President Ersin Tatar attends ceremony commemorating the 37th anniversary of the death of Dr Fazıl Küçük
President Ersin Tatar paid tribute to Dr Fazıl Küçük whom he said had “led the Turkish Cypriot struggle for freedom and existence,” in an address at the ceremony that was held at the mausoleum on the outskirts of Lefkoşa on Friday.
Photos
The ceremony commenced with the laying of wreaths at the monument at 10.26am and continued with a minute’s silence, which was followed by the National Anthem.
President Tatar signed the Special Memorial Book addressed to the late Dr Fazıl Küçük, and wrote the following:
“Leader of our struggle for freedom and existence: Whilst continuing with our struggle for freedom, independence and sovereignty, a struggle you started in the most difficult conditions, we have again come before you today and commemorate you with respect and a great deal of affection.
The principles you established in our struggle of existence, that ‘Turkish Cypriots cannot exist without Turkey’ and ‘The Cyprus issue cannot be solved without Turkey’ continue to be our guide, and these principles enlighten our path and strengthen our struggle.
We are continuing with our struggle, guided by your principles. Furthermore, we are determined to make sure that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, formed on the foundations of your sacrifices and painstaking efforts, will live forever.
As you had stated, we will not become a minority to the Greek Cypriots in these territories that we know as our homeland and we will never give up our State, freedom, independence, Turkey and the Turkish army.
Never forgotten will be the struggle you gave to enable the Turkish Cypriot people to come through to the present day and the devotion and sacrifices you afforded to achieve this. The principles that you established during the struggle will be passed down from generation to generation and you will live forever in the hearts of the Turkish Cypriot people.
“Rest in Peace, Great Leader.”
Addressing the ceremony President Tatar pointed out that late Dr Fazıl Küçük had displayed leadership and bravery for the solidarity of the Turkish Cypriots.
President Tatar stated: “On the 37th anniversary of the death of Dr Fazıl Küçük, the leader of our struggle for freedom, existence and independence, we commemorate him with gratitude and respect. The problems of Turkish Cypriots have been continuing for centuries. Dr Küçük’s struggle had started in the 1930s when the Turkish Cypriots were oppressed by the British Colonial Administration. He used his bravery and leadership to achieve unity and solidarity of the Turkish Cypriots in order to organise resistance against the terrorist organisation EOKA and also in dealings with the British Colonial Administration.”
"EXCEPTIONAL AND AN UNFORGETTABLE LEADER"
President Tatar said: “As an exceptional and unforgettable leader, we want to pay tribute to Dr Küçük and his friends who took the first steps of the great success and victory achieved by the Turkish Cypriot people.” Stating that Turkish Cypriots suffered persecution, endured discrimination and suffering, forced to migrate, and had fallen martyrs, President Tatar added that Dr Küçük and his friends embraced Turkey as they realised that the Cyprus issue could not be solved without Turkey and that Turkish Cypriots could not exist without the presence of Turkish soldiers on the island.
“REINFORCED HOPE OF LIVING FREE AND INDEPENDENT”
The President stated that by persistently sending messages to Anatolia and the government in Ankara, Dr Küçük ensured Turkey’s continuing interest in Cyprus as well as securing the formation and effective organisation of the Turkish Resistance Organisation (TMT) in the struggle against the terrorist organisation EOKA. Mr Tatar added that this reinforced the hopes of Turkish Cypriots to live as free and independent people in these lands.
“PLAYED AN EFFECTIVE ROLE IN ACQUISITION OF THE GUARANTEE RIGHT AND THE RIGHTS OF THE TURKISH CYPRIOT PEOPLE”
President Tatar stated that Turkey’s guarantee rights were reinstated and the rights of the Turkish Cypriot people as one of the two equal peoples on the island were verified in international treaties because of the bravery and effective part Dr Küçük and his comrades played prior to the 1960 Agreement in cooperation with Adnan Menderes, the Prime Minister of Turkey at the time and the Turkish Foreign Minister, Fatin Rüştü Zorlu.
“LED THE TURKISH CYPRIOT STRUGGLE AND GLORIOUS RESISTANCE UNTIL 1974”
Expressing that with his newspaper, Halkın Sesi, he had led the Turkish Cypriots in organising them all over the island, and had given the necessary messages. The President added that despite the atrocities of Bloody Christmas and all the attacks on Turkish Cypriots, Dr Küçük led the struggle and the glorious resistance of the Turkish Cypriots until 1974.
“SEEING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TRNC WAS A TURNING POINT”
President Tatar reminded everyone that Dr Küçük witnessed the arrival of the Turkish army in 1974; taking root of a Turkish Cypriot state, from Turkish Federated State of Cyprus to the declaration of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 1983. Mr Tatar recalled Dr Küçük standing at the balcony with his friend Rauf Raif Denktaş and declaring: “Now that I have seen this day, I will not be unhappy to die”. The President stated that the establishment of the TRNC in 1983 before his death was a turning point for Dr Küçük.
“SACRED RESISTANCE WHICH STARTED IN THE 1930s WAS PROFOUNDLY IMPORTANT IN THE STRUGGLE”
President Tatar stated that with the developments taking place in the Eastern Mediterranean today, the TRNC has become more important in the Blue Homeland. He said that there are nowadays talks about two sovereign states in Cyprus, coexisting side by side, and all these show how accurate Dr Fazıl Küçük’s foresight was. The President underlined that the sacred resistance which started in the 1930s was profoundly important for our national interests.
