President Ersin Tatar marks the anniversary of the Second Phase of the Cyprus Peace Operation and the massacres of Turkish Cypriots in the villages of Muratağa, Sandallar and Atlılar
“The Muratağa, Sandallar and Atlılar Massacres are one of the greatest war crimes of the 20th Century”
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President Ersin Tatar has commemorated the 49th anniversary of the Second Phase of the Cyprus Peace Operation and the massacres of Turkish Cypriot civilians in the villages of Muratağa, Sandallar and Atlılar by Greek-Greek Cypriot forces and the fascist EOKA terrorist organisation.
The ceremony at the Muratağa-Sandallar Martyrs Cemetery, which started with the laying of wreaths, a minute of silence and the playing of the national anthem as the flags of Türkiye and the TRNC were hoisted, was also attended by high level officials, families of the martyrs of the villages, veterans, military officials and civil organisation representatives.
It was in these villages that the most notorious of the attacks took place in the Mesaoria Plain, where 126 people – the youngest being 16 days old, were martyred on August 14, 1974 when the Second Phase of the Cyprus Peace Operation started, which eventually liberated Gazimağusa in the east and Lefke in the west.
President Tatar stated that the Turkish Cypriot People were one of the co-founders of the partnership Republic of Cyprus on the basis of equality, who had equal inherent rights emanating from history and the treaties that established the state.
"However, the Greek Cypriot Side and Greece usurped our rights, and expulsed the Turkish Cypriot People from the state apparatus by force of arms in December 1963. The once partnership state was transformed into an exclusively Greek Cypriot state, we were attacked island-wide from 1963 to 1974, and Turkish Cypriots were at the time forced to live in 3 per cent of the island’s territory in camps and ghettos. However, all this never deterred the Turkish Cypriot People who fought for their sovereignty, freedom, justice and dignity,” President Tatar said.
“We will never return to the years of pain and suffering, to the dark days when Turkish Cypriots subject to acts of genocide under the Akritas Plan from 1963 to 1974, as part of the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo’s aspiration to unite Cyprus to Greece (ENOSIS),” President Tatar said.
“The war crimes committed here will never be forgotten. What was lived in the villages of Muratağa, Sandallar and Atlılar were the worst atrocities recorded in the dark pages of history in Cyprus, where an entire classroom of children, our women and elderly were also massacred,” President Tatar said.
The massacres were described by President Tatar in his address at the ceremony as “one of the greatest war crimes of the 20th century”.
Stating that the Turkish Cypriot People “waited for the arrival of the Turkish army who liberated us and provided us with freedom and security to live in following many years of atrocities and the sacrifices made by our martyrs,” President Tatar added: “Türkiye, invoking the obligation enshrined in international treaties, exercised her right as a Guarantor power and started the Cyprus Peace Operation on July 20, 1974. Due to the circumstances and continuing attacks on our people, Türkiye resumed the Peace Operation and instigated the Second Phase on August 14, 1974, which re-drew the borders on the island, that effectively ended the siege of Turkish Cypriots and provided a territorial safe haven for our people to live in peace and freedom. I wish to underline that the Peace Operation brought real peace not only to the Turkish Cypriots, but also to the Greek Cypriots.”
President Tatar said that the barbaric actions of the Greek-Greek Cypriot forces and EOKA terrorist organisation in Muratağa, Sandallar and Atlılar can be compared to the Srebrenica massacre of July 1995 of Bosnian people which also caused horrific pain and sufferings.
President Tatar stated that, drawing lessons from the past, “the policy of continuing the guarantees of Türkiye for the security and freedom of the Turkish Cypriot People” is the “most sincere and realistic approach” that will “never be abandoned,” he said.
Stating that following the agreement reached between the Sides in January, President Tatar stated that there has at last been a start to the excavation of the Atlılar mass grave on August 9 after a delay. President Tatar said there are the remains of 37 persons in this mass grave, adding that he hopes the work being undertaken by the Committee on Missing Persons will be concluded speedily so as to allow for each person to be identified and buried individually in their own graves, which he said “is a humanitarian responsibility”.
