The Metapolitefsi and New Meanings of ‘Humanity’. Greek Society between Humanitarianism for Cyprus and Post-1974 Human Rights Vindications

This article observes the evolution of humanitarianism and human rights in Greece after the transition to a democratic regime in the Metapolitefsi starting in the summer of 1974. It contextualises the emerging Greek post-dictatorial solidarity initiatives for Cyprus as part of a wider democratisation process. Two landmark events pave the way to an analysis of the intersection of humanitarianism with polity change. For one, the coup of the junta regime and the following partition of Cyprus triggered a wave of Greek humanitarian aid for the Cypriot Government and the Greek Cypriot refugees in a show of spontaneous civil solidarity. In parallel, the recent experience of dictatorial torture and enduring political repression propelled figures and organisations active in the anti-dictatorial struggle to raise awareness of political detainees, prompting an international outcry against the infringement of human rights in Cyprus. Thus, at a second level, the article aims to understand the many parallel acts of sensibilisation towards human rights for both political detainees and refugees implemented in Greece at the beginning of the Metapolitefsi era. In the long run, humanitarianism for Cyprus formed a terrain to search for a post-dictatorial ‘national self’ and for political transnational solidarity.