Since 1878, Cyprus has been a key base for projecting British imperialism in the Mediterranean and today its military stations on the island cover almost 100 square miles.

‘Communist Party of Cyprus Protests Against England’s Exploitation of Island’s Workers’ from The Daily Worker. Vol. 2 No. 135. June 19, 1925.

ATHENS, Greece, June 17. The Communist Party of Cyprus has issued the following manifesto protesting against the exploitation of the Island colony, and calling upon all English workers to fight Great Britain’s imperialistic aims. The statement follows:

On the first of May, the very same day when the proletariat of the whole world led by the red flag, proclaimed once more its just claims on today’s life and protested at the same time against the dishonesty and degeneration of the various fascist governments, furthermore against the endless plots of the imperialists, down here in Cyprus in the corner of the Mediterranean, English imperialism by “letter patents” declared Cyprus to be a colony, tying Cyprus’ 300,000 workers and farmers thus with heavier chains behind its bloody chariots, to the other millions of colonized peoples.

This fact has not been ignored but perverted by the bourgeois press of London which hurried to announce and comment upon it in accordance with the interests of its patrons.

Newspapers highly praised the new politic change in the island, as giving more liberties to the country, though others well-fed by the foreign ministry of Greece, proclaimed vociferously that it was a duty of England to give up the island in favor of Greece in accordance with the well known desire of its inhabitants.

England Fools Her Slaves.

English workers!

Proletarians of the whole world over!

The Communist Party of Cyprus, being the only sincere defender of the real interests of the inhabitants of this miserable island, is obliged to address itself to you in order that it should protest on the one hand against the cruel and unsatiable disposition of the English empire to continue its unjust rule over the island, and on the other against the lies of the bourgeois press, which has been always accustomed to blur the whiteness of truth in seeking to interpret the real aspirations of the enslaved peoples.

Imperialistic England, which has been always cautious in withholding from the peoples she enslaved, her real plans of exploitation by means of a sugar-coated deeply poisonous cession of pseudo-liberties, has done the same in Cyprus by playing the same old game; for she threw in 1878 or somewhat later dust into the eyes of an ignorant people, upon a sick and numbed country. The famous legislative council was nothing more or less than a puppet and dwarf in the hands of an immoral governing conclave.

Sucks Cyprus’ Blood.

It can be likened owing to its abortiveness to a wasp’s hive, for those elective members which were returned as their duly elected representative to the above mentioned legislative body, were possessed of no real legislative power. All and everything was wholly dependent upon the whims and immeasurable ignorance of the ministry of colonies who had always in mind one thing, how to suck from the blood of the country the tribute of 92,000 pounds (a share of the Turkish debt) and remained deaf to the prevailing misery of a suffering people.

This has been the state of affairs down to the 15th of May of this year. Let us see now which are the liberties so graciously granted with our official colonization.

Parasites Still Rule.

It is absolutely ridiculous, and an abuse of language to talk about liberties. The increase of the native eats from twelve to fifteen which has been trumpeted all over the world as a magnificent concession of new liberties to the poor Chypriote population, is simply a bitter irony full of the most distasteful hemlock. The number of the official parasites has increased from six to nine beside so that the same old order should be maintained.

No other change has been effected thereunder and the share of the Turkish debt of 92,000 pounds continues to be a heavy burden on the shoulders of the long suffering people at a time when the financial crisis in the island is confessed to be without precedent in the annals of its history. Has not Cyprus become a colony?

On what right is the payment of this barbarous inhuman tribute claimed so long as no indebtedness to Turkey does really exist? It can only be held justifiable suppression of the weak peoples by capitalism. The imperial English treasury finds it necessary to fill its bottomless chests in order that the English fleet should be maintained. It is of no importance to its administration whether this money is collected from rug-clad starving villagers who unable to earn their daily bread are fed on roots and old herbage.

Union Another Yoke.

But we not only protest against the continuation of the foreign yoke, we also protest against the clergy and our bourgeoisie who are clamouring in favor of the union of Cyprus with Greece. This bourgeoisie minority consisting of money lenders and big merchants in close cooperation is struggling hard for the union as it foresees under the bourgeoisie yoke an easier way to the attainment of their exploiting plans against the poor villagers and farmers of the island.

We strongly protest against the trumpeted national aspirations of the Cypriots, and declare that the Cyprian proletarians, and the masses of the Cyprian farmers are against the national dreams of the bourgeoisie for they know very well that under union with Greece, a new yoke is awaiting them, far worse than the present, a new conscription for a new campaign against Ukrany, new duty as sea guards on the shores of the Atlantic.

Workers of England!

The workers and farmers of Cyprus address themselves to you and are asking you to add to your program denunciation of their claims against the constitution of their slavery to imperialism.

Proletarians of all the world!

On May Day when our conquerors were officially announcing to us our condemnation to live under British imperialism, our thought turned towards you who with your large processions showed once more to our exploiters that you mean to stand together, ever wakeful sentinels of our rights, we have laid our faith in you for our real liberty, for our own autonomy.

Down the imperialism!

Long live the liberation of the peoples!

Long live the international proletariat!

Long live the international social revolution!

The Central Committee of the Cyprus Communist Party.

The Daily Worker began in 1924 and was published in New York City by the Communist Party US and its predecessor organizations. Among the most long-lasting and important left publications in US history, it had a circulation of 35,000 at its peak. The Daily Worker came from The Ohio Socialist, published by the Left Wing-dominated Socialist Party of Ohio in Cleveland from 1917 to November 1919, when it became became The Toiler, paper of the Communist Labor Party. In December 1921 the above-ground Workers Party of America merged the Toiler with the paper Workers Council to found The Worker, which became The Daily Worker beginning January 13, 1924. National and City (New York and environs) editions exist.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/dailyworker/1925/1925-ny/v02b-n135-NYE-jun-19-1925-DW-LOC.pdf