President Ersin Tatar condemns ugly attack against Turkish Resistance Organisation (TMT) during an interview with AA, where he states: "The claims have no historical basis at all"
President Ersin Tatar condemned the remarks made against the Turkish Resistance Organisation (TMT) during a Turkish television programme.
President Tatar rebuted the claims about the TMT, which was formed in the 1958 and continued to exist during the years of 1963 to 1974, to organise Turkish Cypriots to defend themselves against the armed attacks of Greek and Greek Cypriot forces aimed at annexing the island of Cyprus to Greece.
President Tatar said: “The remarks made against TMT is unfortunate. Cyprus is a national cause for Turkey and TRNC, and the Turkish public knows very well that the Mehmetçik (Turkish soldiers) and Mujahideen (Turkish Cypriot freedom fighters) fought shoulder to shoulder in Cyprus.”
He added: "This is a result of a news presenter. . .who interpreting wrongly the statements made from time to time by the Greek Cypriot leadership, Greek circles on the island and their extensions.
“The criticisms are devoid of historical facts. TMT not only protected the life and property of the Turkish Cypriots, but also secured their freedom and existence.”
Reminding that the Greek Cypriots and those in cooperation with them make unfounded allegations which does not conform to historical facts, such as the claim that the Turkish Cypriots had voluntarily left the ‘Republic of Cyprus’, the President said that these are the circles which “have the mentality that TMT was illegal and was designed to disrupt the constitutional order of the ‘Republic of Cyprus’”.
President Tatar said that it is unfortunate that a reporter in Turkey would convey this form of propaganda that is used by the Greek Cypriots, without understanding or questioning it, and reiterated that the criticism directed against the TMT on the programme “lacked historical facts”.
Ther President added: “The fact that the Greek Cypriots continued with their ambition to annex Cyprus with Greece even after the establishment of the partnership Republic of Cyprus is an indication of how right we are and proves that the TMT was established for the purposes of defending Turkish Cypriots against the Greek Cypriot EOKA terrorist organisation.”
“The truth is that TMT was established because the intention and plans of the EOKA supporters were to repel the Turkish Cypriots, who were expelled from the state apparatus by force of arms,” the President said. “They employed every method to ethnically cleanse Cyprus of the Turkish Cypriots and annex the island with Greece, by destroying our properties, forcing us to migrate, killing our people and undertaking different forms of massacres. . .”
“TMT provided a great service to the Turkish Cypriot people, providing defence for their very existence, their properties. . .to continue their existence until 1974,” the President said.
Recalling the contribution of people from Turkey and the Turkish Armed Forces in the establishment and organisation of TMT throughout the island, President Tatar stated that TMT not only protected the life and property of Turkish Cypriots, but also organised their administration.
President Tatar continued:
“After going through a long struggle with such terrible experiences, making so much sacrifices, and paying a high price, the President said it was due to the sacrtificxe of martyrs and veterans that Turkish Cypriot people were continuing to coexist on the island.
“The Turkish people of Cyprus are saddened that our struggle has been degraded in such a manner and for our most sacred and historically valuable organisation, TMT, to be attributed with such an ascription,” the President stated. “However, the reactions of state officials, NGOs, press and social media against this discourse in Turkey have also pleased me. This means that Turkey still has the Cyprus issue in its heart. . .because Cyprus is a national cause. I wish to extend my gratitude to everyone who reacted to this.”
"Code name: Ağrı and Toros”
The President recalled that as two of the founders of TMT, “Ağrı” was the code name of former Turkish Cypriot Leader Dr Fazil Küçük, who lead the Turkish Cypriot people's struggle for existence and freedom and "Toros" was the code name of Founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş.
Stressing that this contributed to the formation of both the military and political leaderships within the structure of TMT, the President also drew attention to the importance of TMT organising the Turkish Cypriot administration before the establishment of the State.
Emphasising that since the establishment of TMT in 1958, he explained that Turkish Cypriots had passed through various stages before forming their own State. “The turkish Cypriot people have been living under the roof of their own state for about 60 years,” he said, adding that “it is necessary to take lessons from the past in order to avoid a repetition of the attrocities lived in and prior to 1974 in Cyprus”
The President pointed out that an equality-based solution could not be reached in previous negotiations because of the unwillingness of the Greek Cypriot side to share power and prosperity with the Turkish Cypriots, adding:
“As the Turkish Cypriot people, we have managed to reach this point following many years of struggle to exist,” President Tatar said. “We will always reject the games played that is aimed at severing our ties with Turkey. Turkish Cypriots are an inseparable part of the Turkish nation. I would like to reiterate once again that we will insist on a settlement that is based on the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people. I share this view with the international community on a daily basis. I invite them to see the realities of Cyprus. If we do not want to go back to pre-1974 in Cyprus, if we do not want to experience those conflicts, events where there is bloodshed and no peace, it is necessary to learn from history and what happened.”
President Tatar stated that in the general elections held on January 23 in the TRNC, the Turkish Cypriot people reaffirmed their support to his own policy in relation to the Cyprus issue, and that 65 percent of the Assembly of the Republic advocate a two State settlement.
