FAILURE OF TRUCE

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28057, 27 August 1956, Page 11

FAILURE OF TRUCE

Nicosia Barbed Wire Back (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) NICOSIA. Aueust 25. British troops today put back the barbed wire on Nicosia streets and securitv patrols were increased in the main Cyprus towns after yesterday’s Eoka rejection of British surrender terms. The barbed wire had been removed from the streets after last week's truce offer by the terrorists' leader. Dighenis. Today the townspeople sadly watened the soldiers dropping the barbed wire coils from lorries ready tor use if required. Many Cypriots were planriing to leave the capital for the lasl week-end of peace.” Security forces today raided the Nicosia headquarters of the PanCypriot Farmers’ Union, a Right-wing organisation with branches -in many Cyprus villages. The union’s general secretary (Mr Haridimos Hadjiharos) was detained and documents seized. A bomb explosion which killed one Greek Cypriot and injured another near Athienou last night is now understood to have been accidental. The explosion had at first given rise to some conjecture that it was political, signalling a sudden renewal of violence by the Eoka underground organisation. The bomb, made from a length of pipe and filled with rivets, killed Tomasos Tomazou, aged 25, and injured Kyrajos Neocleous, aged 17. After security investigations it was said officially that Tomazou and Neocleous had been in possession of the bomb —a capital offence under the emergency regulations. In leaflets distributed yesterday. Dighenis. the leader of the Eoka terrorist organisation, said he would call off his truce unless the Governor. Field Marshal Sir John Harding, withdrew the “order r or surrender” by midnight on Monday—a week after it was issued

Surrender Demand Criticised Mr Themistocles Dervis, Mayor of Nicosia, commenting on the Cyprus situation in an interview with the newspaper “Times of Cyprus” today, criticised the surrender demand, which was made in response to the truce offer. He said: “It leaves me in no doubt at all that though they (the British) had an opportunity to make a quick end to the whole question, rhey did not want to do so. because thev did, not intend at any time to give the people self-government.” The Eoka organisation distributed leaflets in Nicosia streets last night addressed “to 3ritish soldiers” saying that Eoka “is not responsible if more English blood is shed again, plenty of blood this time.”

They followed the qall of Sir John Harding to the organisation’s members to surrender. The leaflets, on half-foolscap sheets said: “We have offered you peace and we have kept our word about the cease fire. In exchange to this noble gesture your Government is pushing us to war against you. “They asked us to surrender. We replied, no. “The British Government and Harding have proved to be insincere and thinking ill. We are not responsible if more English blood is shed again, plenty of blood this time.” The leaflets were signed, “Eoka, the leader, Dighenis ”