President Tatar signed the Special Memorial Book addressed to the late Dr Fazıl Küçük, and wrote the following:
“Leader of our struggle for freedom and existence: Whilst continuing with our struggle for freedom, independence and sovereignty, a struggle you started in the most difficult conditions, we have again come before you today and commemorate you with respect and a great deal of affection.
The principles you established in our struggle of existence, that ‘Turkish Cypriots cannot exist without Turkey’ and ‘The Cyprus issue cannot be solved without Turkey’ continue to be our guide, and these principles enlighten our path and strengthen our struggle.
We are continuing with our struggle, guided by your principles. Furthermore, we are determined to make sure that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, formed on the foundations of your sacrifices and painstaking efforts, will live forever.
As you had stated, we will not become a minority to the Greek Cypriots in these territories that we know as our homeland and we will never give up our State, freedom, independence, Turkey and the Turkish army.
Never forgotten will be the struggle you gave to enable the Turkish Cypriot people to come through to the present day and the devotion and sacrifices you afforded to achieve this. The principles that you established during the struggle will be passed down from generation to generation and you will live forever in the hearts of the Turkish Cypriot people.
“Rest in Peace, Great Leader.”
Addressing the ceremony President Tatar pointed out that late Dr Fazıl Küçük had displayed leadership and bravery for the solidarity of the Turkish Cypriots.
President Tatar stated: “On the 37th anniversary of the death of Dr Fazıl Küçük, the leader of our struggle for freedom, existence and independence, we commemorate him with gratitude and respect. The problems of Turkish Cypriots have been continuing for centuries. Dr Küçük’s struggle had started in the 1930s when the Turkish Cypriots were oppressed by the British Colonial Administration. He used his bravery and leadership to achieve unity and solidarity of the Turkish Cypriots in order to organise resistance against the terrorist organisation EOKA and also in dealings with the British Colonial Administration.”
"EXCEPTIONAL AND AN UNFORGETTABLE LEADER"
President Tatar said: “As an exceptional and unforgettable leader, we want to pay tribute to Dr Küçük and his friends who took the first steps of the great success and victory achieved by the Turkish Cypriot people.” Stating that Turkish Cypriots suffered persecution, endured discrimination and suffering, forced to migrate, and had fallen martyrs, President Tatar added that Dr Küçük and his friends embraced Turkey as they realised that the Cyprus issue could not be solved without Turkey and that Turkish Cypriots could not exist without the presence of Turkish soldiers on the island.
“REINFORCED HOPE OF LIVING FREE AND INDEPENDENT”
The President stated that by persistently sending messages to Anatolia and the government in Ankara, Dr Küçük ensured Turkey’s continuing interest in Cyprus as well as securing the formation and effective organisation of the Turkish Resistance Organisation (TMT) in the struggle against the terrorist organisation EOKA. Mr Tatar added that this reinforced the hopes of Turkish Cypriots to live as free and independent people in these lands.
“PLAYED AN EFFECTIVE ROLE IN ACQUISITION OF THE GUARANTEE RIGHT AND THE RIGHTS OF THE TURKISH CYPRIOT PEOPLE”
President Tatar stated that Turkey’s guarantee rights were reinstated and the rights of the Turkish Cypriot people as one of the two equal peoples on the island were verified in international treaties because of the bravery and effective part Dr Küçük and his comrades played prior to the 1960 Agreement in cooperation with Adnan Menderes, the Prime Minister of Turkey at the time and the Turkish Foreign Minister, Fatin Rüştü Zorlu.
“LED THE TURKISH CYPRIOT STRUGGLE AND GLORIOUS RESISTANCE UNTIL 1974”
Expressing that with his newspaper, Halkın Sesi, he had led the Turkish Cypriots in organising them all over the island, and had given the necessary messages. The President added that despite the atrocities of Bloody Christmas and all the attacks on Turkish Cypriots, Dr Küçük led the struggle and the glorious resistance of the Turkish Cypriots until 1974.
“SEEING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TRNC WAS A TURNING POINT”
President Tatar reminded everyone that Dr Küçük witnessed the arrival of the Turkish army in 1974; taking root of a Turkish Cypriot state, from Turkish Federated State of Cyprus to the declaration of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 1983. Mr Tatar recalled Dr Küçük standing at the balcony with his friend Rauf Raif Denktaş and declaring: “Now that I have seen this day, I will not be unhappy to die”. The President stated that the establishment of the TRNC in 1983 before his death was a turning point for Dr Küçük.
“SACRED RESISTANCE WHICH STARTED IN THE 1930s WAS PROFOUNDLY IMPORTANT IN THE STRUGGLE”
President Tatar stated that with the developments taking place in the Eastern Mediterranean today, the TRNC has become more important in the Blue Homeland. He said that there are nowadays talks about two sovereign states in Cyprus, coexisting side by side, and all these show how accurate Dr Fazıl Küçük’s foresight was. The President underlined that the sacred resistance which started in the 1930s was profoundly important for our national interests.