Pr. Tatar issues message on Martyrs Week
Date Added: 21 December 2021

President Ersin Tatar on Monday said that the Turkish Cypriot people, under the leadership of the Turkish Resistance Organisation and the support of motherland Turkey, did not bow to Greek Cypriot oppression, surrender or allow the honour or pride of being Turkish be trampled on.

In his message issued to mark National Struggle and Martyrs’ Week, President Tatar reminded that Turkish Cypriots had been subjected to mass killings, kidnappings, forced to flee their land and homes and to live in enclaves making up three per cent of the island as a result of the campaign of ethnic cleansing launched by Greek Cypriots with the aim of transforming the 1960 Republic of Cyprus into a Greek Cypriot state.

“The Turkish Cypriots paid a heavy price in resisting all these attacks losing loved ones as well as experiencing pain and suffering. Following a decade of resistance and struggle, peace arrived on the island with the 1974 Turkish Peace Operation. The Turkish Cypriot people gained their freedom and independence under the protection of motherland Turkey. Today they live in peace and the security of their own state,” he said.

Tatar added that the Turkish Cypriot people owed their freedom, security and independence to the heroes who sacrificed their lives and to the veterans who fought against these attacks.

He said that the Greek Cypriot side refused to learn its lessons from the past and continued to pursue the dream of creating a Greek state under the disguise of a federal settlement.

“The Greek Cypriot administration continuing its armament campaign and attempting to lay claim over the island’s resources by taking unilateral actions is like playing with fire. Nevertheless, the Turkish Cypriot side’s call for dialogue continues. So does the goal to achieve a just, lasting and sustainable settlement on the island,” Tatar said.

The president concluded by paying his respects to the martyrs and expressing his gratitude to motherland Turkey.

He said that the Turkish Cypriot peoples’ struggle will continue with the support they receive from Turkey.