To express opposition to the continued occupation of the island of Cyprus, the Cypriot and Hellenic Student Association at SIUC will sponsor a rally tonight.

Nicholas Agrotis, representative of the organization, said that 37 percent of the island of Cyprus (in the eastern Mediterranean Sea) has been occupied by Turkish troops since an invasion in 1974.

Agrotis said the troops have a history of not allowing the residents to exercise basic rights.

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The three basic rights are freedom of movement, ownership and settlement, Agrotis said.

Agrotis said the organization is holding the rally because they said the U.S. government has the power to step in and help solve the problem.

The U.S. government is able to pressure Turkey to withdraw troops from the island and allow the native inhabitants to settle their differences, he said.

Agrotis said following the invasion of the island troops evicted 200,000 Greeks from their homes, making them refuges in their own country.

The organization also wants the public to know about the MIAs who are held on the island.

As a result of the invasion, there are 1,619 MIAs, he said. This includes five American citizens which the American government seems to have forgotten.

The population of Cyprus is 82 percent Cypriots and 18 percent Turkish, Agrotis said.

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Agrotis said through the rally, the group wants to make people aware of what is occurring in Cyprus.

We want to inform the public of our problem. A lot of people don’t event know where Cyprus is, Agrotis said. The most important thing is we’re the only country in Europe that has land occupied by a foreign army. We want the public to take an active step and help in the solving of this problem the country has.

The rally will be held at 5 p.m. at the crossing of South University Avenue and Mill Street in front of the On the Island Pub.