The 58th anniversary of the heroic Baf Resistance was marked on Wednesday with a commemorative ceremony.
Turkish Cypriot martyrs who fell during the resistance against Greek Cypriot attacks were remembered with a ceremony held in front of the Baf-Limassol Martyrs’ Monument in Güzelyurt.
President Ersin Tatar, Speaker of Parliament Zorlu Töre, Prime Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu, high ranking military officials, some ministers and deputies as well as representatives of institutions and members of the public attended the ceremony.
Wreaths were laid, a minute’s silence was observed and flags were raised to the national anthem during the ceremony.
Speeches highlighting the significance of the day were also delivered.
In his speech, President Tatar reminded that the Turkish Cypriot people were founding partners to the 1960 Republic of Cyprus which was used as a stepping stone by the Greek Cypriot Archbishop Makarios to launch attacks against Turkish Cypriots throughout the island.
He said the Greeks Cypriots, which were further emboldened by the UN’s decision which recognised the Republic of Cyprus as the sole representative of Cyprus on March 4, 1964 had stepped up their efforts to annihilate Turkish Cypriots.
Pointing out that the experiences of the Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus should be known, the president said, “today we have our state thanks to those who sacrificed their lives so that we would not need to compromise from our freedom, independence and liberty.”
Stating that it was important to remind the international community on such days the importance of Turkiye’s guarantees for the Turkish Cypriot people’s security and the continuation of peace on the island, he said, “We always support dialogue and a just settlement”.
President Tatar also stressed that the Turkish Cypriots will never return to pre-1974 conditions.