The ceremony, held at the Erenköy Martyrdom on Thursday (August  8), was also attended by government and military officials, civil organisation representatives and members of the public.  President Tatar delivered an address at the ceremony, as did the Yenierenköy-Karpaz Mayor, Hamit Bakırcı and Mustafa Arıkan, the Chairperson of the Erenköy Turkish Cypriot Soldiers Association.

The ceremony started with a minute's silence, followed by a gun salute, and the playing of the National Anthem as the flags of the Republic of Türkiye and TRNC were hoisted.  President Tatar laid a wreath at the Martyrs Monument. 

Addressing the ceremony, President Tatar said the Glorious Erenköy Resistance had been waged 60 years ago on August 8, 1964 by the Turkish Cypriot villagers in the strategically located seaside village of Erenköy. He said the strategic village, which lies on the north-west  coast of the Island, enabled vital food and medical supplies and defence equipment to be transported from Türkiye to the Turkish Cypriot People.  "There were island-wide attacks being carried out by Greek-Greek Cypriot forces – headed by George Grivas," President Tatar said. "Erenköy was of significant importance for the Turkish Cypriot People at the time, because it was the port used to transport food, aid and military equipment from Türkiye”.
President Tatar stated that in August 1964, Erenköy became surrounded by Greek and Greek Cypriot troops. “The very survival of Turkish Cypriot People depended on the fate of Erenköy, and it was for this reason that our people waged an epic and glorious defence and struggle in Erenköy, to prevent its capture by the Greek-Greek Cypriot forces,” President Tatar said, emphasising that “more than 500 young Turkish Cypriot students studying abroad – particularly in Türkiye, United Kingdom and Australia, suspended their studies, and made their way to Erenköy to help defend the village”.

Stating that Grivas’s heavily armed forces had launched an all-out attack against Erenköy on August 6, 1964 – seeking to cut off the vital supply line, President Tatar said: “The Turkish Cypriot inhabitants of the village were surrounded, outgunned and outnumbered, and our villagers had to hold out for two days until Motherland Türkiye brought the siege to an end by dispatching jets.  However, 18 Turkish Cypriots were martyred during the attacks in Erenköy.  We offer our deepest condolences to their families and loved ones. We remember with respect our heroic martyrs, for they sacrificed their lives so that Turkish Cypriot People, who resisted the unification of Cyprus with Greece (ENOSIS), could live in freedom and in  peace, under the roof of their own State,” President Tatar said.  

The President added that the Glorious Erenköy struggle “symbolises the epic struggle that has been written in the pages of history by the Turkish Cypriot People. . .the Erenköy resistance demonstrated the will of Turkish Cypriots to defend their inherent rights, to co-exist as sovereign equals in peace and freedom. Our students suspended their studies, and sacrificed their lives, used their own bodies,  their own flesh and blood  to shield the village, knowing that they could become martyrs. 

 

“Erenköy Resistance is a smaller version of the epic Çanakkale (Gallipoli) Victory”

President Tatar, who paid tribute to the martyrs and the veterans, compared the Glorious Erenköy Struggle to the Çanakkale (Gallipoli) Victory that was waged by the Turkish nation in 1915.  

"What was lived here 60 years ago is a smaller version of the epic Çanakkale Victory of the Turkish nation” President Tatar said. 

Stating that the Glorious Erenköy Struggle “has a very important place in the history of the Turkish Cypriot People,” President Tatar said: “The heroism of our People and their  epic resistance has been recorded in the pages of our national history.  Sixty years from the date of the resistance in Erenköy,  the Turkish Cypriot People are now living in peace and freedom under the roof of their own State, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.  The TRNC, an independent Turkish state, is now a member of the Organisation of Turkic States. Our presence here is very important in protecting the rights, interests and benefits in the eastern Mediterranean.”

 

“Any settlement in Cyprus cannot be reached without Türkiye”

President Tatar stated that Motherland Türkiye had intervened on August 8, by exercising her right as a guarantor power, and had dispatched jets with the objective of bringing an end to the attack of the Greek-Greek Cypriot forces on the village.  He said the intervention by Türkiye and the determination of our people on ground level “transformed the battle to defend Erenköy into a Glorious epic resistance of the Turkish Cypriot People”.

“Everybody should know that any settlement in Cyprus cannot be reached without Türkiye,” President Tatar said.   “We will continue our two State position, for a realistic and sustainable settlement that is based on our sovereign equality and equal international status, which is fully supported by Türkiye.”

President Tatar paid tribute to Founding President Rauf Denktaş, Dr. Fazıl Küçük and Osman Örek. He also paid respects to Cengiz Topel – whose jet had been shot down by Greek Cypriot forces during the Erenköy intervention. Captain pilot Topel had been captured, tortured and martyred. 

President Tatar said: "We commemorate all our martyrs and veterans with respect and gratitude.  May they rest in eternal peace. They can never be forgotten."