagusta, in 1571, the whole of Cyprus became Turkish until the British occupation in 1878.
We lost modern Famagusta in '74. Due to bad information, its inhabitants abandoned it, but again due to bad information, a number of its inhabitants returned. Returning back, they felt again the affection of the modern Lala Mustafades with the well-known massacre of civilians in the pergolas of Perzena. And its few defenders, abandoned by the military leadership and without ammunition, were forced to abandon it as well.
The enclosed city has since been left desolate by Turkey until they recently decided to settle it. We, Famagusta and not, state and State never claimed it, regardless of whether we were right with us and UN resolutions in our favor. As we never claimed the Liberation of all our occupied land.
The symbolism unfortunately exists. Falling Famagusta in 1571 The whole of Cyprus became Turkish. In 2020, the last fort of Famagusta, the enclosed city, fell with its opening for settlement. Now we are heading to a Pentamer, which we should never have gone to, and we are going unconditionally and by boat of hope. There, with the British-Turkish solutions of a bi-zonal bi-communal federation or two states, and with the annex of the annexation, the foundations of the dissolution of the Republic of Cyprus will be laid, the only security shield of all its legal inhabitants.
Unfortunately, we seemed inferior in our history, and very unfortunate because we never had a forward-thinking and patriotic leader like Markandonios Bragadinos. At least let God enlighten our President to realize the trap and to find the courage and courage to resist the pressures he will receive from the British, the Turks, the UN Grammar Guterres, but also from the devotees of any solution. If he resists the pressure we will all be with him.
* Candidate Member of Parliament with EDEK for the Province of Famagusta.