“Turkish Cypriots have a duty to the martyrs and veterans of that conflict, not to go back from this point, which was given to us by the heroic people who fought on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot community who prevented the island from being united (Enosis) with Greece, while preserving the Turkish Cypriots presence in Cyprus“, President Tatar said.
President Tatar, in his message published on the occasion of 21-25 December Martyrs’ Week said: “In addition to an epic struggle for existence and freedom in order to live freely in their own homeland, to govern themselves and to determine their own future, the Turkish Cypriot people gained their independence, sovereignty and established their state with the support of the Motherland Turkey”.
*The commemoration of the 21st December National Struggle and Martyrs Week which is an important turning point in the history of Cyprus and the anniversary of the attacks against the Turkish Cypriot community and legitimate constitutional rights by the Greek Cypriots begins today.
Greek Cypriots caused the collapse of the Republic of Cyprus, which was established in 1960, by planning to destroy the Turkish Cypriots with the attacks launched on 21 December 1963 and aiming to link the island to Greece. At the same time, the date of December 21, 1963 is the beginning of the process that ended with the intervention of the guarantor power Turkey on July 20, 1974 in order to ensure the safety of the Turkish Cypriots.
The violence precipitated the end of Turkish Cypriot representation in the Republic of Cyprus. the dates 21st December 1963 and 20 July 1974, Turkish Cypriots rights to life were taken by the Greek Cypriots within the framework of the Akritas plan which was implemented by the Greek Cypriots in Cyprus. 103 Turkish villages were occupied and 50,000 Turkish Cypriots were forced to migrate. Turkish Cypriots were excluded by force of arms from the state as constituent partners and forced to live in ghettos which were established in 3% of the island under embargoes for 11 years. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
