On 28 June 1959, under the leadership of AKEL, more than 100,000 people took to the streets and demanded the legalization of the Party which was banned by a British colonial decree issued I 1955. It was one of the biggest rallies ever seen in the history of our island.
Together with AKEL, the Progressive Youth Organization AON, Women’s Organization PODG and Farmers’ Organization EKA, AKEL’s newspaper “Neos Demokratis” and the Turkish Cypriot progressive newspaper “Revolutionary” were all outlawed, along with their newspapers and publications.
135 AKEL cadres and militants were rounded up and arrested on that December evening. The party, which was the target of Grivas’ extreme right-wing and brutal anti-communist campaign of terror and attacks, was declared illegal. By the British colonialists.
AKEL did not vanish and crumble in the face of all these attacks by imperialism and local reaction. AKEL’s underground mechanism went into operation and organized strikes, demonstrations, mobilisations and distributed numerous party materials. By the end of this period of illegality, the Party more than doubled its membership and number of party base organisations.
Even though colonialism was nearing its end, AKEL was not legalised. Despite the fact that 9 months after the signing of the Zurich-London Agreements, an amnesty for EOKA fighters was granted and EOKA political prisoners were released, AKEL was still banned and struggled in illegality.
As it subsequently emerged years later, Greek Prime Minister Karamanlis and Turkish Prime Minister Menderes signed two secret protocols stipulating that Cyprus join NATO and the second protocol was for AKEL to continue to be banned
The Governments of the 3 NATO “guarantor” powers and the domestic Cypriot ruling class knew who the real obstacle to their plans and subsequent machinations and conspiracies was. This force was AKEL and the People’s Movement of the Left that rallied and mobilised Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in the same class ranks in the struggle for bread and freedom.
The crowd and enthusiasm of that massive rally held on June 28 was unforgettable. AKEL had once again shown that no one can overcome the power of an organized and determined people who have the ability to turn their difficulties into steps forward.
On 28 June 1959, under the leadership of AKEL, more than 100,000 people took to the streets and demanded the legalization of the Party which was banned by a British colonial decree
