General v. Archbishop

In some ways, recent events on Cyprus have been reminiscent of the EOKA underground revolt of 1955, when General George Grivas led Greek Cypriot fighters in a struggle for enosis, or union with Greece. Bomb explosions have rocked the cities of Nicosia, Limassol and Paphos, police have used tear gas to dispense rioting pro-enosis students, and armed followers of the general have staged daring raids to obtain weapons and explosives. The big difference is that 17 years ago, Grivas' target was the British occupying power. Today it is his former ally, Archbishop Makarios, President of independent Cyprus.

The new wave of terrorism, government sources claim, is aimed at the presidential elections set for Feb. 18. The 74-year-old general, who secretly slipped back onto the island in 1971 after several years of exile in Greece, would like to bring down the Makarios government and place the island under Greek control. The two men have been implacable enemies since 1959, when Makarios, who once favored enosis, agreed to a compromise whereby Cyprus would become independent on the condition that it protect the rights of the island's Turkish minority.

Grivas still rejects that formula. But he also refuses to run against Makarios for the presidency--and with good reason. Five years ago, the Archbishop was elected for his second five-year term with 95% of the vote. He is expected to do as well in the coming election. In fact, if no opposition candidate is named by Feb. 8, Makarios will automatically be proclaimed reelected.

Until now, Makarios has been reluctant to move against his former ally, but that may have to change. "Unless Makarios and Grivas settle their differences," observed the island's oldest newspaper, Eleftheria, "the island may be plunged into civil war at any moment."

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