President Tatar concluded his address by stating: “I express my gratitude to all our martyrs and veterans. May our martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for our homeland rest in eternal peace and may our veterans live long and healthy lives”.
The ceremony at the Muratağa-Sandallar Martyrs Cemetery, which started with the laying of wreaths, a minute of silence and the playing of the national anthem as the flags of Türkiye and the TRNC were hoisted, was also attended by high level officials, families of the martyrs of the villages, veterans, military officials and civil organisation representatives.
It was in these villages that the most notorious of the attacks took place in the Mesaoria Plain, where 126 people – the youngest being 16 days old, were martyred on August 14, 1974 when the Second Phase of the Cyprus Peace Operation started, which eventually liberated Gazimağusa in the east and Lefke in the west.
President Tatar stated that the Turkish Cypriot People were one of the co-founders of the partnership Republic of Cyprus on the basis of equality, who had equal inherent rights emanating from history and the treaties that established the state.
"However, the Greek Cypriot Side and Greece usurped our rights, and expulsed the Turkish Cypriot People from the state apparatus by force of arms in December 1963. The once partnership state was transformed into an exclusively Greek Cypriot state, we were attacked island-wide from 1963 to 1974, and Turkish Cypriots were at the time forced to live in 3 per cent of the island’s territory in camps and ghettos. However, all this never deterred the Turkish Cypriot People who fought for their sovereignty, freedom, justice and dignity,” President Tatar said.
“We will never return to the years of pain and suffering, to the dark days when Turkish Cypriots subject to acts of genocide under the Akritas Plan from 1963 to 1974, as part of the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo’s aspiration to unite Cyprus to Greece (ENOSIS),” President Tatar said.
“The war crimes committed here will never be forgotten. What was lived in the villages of Muratağa, Sandallar and Atlılar were the worst atrocities recorded in the dark pages of history in Cyprus, where an entire classroom of children, our women and elderly were also massacred,” President Tatar said.
The massacres were described by President Tatar in his address at the ceremony as “one of the greatest war crimes of the 20th century”.
Stating that the Turkish Cypriot People “waited for the arrival of the Turkish army who liberated us and provided us with freedom and security to live in following many years of atrocities and the sacrifices made by our martyrs,” President Tatar added: “Türkiye, invoking the obligation enshrined in international treaties, exercised her right as a Guarantor power and started the Cyprus Peace Operation on July 20, 1974. Due to the circumstances and continuing attacks on our people, Türkiye resumed the Peace Operation and instigated the Second Phase on August 14, 1974, which re-drew the borders on the island, that effectively ended the siege of Turkish Cypriots and provided a territorial safe haven for our people to live in peace and freedom. I wish to underline that the Peace Operation brought real peace not only to the Turkish Cypriots, but also to the Greek Cypriots.”
President Tatar said that the barbaric actions of the Greek-Greek Cypriot forces and EOKA terrorist organisation in Muratağa, Sandallar and Atlılar can be compared to the Srebrenica massacre of July 1995 of Bosnian people which also caused horrific pain and sufferings.
President Tatar stated that, drawing lessons from the past, “the policy of continuing the guarantees of Türkiye for the security and freedom of the Turkish Cypriot People” is the “most sincere and realistic approach” that will “never be abandoned,” he said.
Stating that following the agreement reached between the Sides in January, President Tatar stated that there has at last been a start to the excavation of the Atlılar mass grave on August 9 after a delay. President Tatar said there are the remains of 37 persons in this mass grave, adding that he hopes the work being undertaken by the Committee on Missing Persons will be concluded speedily so as to allow for each person to be identified and buried individually in their own graves, which he said “is a humanitarian responsibility”.
President Tatar concluded his address by stating: “I express my gratitude to all our martyrs and veterans. May our martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for our homeland rest in eternal peace and may our veterans live long and healthy lives”.