Editorial

94
Vassos Lyssarides was born in the village of
Lefkara on 13th May 1920.
He graduated from the Pancyprian Gymnasium
and University of Athens Medical School
with distinction.
During his studies he organised the Pan-student
Committee for the Cyprus Struggle (with
the participation of all young activists), of
which he was President. During the same period
he was General Secretary of the Coordinating
Committee of Cypriot Associations in
Greece, as well as head of the National
Committee of Cyprus in EAM.
On his return to Cyprus at the conclusion
of his studies he was President of the Peace
Movement, a position which he resigned from
when the Soviet Union invaded Hungary.
When the national liberation struggle began,
he enlisted in EOKA. He was awarded the
title of head of the political section.
He represented EOKA at the London Conference
and voted against the Zurich-London
agreements, stressing that they legalised the
military and political presence of Turkey.
In 1963, during the Turkish Cypriot uprising,
he was leader of the popular army (under
the aegis of the state) which liberated Pentadactylos.
He was an active member of the anti-junta
struggle with links with the resistance
organisations of the Greek people. He played
a leading part in the resistance to the traitorous
stand of EOKA B activists and against the
coup d’état.
By his stand on 15th August 1974 during the
meeting of the Cypriot political leadership
under the threat of the armed supporters of
the coup d’état, he thwarted acceptance of the
Gunes Plan which provided for "peaceful"
Turkish occupation. He stressed that the postcoup
d’état situation was illegal and that only
with the return of the lawfully elected Archbishop
Makarios would legality be restored.
This activity, the need to silence this voice and
to consolidate the post-coup d’état situation,
led to the attempt on his life on 30th
August 1974, which resulted in the assassination
of Doros Loizou.
In 1969 he founded EDEK, of which he
was President until 2001. He is now Honorary
President. He was Vice President of the Organisation
of Afro-Asian Solidarity with the peoples
of South Africa and for the release of Mandela
(ICSA), with tens of meetings in all the
capitals of Europe. He was closely associated
with the world-wide national liberation movement
and particularly that of Africa, the leaders
of which he repeatedly gave hospitality
to and with whom he cooperated closely (Gambral
of Guinea-Bissau, Neto of Angola,
Tambo of South Africa, Dos Santos of Mozam-
Vassos Lyssarides, Palestine, oil on canvas.