President Ersin Tatar has reacted sharply against remarks made by Turkish journalist Ayşenur Arslan during a TV programme in Turkiye slandering and smearing the reputation of the Turkish Resistance Organisation (TMT).
In a written statement issued on Thursday, Tatar said that the TMT, born from the bosom of the Turkish Cypriot people was not the evil organisation it was claimed to be but a resistance organisation created to defend Turkish Cypriots against the attacks carried out by Greek Cypriot murderers.
He reminded that the Turkish Cypriot people were caught unprepared and defenceless when the Greek Cypriot terrorist organisation EOKA unleashed a campaign of armed attacks against them on April 1, 1955.
“Our people were forced to flee for their lives and their homes and villages were set on fire. Thus at first, a series of smaller resistance organisations such as the Resistance Movement (Mukavemet Birliği), Volkan and 9 Eylül (September 9) was set up. These then united under one roof on August 1, 1958, as the Turkish Resistance Organisation,” Tatar said.
He pointed out that following December 21, 1963, Bloody Christmas attacks which were started with the aim of transforming the 1960 Partnership Republic into a Greek state through the Akritas Plan, the TMT put up a heroic resistance protecting and defending the honour of the Turkish Cypriot people.
President Ersin Tatar said that it was out of the question to forget those who sacrificed their lives for the national cause.
He added that it would not have been possible for Turkish Cypriots to witness their liberation on July 20, 1974 had it not been for the resistance organised and put up by the TMT.
“If we are living today in freedom and security under the roof of our state we owe this to the TMT and motherland Turkiye. To make such false claims and accusations against the TMT is to smear and hurt our struggle,” Tatar said.
He added that the Turkish Cypriot people will not remain a bystander to such provocateurs and that such individuals will be given the necessary response.
“The TMT represents the Turkish Cypriot people, our national struggle as well as our spirit of resistance and determination. We will continue our struggle with the strength and inspiration given to us by our martyrs and the TMT,” Tatar said.