Expressing that those who support the federal solution in the TRNC believe that there will be two States in a federal solution, President Tatar emphasised that “this is not true,” adding that “in such a solution, the TRNC will be demolished; the ‘Republic of Cyprus’, which has been turned into a Greek Cypriot administration, will change its name to the Federal Republic of Cyprus.”
President Tatar said: “The remarks made against TMT is unfortunate. Cyprus is a national cause for Turkey and TRNC, and the Turkish public knows very well that the Mehmetçik (Turkish soldiers) and Mujahideen (Turkish Cypriot freedom fighters) fought shoulder to shoulder in Cyprus.”
He added: "This is a result of a news presenter. . .who interpreting wrongly the statements made from time to time by the Greek Cypriot leadership, Greek circles on the island and their extensions.
“The criticisms are devoid of historical facts. TMT not only protected the life and property of the Turkish Cypriots, but also secured their freedom and existence.”
Reminding that the Greek Cypriots and those in cooperation with them make unfounded allegations which does not conform to historical facts, such as the claim that the Turkish Cypriots had voluntarily left the ‘Republic of Cyprus’, the President said that these are the circles which “have the mentality that TMT was illegal and was designed to disrupt the constitutional order of the ‘Republic of Cyprus’”.
President Tatar said that it is unfortunate that a reporter in Turkey would convey this form of propaganda that is used by the Greek Cypriots, without understanding or questioning it, and reiterated that the criticism directed against the TMT on the programme “lacked historical facts”.
Ther President added: “The fact that the Greek Cypriots continued with their ambition to annex Cyprus with Greece even after the establishment of the partnership Republic of Cyprus is an indication of how right we are and proves that the TMT was established for the purposes of defending Turkish Cypriots against the Greek Cypriot EOKA terrorist organisation.”
“The truth is that TMT was established because the intention and plans of the EOKA supporters were to repel the Turkish Cypriots, who were expelled from the state apparatus by force of arms,” the President said. “They employed every method to ethnically cleanse Cyprus of the Turkish Cypriots and annex the island with Greece, by destroying our properties, forcing us to migrate, killing our people and undertaking different forms of massacres. . .”
“TMT provided a great service to the Turkish Cypriot people, providing defence for their very existence, their properties. . .to continue their existence until 1974,” the President said.
Recalling the contribution of people from Turkey and the Turkish Armed Forces in the establishment and organisation of TMT throughout the island, President Tatar stated that TMT not only protected the life and property of Turkish Cypriots, but also organised their administration.
President Tatar continued:
“After going through a long struggle with such terrible experiences, making so much sacrifices, and paying a high price, the President said it was due to the sacrtificxe of martyrs and veterans that Turkish Cypriot people were continuing to coexist on the island.
“The Turkish people of Cyprus are saddened that our struggle has been degraded in such a manner and for our most sacred and historically valuable organisation, TMT, to be attributed with such an ascription,” the President stated. “However, the reactions of state officials, NGOs, press and social media against this discourse in Turkey have also pleased me. This means that Turkey still has the Cyprus issue in its heart. . .because Cyprus is a national cause. I wish to extend my gratitude to everyone who reacted to this.”
"Code name: Ağrı and Toros”
The President recalled that as two of the founders of TMT, “Ağrı” was the code name of former Turkish Cypriot Leader Dr Fazil Küçük, who lead the Turkish Cypriot people's struggle for existence and freedom and "Toros" was the code name of Founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş.
Stressing that this contributed to the formation of both the military and political leaderships within the structure of TMT, the President also drew attention to the importance of TMT organising the Turkish Cypriot administration before the establishment of the State.
Emphasising that since the establishment of TMT in 1958, he explained that Turkish Cypriots had passed through various stages before forming their own State. “The turkish Cypriot people have been living under the roof of their own state for about 60 years,” he said, adding that “it is necessary to take lessons from the past in order to avoid a repetition of the attrocities lived in and prior to 1974 in Cyprus”
The President pointed out that an equality-based solution could not be reached in previous negotiations because of the unwillingness of the Greek Cypriot side to share power and prosperity with the Turkish Cypriots, adding:
“As the Turkish Cypriot people, we have managed to reach this point following many years of struggle to exist,” President Tatar said. “We will always reject the games played that is aimed at severing our ties with Turkey. Turkish Cypriots are an inseparable part of the Turkish nation. I would like to reiterate once again that we will insist on a settlement that is based on the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people. I share this view with the international community on a daily basis. I invite them to see the realities of Cyprus. If we do not want to go back to pre-1974 in Cyprus, if we do not want to experience those conflicts, events where there is bloodshed and no peace, it is necessary to learn from history and what happened.”
President Tatar stated that in the general elections held on January 23 in the TRNC, the Turkish Cypriot people reaffirmed their support to his own policy in relation to the Cyprus issue, and that 65 percent of the Assembly of the Republic advocate a two State settlement.
Expressing that those who support the federal solution in the TRNC believe that there will be two States in a federal solution, President Tatar emphasised that “this is not true,” adding that “in such a solution, the TRNC will be demolished; the ‘Republic of Cyprus’, which has been turned into a Greek Cypriot administration, will change its name to the Federal Republic of Cyprus.”