President Ersin Tatar commemorates 11th July Press Day
President Ersin Tatar issued a written message commemorating July 11 Press Day where he paid tribute to members of the press and the role played by newspapers in informing the public ever since the publication of the first Turkish language newspaper dating back to 1889.
Turkish intellectuals in Cyprus started publishing the first ever Turkish newspaper on the island named Saded on July 11, 1889, in conjunction with the first newspaper published in the Ottoman Turkish language in the mainland that had the objective of promoting the innovation and reform movements in the empire.
This special day offers us the opportunity to remember the historical responsibilities of our press organisations in our country and the role newspapers have played in the historical struggle of the Turkish Cypriot People to coexist on the island as inherent sovereign equals. We should also acknowledge the remarkable achievements and successes of our press, and the issues facing newspapers including ethical and structural problems, due to a combination of factors.
Turkish Cypriot press has successfully overcome the many challenges throughout history and has earned the respect it deserves in serving the public and indeed our country. Turkish Cypriot press, which remained silent on the island from 1914 to 1919 as a result of the unilateral annexation of the island of Cyprus by Britain, later rose from its ashes.
Although many of the newspapers published during the British period were censored and pressured by the colonial administration through measures taken at the end of the 1931 Cyprus Revolt, our press became the voice of the Turkish Cypriots who resisted the Greek-Greek Cypriot aspiration to unite Cyprus with Greece (ENOSIS). Much has been achieved by Turkish Cypriot press from that period to date, both in terms of quality-based news reporting as well as an increase in publication numbers, which has contributed to the development of our democracy. Newspapers are important because they not only play a role in providing scrutiny and influence on a specific issue, but also have a responsibility to act as a voice for the people, and able to communicate different views.
I wish to pay tribute to our press members. Newspapers have indeed reached the capacity in being able to shape the agenda of our country, and able to provide information through “news portals” and “web sites” at the touch of a button on a global scale, which have come about through technological advancements.
However, I wish to stress that every journalist and columnist should refrain from writing in an abusive and humiliating manner against any person, institution and/or thought, under the guise of “freedom of expression”. I believe that there will be steps to be taken on this issue in the coming period.
I sincerely congratulate everyone who are reporting the policies and perspective of the Turkish Cypriot People who continue to be unjustly treated and subject to inhumane isolation, and the need to address this issue. I remember with respect those who are not with us today.
This special day offers us the opportunity to remember the historical responsibilities of our press organisations in our country and the role newspapers have played in the historical struggle of the Turkish Cypriot People to coexist on the island as inherent sovereign equals. We should also acknowledge the remarkable achievements and successes of our press, and the issues facing newspapers including ethical and structural problems, due to a combination of factors.
Turkish Cypriot press has successfully overcome the many challenges throughout history and has earned the respect it deserves in serving the public and indeed our country. Turkish Cypriot press, which remained silent on the island from 1914 to 1919 as a result of the unilateral annexation of the island of Cyprus by Britain, later rose from its ashes.
Although many of the newspapers published during the British period were censored and pressured by the colonial administration through measures taken at the end of the 1931 Cyprus Revolt, our press became the voice of the Turkish Cypriots who resisted the Greek-Greek Cypriot aspiration to unite Cyprus with Greece (ENOSIS). Much has been achieved by Turkish Cypriot press from that period to date, both in terms of quality-based news reporting as well as an increase in publication numbers, which has contributed to the development of our democracy. Newspapers are important because they not only play a role in providing scrutiny and influence on a specific issue, but also have a responsibility to act as a voice for the people, and able to communicate different views.
I wish to pay tribute to our press members. Newspapers have indeed reached the capacity in being able to shape the agenda of our country, and able to provide information through “news portals” and “web sites” at the touch of a button on a global scale, which have come about through technological advancements.
However, I wish to stress that every journalist and columnist should refrain from writing in an abusive and humiliating manner against any person, institution and/or thought, under the guise of “freedom of expression”. I believe that there will be steps to be taken on this issue in the coming period.
I sincerely congratulate everyone who are reporting the policies and perspective of the Turkish Cypriot People who continue to be unjustly treated and subject to inhumane isolation, and the need to address this issue. I remember with respect those who are not with us today.