President Ersin Tatar visits the Hacettepe University in Ankara
“Our dedicated doctors have not only provided treatment and care to people with health issues, they have also been a beacon of hope and freedom”
Photos
President Ersin Tatar has visited the Hacettepe University in Ankara where he participated in a ceremony of the Faculty of Medicine and delivered a speech.
President Tatar, who participated in the white coat ceremony at the Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, addressed the guests and students at the university and received a plaque from Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Cahit Güran in memory of the ceremony.
Addressing the ceremony, President Tatar commended the students who, he said, are “all candidates for being a doctor, which is the most sacred profession in the whole world”. The President congratulated the candidates for their successes in taking “important steps to a new life”.
“The white coat you are wearing is a symbol of morality, honesty and enlightenment, of being noble, clean and modest and being responsible – which are all important attributes of the medical profession, which recognises no boundaries regardless of language, religion and ethnicity,” President Tatar said.
The President added: “The white coat you wear as part of your duty may become stained or dirty, however, by keeping your conscience clean, you shall serve humanity day and night with dedication, keeping your moral feelings alert and upholding the ethical values of your profession. Your path is long and difficult, but it is also an honourable walk, and whilst on this path, I am sure you will overcome every obstacle in the best way possible. As the father of a daughter who is a doctor, I wholeheartedly congratulate you.”
“Prominent historical figures who have made their mark in this profession are Razis, Ibni Sina, Nefsi and in the present day, undoubtedly Aziz Sancar and valuable physicians like him," he added.
President Tatar explained that for Turkish Cypriots, the medical profession has not only been a process of fulfilling their duty as a physician. “Our doctors have always led our People in their struggle to coexist and defend their equal inherent rights,” he said, adding: “At the expense of their lives, the Turkish Cypriot doctors have taken part, for more than a hundred years, in the struggle of our People in Cyprus for existence, freedom and protection of our homeland.”
Giving examples of those doctors who have made their mark in history as Turkish Cypriot doctors, President Tatar paid tribute to Dr. Mehmet Taner Erginel -- the father of former TRNC Chief Justice Taner Erginel -- who had served in the Ottoman army in the Gallipoli war in Çanakkale. The President explained that Dr. Mehmet Erginel had participated as a Medical Officer and cared for patients who served under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
The President stated that likewise, when Dr. Hüseyin Behiç and Dr. Esat and their friends had realised that the Ottoman Empire would not come back to the Island of Cyprus following the First World War, they had waged a struggle against the British colonial administration on the island. The President also paid tribute to Dr. Hafız Cemal, Mehmet Aziz Bey, Dr. Alpay Kelami, Dr. Şemsi Kazım, Dr. Adil Naimoğlu, Dr. Kaya Bekiroğlu, Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu, Dr. Ayten Berkalp, Dr. Niyazi Manyera, Dr. Sezai Sezgin, Dr. Ali Niyazi Fikret, Dr. Aydın Sennaroğlu, and Dr. Tahsin Bilginer, Dr. Derviş Eroğlu and Dr. Erdoğan Mirata – whom he said were “the first names among many to be remembered who took part in the national struggle of the Turkish Cypriots” – that included their service between December 21, 1963 to July 20, 1974.
President Tatar added that Dr. Fazıl Küçük led the Turkish Cypriot People during their national struggle, saying: “Dr. Fazıl Küçük, more than being a medical doctor, worked tirelessly to lead the Turkish Cypriot People and to keep the motivation and morale high of the people during very difficult years. He ensured social unity through a newspaper he founded, that effectively enabled the Turkish Cypriot People to organise themselves in the national struggle, to become one of the two co-founders in the partnership republic as one of two equal Peoples.”
President Tatar added that Dr. Fazıl Küçük “not only led the Turkish Cypriot People, but also devoted his entire resources and capital to the Turkish Cypriot cause, from 1963 to 1974, in the struggle against the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo and the EOKA terrorist organisation, that instigated island-wide attacks against the Turkish Cypriots”.
Stating that dedicated doctors of Turkish Cypriot origin not only provided treatment and care to people with health issues, but also were a beacon of hope and freedom, President Tatar continued: “You are individuals who are candidates to be the new generation representatives of such a culture. Be sure to research and learn about your ancestors who participated in heavy struggles before you. Research so that it can be a source of light and inspiration for you on your path. With the white coat you wear, you will not only provide a universal service in the treatment of your patients, but also carry the colour of hope and peace.
“For this reason, you must work hard and as it has always been traditionally, you must be a light to the future by closely following the tools and scientific developments of modern medicine. I wish you all success in this sacred profession.”