Events held to commemorate anniversary of Isaac and Solomou deaths

A series of events are being held to commemorate the 28th anniversary of the deaths of Tasos Isaac and Solomos Solomou, who were killed during two separate demonstrations in the buffer zone near Deryneia during August 1996.

Isaac was killed on August 11, 1996, when Greek Cypriot motorcyclist protestors were met in the buffer zone by Turkish Cypriot counter-protestors who, according to the United Nations report on the incident, were “joined by members of the Grey Wolves who had come from Turkey”.

As demonstrators from both sides broke into the buffer zone, the incident became violent. Isaac found himself entangled in barbed wire in the buffer zone and was beaten to death by Turkish Cypriots and Turks.

Solomou was killed three days later when, following Isaac’s funeral, Greek Cypriot demonstrators once again travelled to Deryneia.

Solomou distanced himself from his fellow protestors and walked towards a Turkish military post, before attempting to climb a flagpole to remove a Turkish flag, before being shot dead by a Turkish soldier.

On Saturday night, motorcyclists had ridden from across Cyprus to Paralimni, where a torchlit procession was held, and a memorial event took place at the town’s cemetery.

The Isaac-Solomou memorial initiative said that upon the anniversary of both deaths, it “carries on down the path tread by Solomos and Tasos”, and that it “underlines the fight of memory against oblivion, of life against death, of freedom against slavery.”

Tasos Isaac’s daughter Anastasia Isaac, who had not yet been born when her father was killed, said at the ceremony that “for some these 28 days since your murder are a lot, and for others, it is a little. For us, it is as if the events were happening right now.”

“The convoy. The cancellation. The anger, but also the decision to complete the plan. We here tonight hear your motorcycle. We feel your concern for those around you, your concern for your home. We still look at your shirt and whisper its message. Liberation is the only solution. We understand that you have come too far to stop,” she said.

She added that the country is “dark and difficult” and that “the leaderships ostentatiously and insufferably forgot the lists of your wanted murderers and arrest warrants.”

With the demonstrations ongoing, the Deryneia crossing point was closed for security reasons, with a heightened presence of UN peacekeepers carrying out patrols.

After the ceremony, motorcyclists travelled to the crossing point, where they hung banners and lit torches.

On Sunday, Solomou’s sister Skevi Solomou spoke to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA).

“A whole 28 years have passed since Solakis’ murder and I and the rest of our family are missing a piece of us. I do not believe and after all these years, I cannot come to terms with him being gone. It still feels like yesterday that he was murdered by the Turks,” she said.

“He told us he was going to take the Turkish flag down from the guard post, but we did not believe he would dare do it. On the day my brother was murdered, I was working, listening to what was happening on the radio, and when it was reported that someone named Solakis had been hit, my mind did not even contemplate it would be my brother.”

Asked about how she feels about the annual memorial ceremonies, she said the Isaac-Solomou memorial initiative comprise “the only people I want to thank because they are the only ones who do not forget us.”

“They march in memory of my brother and Tasos and are always by our side. I truly congratulate them and admire them very much for what they are doing and honouring our two heroes,” she said.

She also expressed “bitterness and disappointment over the fact the state did not stand by us all these years”.

“I cannot understand why a place has not been found to erect a monument in memory of Solomos and Tasos, despite the two families’ efforts,” she said.

She did however note that she has a meeting planned alongside Isaac’s family with the Paralimni and Deryneia mayor Giorgos Nikolettos over the matter.

“We consider it unjustified that for 28 years we have not had a monument in Paralimni for its two heroes,” she said.

Meanwhile, Isaac-Solomou memorial initiative representative Alekos Michaelides poured scorn on late President Glafcos Clerides, who was in office at the time, for his efforts to call the initial August 11 demonstration off for fear of the potential consequences.

“What the Cypriot government managed to do was to break up the very good organisation that the Cypriot motorcycle federation had and send the motorcyclists to different parts of the buffer zone, divided into groups, and without leadership,” he said.

On Sunday morning, a ceremony was held at the Ayios Dimitrios church in Paralimni, attended by Neapolis bishop Porphyrios and Migration Deputy Minister Nicholas Ioannides.

Later on Sunday, a number of motorcyclists will, accompanied by UN peacekeepers, enter the buffer zone to lay wreaths at the places where Isaac and Solomou were killed.