THE SECOND GREEK CYPRIOT’S RIOT IN CYPRUS IN THE BRITISH PERIOD (18-19 DECEMBER 1954)

Abstract

The Enosis ideal, which expresses the attachment of Cyprus to Greece, has been the political goal of the Greek Cypriot’s for nearly 200 years. The Greek Cypriot’s took advantage of every opportunity in the period when suitable conditions were established to realize Enosis. For this purpose, they mostly used democratic methods; however, they did not hesitate to resort to rebellion, albeit a small number. The first Enosis rebellion in Cyprus during the British Colonial Administration period occurred in October 1931. The New World Order established after the Second World War also determined the new roadmap of Enosis initiatives. In this period, Michael Mouskos (III. Makarios), who was the head of the Cyprus Orthodox Church, wanted to resort to violence if diplomatic initiatives could not result and Greece's support for this policy since 1952 were the factors that prepared the Second Greek Cypriot’s Riot. The first application of the Greek government to the United Nations (UN) to give Greek Cypriot’s the right to determine their own future was rejected at the UN General Assembly on December 16, 1954. Large-scale actions were held in Cyprus and Greece protested this decision. The actions of the Greek Cypriot’s in Cyprus on 18 and 19 December 1954 turned into a rebellion in a short time.

There is no study that would require the approval of the Ethical Committee in this article.