The Ayvasıl-Türkeli Martyrs who were killed in 1963 are being commemorated.

President Ersin Tatar issued a message to commemorate the Ayvasıl-Türkeli Martyrs.

In his message Tatar reminded that while the Greek Cypriots attacks, which started on December 21, 1963, with the aim of destroying the Turkish Cypriot people and making Cyprus a Hellenic island in line with the Akritas Plan, the Greek Cypriots’ carried out brutal attacks, genocide and massacres in defenceless Turkish Cypriot villages.

Tatar said “The Greek Cypriots targeted the Ayvasıl-Türkeli village, the Turkish Cypriots who were trapped in the village were taken prisoner, were tortured then buried alive in massacre pits with their hands tied behind their backs with barbed wire.”

Noting that the massacre pit was opened up many times and the Turkish Cypriots killed in other regions were also added to the pit, President Tatar stated that the bodies of 21 compatriots were excavated from the massacre pit, among them the elderly, young people, women and a 9-year-old girl.

“This massacre is genocide and a disgrace to humanity. In addition, although the Greek Cypriot murderers who carried out these massacres are known, not a single one of them has been tried. We have the names of these Greek Cypriot murderers in our archives,” said Tatar.

He said that the massacres in Atlılar, Muratağa, Sandallar, Taşkent and other regions and the Ayvasıl-Türkeli massacre are proof of the Greek Cypriot brutality and genocide against the people in Cyprus adding that these are just some of the reasons why the Turkish Cypriot people will not give up on the presence of Turkish soldiers and the guarantees of motherland Türkiye.

“We know very well that we cannot live on this island without the Turkish soldiers or Motherland Türkiye’s guarantees as there will be a second Crete disaster in Cyprus” he said.

Stating that despite all the massacres and all the pain experienced, there is no hatred or hostility, Tatar stated that no one can ever forget what happened to the Turkish Cypriot people.

“We will never allow our people to be subjected to massacres and genocides again or experience the bitter experiences of the past” said Tatar and added that they are in favour of a just, lasting and sustainable solution in Cyprus.