The late Founding President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Rauf Raif Denktaş was remembered today on the 6th anniversary of his death.
Ceremonies were held across the Republic in memory of the late President.
The first ceremony was held this morning in front of the TMT monument at Cumhuriyet Park in Lefkoşa.
A minutes silence was observed and the flags were raised to the reciting of the national anthem and then brought to half mast.
President Mustafa Akıncı signed the special book.
The President wrote: “The struggle you waged against the Greek Cypriots who were working towards Enosis, united the island with Greece and the struggle you fought so that the Turkish Cypriots would not become a minority on the island and can live freely and the sacrifices you made will never be forgotten by the Turkish Cypriot people.
“We will continue to work to create the conditions needed so that the Turkish Cypriot people can live freely with their head held high in equality and in security within the framework of international law, may you rest in peace”.
During the speech he delivered at the ceremony President Mustafa Akıncı commemorated and praised the late founding President by saying that he played a saviour’s role by leading the Turkish Cypriot people during a time when the Turkish Cypriot people’s identity was trying to be erased from the island.
“The late Rauf Raif Denktaş and the late Dr. Fazıl Küçük worked together and shaped the Turkish Cypriot people’s struggle for existence, they left their marks in history and are important leaders of our country” said Akıncı.
Emphasising the fact that security and peace was achieved on the island thanks to the effort of Rauf Denktaş and Dr. Fazıl Küçük and their friends who fought for this country, together with the support of Turkey, President Akıncı said that today he was acting with the same responsibility.
BRT
