"What is a hero? Is it someone who we simply admire, respect, look up to, does this person have super powers, money and/or fame? While there are many interpretations as to what a hero really is, we here at HellasFrappe believe that heroes are everyday people who transform compassion into heroic action and/or civic virtue. By doing so, they put their best selves forward in service to humanity. In simple words, a hero is as an individual (and/or a network of people) that boldly take action on behalf of others in need, or in defense of integrity". - Marina Spanos
Today HellasFrappe commemorates Anastasios (Tassos) Isaac (Greek: Αναστάσιος (Τάσος) Ισαάκ) (1972 - 11 August 1996), a Greek Cypriot refugee that participated in a civilian demonstration against the Turkish occupation of Cyprus with the demand of the complete withdrawal of Turkish troops. Unfortunately he was brutally murdered by a mob of members of Turkey’s fanatic and barbaric Grey Wolves (Grizi Lykoi) group in the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus and this whole event was caught live on television at the time. He is considered a national hero in Cyprus and Greece for standing up for what he believed in... and Hellenes everywhere will always reflect to his courage and honor!
Events leading to the murder
In August 1996, in order to commemorate the 22nd year of Cyprus being a divided country, over 200 bikers from several European countries had organized a rally from Berlin (the last divided city in Europe except Nicosia) to Kyrenia. They left Berlin on the 2nd of August and were planning to arrive at their destination on the 11th where they would be joined by Cypriot bikers. Simultaneously, around 2,500 members of the right-wing organization Grey Wolves were planning to travel to the occupied north of Cyprus from Turkey in order to confront the European and Cypriot bikers.
Due to heavy political pressure (even by the U.N. Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali) being applied to the Cypriot Motorcycle Federation to cancel the 11th August event, CMF finally succumbed. This was met with disapproval by a large portion of the bikers and other protesters, who decided to march on their own. Among them was Tassos Isaac, who together with other demonstrators, entered the UN buffer zone near Deryneia, just south of the occupied town of Famagusta.
A report by the UN, states that demonstrators crossed the UN buffer zone and entered Turkish Forces cease-fire line. The report by the UN also states "Although the situation became very tense, UNFICYP managed to keep it under control, not least because the TF (Turkish Forces) and TCPE (Turkish Cypriot Police Element) acted in a very disciplined and restrained manner despite considerable verbal provocation from the demonstrators."
During the confrontation in the UN buffer zone between the Cypriot bikers and the Turkish Grey Wolves, Isaac found himself trapped in barbed-wire without his co-protesters noticing he was left behind. Soon, a large group of Grey Wolves ran towards him and attacked him violently. They continued for several minutes, unchallenged by the nearby UN peacekeepers. However UN Peacekeepers were not legally allowed into Turkish land. By the time the Cypriots managed to take him back from the mob aided by the UN Peacekeepers, Tassos Isaac was dead.
The funeral and reactions
Tassos Isaac's funeral was held on the 14th of August and was attended by thousands of people. Protests after the funeral led to the murder of Isaac's cousin, Solomos Solomou.
On the 22nd of November 1996, the Cypriot Police issued international arrest warrants for the murder of Tassos Isaac against Hasim Yilmaz, a Turkish settler and former member of the Turkish Secret Service, Neyfel Mustafa Ergun, a Turkish settler, serving in the Turkish North Cypriot police, Polat Fikret Koreli, a Turkish Cypriot from Famagusta, Mehmet Mustafa Arslan, a Turkish settler, leader of the Grey Wolves in the occupied areas and Erhan Arikli, a Turkish settler from the former Soviet Union.
Greek government as godparent
When Isaac was killed, he left behind his pregnant wife. As a token of gratitude for his services to the Greek nation, the Hellenic Republic became the godparent of the yet unborn baby. When the baby girl was born, she was baptised Anastasia (after her father), by the then Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Theodore Pangalos. The Greek singer Haris Alexiou has dedicated a song to her titled "Tragoudi tou Helidhoniou" ("Swallow's Song").
Authorities issue arrest warrants against murderers
On the 22nd of November 1996, the Police issued international arrest warrants for the murder of Tassos Isaac against Hasim Yilmaz, a Turkish settler and former member of the Turkish Secret Service, Neyfel Mustafa Ergun, a Turkish settler, serving in the Turkish North Cypriot police, Polat Fikret Koreli, a Turkish Cypriot from Famagusta, Mehmet Mustafa Arslan, a Turkish settler, leader of the Grey Wolves in Northern Cyprus and Erhan Arikli, a Turkish settler from the former Soviet Union.
Priot to this they had issued arrest warrants against five persons in connection with the premeditated murder of Solomos Solomou. Amongst the suspects are Kenan Akin, self-styled minister of agriculture of the illegal occupation regime, Erdal Emanet, commander of the so-called Turkish security forces in the occupied areas, Hasan Kundakci, former commander of the Turkish occupation troops in Cyprus and Attila Sab, so-called chief of police of the illegal regime.
In September 2012 a Turkish newspaper titled Radical reported that a university professor was arrested by authorities in Kyrgyzstan and charged in the murder of the two young Cypriots.
Sadly, the father of Tassos Isaac, who fought hard to bring the murderers of his son to trial, died (at the age of 68) and never witnessed justice being served.
ΤΑΣΟΣ ΙΣΑΑΚ - TASSOS ISAAC
"Το αίμα των δολοφονημένων θα κυνηγάει
πάντα όσους δολερώς σχεδιάζουν
να ξεπουλήσουν την Κύπρο μας!"
Α Θ Α Ν Α Τ Ο Σ !
References:
- http://en.wikipedia.org
- http://www.newsbomb.gr/kypros/story/334939/17-hronia-apo-ti-dolofonia-toy-tassoy-isaak
- http://www.inews.gr/102/17-chronia-apo-ti-dolofonia-tou-tassou-isaak.htm
- http://www.parikiaki.com/2012/09/cyprus-uproar-after-the-release-of-murder-suspect-in-kyrgyzstan/
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