Christodoulides calls for ‘promise not to repeat such mistakes’ on Mari explosion anniversary

President Nikos Christodoulides on Friday called for a “promise not to repeat such mistakes” as he attended a service to mark the 14th anniversary of the Mari explosion.

The Mari explosion, which occurred shortly before 6am on July 11, 2011, saw a large amount of ammunition and military-grade explosives stored at the Evangelos Florakis naval base explode, killing 13 people. The explosion was the worst peacetime military accident every recorded in Cyprus.

“With feelings of emotion, we are here today, as we are every year, to honour the memory of the 13 officers, non-commissioned officers, and infantrymen who lost their lives in one of the most tragic moments in the modern history of our country, after 1974,” he said.

He added that the tragedy “remains an unshakeable point of reference, deeply imprinted in our people’s collective memory”.

“Thirteen of our fellow human beings lost their lives so unjustly in the deadly explosion which destroyed the country’s centre of energy, which caused enormous economic damage, and which led our country into an unprecedented political crisis,” he said.

He then paid tribute to the 13 people who died, saying that those who had gathered at Friday’s service had done so “to pay tribute with pride, emotion, and awe to the heroes, the martyrs, of that shameful day”.

Those 13, he said, “lost their lives while trying by every means to manage and contain the lightning-fast development of events”.

“The people who tried to save as many as possible, to prevent or at least minimise losses, to preserve lives and property, with discipline forged by the sacred call of duty. In the face of the impending threat, they rose to the occasion, and they did not abandon their positions,” he said.

He then read the names of all 13 who died, before adding that “they now remain in history and constitute an example, a symbol, and an ideal”.

“Their names have been engraved on the columns of the heroes of our nation, and they remain indelible.”

“The presence of all of us here today indicates in the most formal way the highest honour and recognition that the state attaches to the sacrifice of the heroes, and to those who were injured during that day’s unspeakable tragedy. As the president of the Republic of Cyprus, I bow on behalf of the Cypriot people to the sacrifice of these 13 people,” he said.

He then added, “I address their relatives, to all of you, looking you in the eye, this public apology and the apologies of the state”.

“We all know that this fatal accident, this tragedy, was not a bolt from the blue. It was caused by a sequence of events, errors, and omissions, which predetermined what was to follow,” he said.

He then stressed that “the day is not suitable for weighty words”, but that “we must reiterate the promise not to repeat such mistakes, to demonstrate the utmost responsibility in every decision and choice”.

“We have an obligation to make decisions with a sense of responsibility towards every last citizen of this country. The preservation and protection of the integrity, dignity, rights, and freedoms of every Cypriot citizen is an inviolable obligation of this state, and for us, this obligation is non-negotiable,” he said.

He added that Cyprus is “a country which is fighting for its physical survival” and that as such, it “does not have the luxury of losses in such a tragic and unjust way”.

“We are accountable to every family which entrusts its children to the homeland, to everyone who serves in its security forces, to every citizen of this country, to every young man and every young woman,” he said.

Additionally, he said, “our homeland must be grateful to its heroes, pay due honour to those who sacrificed their lives or who were injured in the line of duty, present them as examples to be emulated, and highlight their contribution”.

“Today sends a message of responsibility to all of us – a message of honest and unyielding execution of duty and one’s mission from any position and from any office. Our semi-occupied homeland needs citizens who serve the mission assigned to them with honesty and responsibility,” he said.

What Cyprus needs, he added, is “citizens who fight in every way for the well-intentioned interest of society and the homeland, people who do not defy dangers and challenges, and remain steadfast in their orientation and in their goal”.

“The example of the heroes we honour today is exactly what we are commanded to do: to fulfil our duty and to be worthy of our mission. With this thought and reflection, I want to send the message that for us, the safety of those who serve our homeland and our people is the highest priority,” he said.

“The sacrifice of the 13 heroes in Mari defines the magnitude of the responsibility of our mission. May their memory be eternal.”