Those Who Spoke with Death

August 1996 marks the death of two proud Greek Cypriots, Tassos Isaac and Solomos Solomou, who were murdered by the illegal Turkish para-state and Turkish terrorist group known as the Grey Wolves.

The Cypriot Motorcycle Organisation, in the company of hundreds of fellow Europeans bikers, organised a peaceful protest against the illegal Turkish occupation of Cyprus. Starting in Berlin, the protesters were to make their way to Kyrenia in Occupied Cyprus, and march in solidarity with Greek Cypriots.

The Turks, after several reports of human rights violations against protesters, threatened to open fire if Europeans proceeded with their planned march. In addition to the threats against protesters, the Turkish government transported approximately 2,500 members of the Turkish Grey Wolves to confront the Greeks and their European biker allies. These actions concerned the authorities of the Cypriot Republic, who pressured the protesters to cancel the event. Having travelled so far, many of the bikers and protesters made a decision to courageously continue their march and protest against the illegal occupation.

Crossing into the UN buffer zone, the occupational forces, using their Grey Wolf thugs, launched an attack against the peaceful demonstrators. Isolated from the other protesters, and trapped by barbed wire, a large mob of Grey Wolves set upon Tassos Isaac and attacked him with bats, crowbars and stones. The UN Peace keepers, along with the Turkish occupational police force simply stood by and watched Tassos Isaac while he was hopelessly outnumbered and murdered by Turkish savages.

Following the funeral of Tassos Isaac, many of the protesters decided to honor their fallen brother by placing wreaths and flowers at the site of his murder. The scene once again turned into a battlefield, and in addition to the Turkish Grey Wolves, the unarmed protesters were being targeted by the Turkish occupational forces. In an attempt to lower the Turkish flag in the UN buffer zone, Solomos Solomou, an un-armed protester, was fatally shot by Turkish snipers. Several other protesters were also injured by bullets shortly before the body of Solomos was recovered. Despite the attackers been identified by the authorities, and international warrants being secured before the European Court of Human Rights against Turkey, none of the perpetrators have ever been arrested.