Ezekias Papaioannou
Encyclopedia
Ezekias Papaioannou was a Greek Cypriot
communist politician
and Secretary General of the left wing political party of AKEL.
He was born in the village of Kellaki
, Limassol District
and received his secondary education at the American Academy of Larnaca
with financial help from his brother.In his last year of school because of health reasons he moved to Nicosia where he finished his studies in The English School, Nicosia. He then worked as a miner in Skouriotissa
(Foukasa) and as a manual worker in Piraeus
port.
He moved to London
in the early 1930’s where he actively worked with the Communist Party of Great Britain
against different fascist factions. During this time he was arrested and jailed for three months by the British authorities. During his time in Britain he became a founding member of the Association of Cypriot Affairs which sought the expulsion of the British from Cyprus
.
In 1936, he was part of a contingent of 60 Cypriot leftists who volunteered to fight in the Spanish Civil War
as part of the International Brigades
. 15 of them died and Ezekias was injured and had to return to London
. Cyprus
had the biggest percentage of volunteers and dead per capita of any country fighting against Franco
.
After the war he lived in London
(and worked as a milkman).
With the start of World War II
Ezekias tried to enlist but he was refused because of his old injuries and a poor health. Not able to remain idle he joined the London
air defense where he served until the end of the war. In 1945 he was asked by AKEL to return to Cyprus where he remained until the end of his life.
After his return,he immediately got involved in local politics and in 1946 he became Editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Democratis” and in 1949 3rd General Secretary of the Progressive Party of Working People
(AKEL), a position he held for 40 years until his death.
During the next few years he worked endlessly along with his party for the rights of workers and against British colonialism. The party was declared illegal by the British authorities in 1955 and Ezekias together with another 134 members were arrested and jailed. Soon after Ezekias escaped and continued the fight until Independence in 1959.
Ezekias was against the Zürich and London Agreement
, claiming it was unworkable. He worked for the next two decades to prevent all tactics of the extreme right wing elements of the island and to foster better relations with the Turkish Cypriots
.
In 1960, following the independence of Cyprus from the British Empire, he was elected to parliament. Papaioannou was repeatedly re-elected and served as a member of Parliament for 28 consecutive years up until his death in 1988.
In his will, he left all his assets to his party.
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
communist politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and Secretary General of the left wing political party of AKEL.
He was born in the village of Kellaki
Kellaki
Kellaki is a village in the Limassol District of Cyprus, located 10 km north of Parekklisia....
, Limassol District
Limassol District
Limassol District is one of the six districts of Cyprus. Its main town is Limassol. Part of the British overseas territory of Akrotiri and Dhekelia forms an enclave on the Akrotiri peninsula, under the sovereignty of the United Kingdom....
and received his secondary education at the American Academy of Larnaca
American Academy of Larnaca
The American Academy Larnaca is a non-profit private school in Larnaca, Cyprus offering pre-school to University entrance education of the highest standard. It is a selective, co-educational, independent school, registered under the Private Schools’ Law, 1971, of the Republic of Cyprus.The school...
with financial help from his brother.In his last year of school because of health reasons he moved to Nicosia where he finished his studies in The English School, Nicosia. He then worked as a miner in Skouriotissa
Skouriotissa
Skouriotissa is a village in the Nicosia District of Cyprus and the site of the former Skourotissa mines. Today the area is largely uninhabited with only 8 people remaining in the village....
(Foukasa) and as a manual worker in Piraeus
Piraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
port.
He moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in the early 1930’s where he actively worked with the Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
against different fascist factions. During this time he was arrested and jailed for three months by the British authorities. During his time in Britain he became a founding member of the Association of Cypriot Affairs which sought the expulsion of the British from Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
.
In 1936, he was part of a contingent of 60 Cypriot leftists who volunteered to fight in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
as part of the International Brigades
International Brigades
The International Brigades were military units made up of volunteers from different countries, who traveled to Spain to defend the Second Spanish Republic in the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939....
. 15 of them died and Ezekias was injured and had to return to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
had the biggest percentage of volunteers and dead per capita of any country fighting against Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
.
After the war he lived in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
(and worked as a milkman).
With the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Ezekias tried to enlist but he was refused because of his old injuries and a poor health. Not able to remain idle he joined the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
air defense where he served until the end of the war. In 1945 he was asked by AKEL to return to Cyprus where he remained until the end of his life.
After his return,he immediately got involved in local politics and in 1946 he became Editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Democratis” and in 1949 3rd General Secretary of the Progressive Party of Working People
Progressive Party of Working People
The Progressive Party of Working People is a communist party in Cyprus. It supports an independent, demilitarized and non-aligned Cyprus, and a federal solution of the internal aspect of the Cyprus problem. It places particular emphasis on rapprochement with the Turkish Cypriots. It supported...
(AKEL), a position he held for 40 years until his death.
During the next few years he worked endlessly along with his party for the rights of workers and against British colonialism. The party was declared illegal by the British authorities in 1955 and Ezekias together with another 134 members were arrested and jailed. Soon after Ezekias escaped and continued the fight until Independence in 1959.
Ezekias was against the Zürich and London Agreement
Zürich and London Agreement
The Zürich and London Agreement for the constitution of Cyprus started with an agreement on the 19 February 1959 in Lancaster House in London, between Turkey, Greece, the United Kingdom and Cypriot community leaders...
, claiming it was unworkable. He worked for the next two decades to prevent all tactics of the extreme right wing elements of the island and to foster better relations with the Turkish Cypriots
Turkish Cypriots
Turkish Cypriots are the ethnic Turks and members of the Turkish-speaking ethnolinguistic community of the Eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The term is used to refer explicitly to the indigenous Turkish Cypriots, whose Ottoman Turkish forbears colonised the island in 1571...
.
In 1960, following the independence of Cyprus from the British Empire, he was elected to parliament. Papaioannou was repeatedly re-elected and served as a member of Parliament for 28 consecutive years up until his death in 1988.
In his will, he left all his assets to his party.