President Ersin Tatar's commemoration message for the Gaziveren and Çamlıköy Resistance: "We once again commemorate the Gaziveren and Çamlıköy Resistance and our martyrs with gratitude and mercy"
President Ersin Tatar paid tribute to the martyrs and veterans of the Gaziveren and Çamlıköy Resistance of March 19, 1964, in the face of Greek Cypriot attacks as part of their efforts to annex the island of Cyprus with Greece.
The President said in a statement:
“On the 107th anniversary of the Çanakkale Victory, which was our source of inspiration and strength in our national struggle, we are today once again commemorating the Gaziveren and Çamlıköy Resistance and our martyrs with gratitude and respect.
It is impossible to forget this resistance, our martyrs who fell to the ground for the sake of our homeland, freedom and independence, and the great hardship and pain that was suffered during that period.
Greek Cypriot attacks which had been started in Lefkoşa on December 21, 1963, with the sole aim of destroying the Turkish Cypriot people to achieve Enosis, continued with attacks to the Turkish Cypriot regions in various parts of the island and on March 19, 1964, Gaziveren and Çamlıköy were targeted by the Greek Cypriots.
Our losses were great whilst the Gaziveren and Çamlıköy mujahideen and our people showed great resistance to the attacks of heavily armed Greek Cypriot forces, reinforced by the Greek Regiment and EOKA terrorists.
At this point, it is worth noting once again that despite forcing out the Turkish Cypriots from the state apparatus at gunpoint, the Greek Cypriot Administration was encouraged and took strength from the political and unjust decision of the UN Security Council Resolution 184, dated March 4, 1964, which treated them as the “sole legitimate government of Cyprus”.
Immediately after the decision, major attacks upon the Turkish Cypriot regions started with the aim of breaking the Turkish resistance and to force our surrender. While the Turkish region of Paphos was attacked on March 7-9, 1964, Malya/Bağlarbaşı was attacked on March 10, 1964, and Bağlıköy was attacked on March 13, 1964.
The Greek Cypriot leadership, unable to break the Turkish Cypriot resistance, targeted Gaziveren and Çamlıköy on March 19, 1964. While a great resistance was shown against these attacks, even the children of our people fell to the ground in order not to submit to captivity and not to allow the honour and dignity of Turkishness to be trampled over and disgraced.
If, after a great resistance and struggle, we are living freely and independently in our own homeland, under the roof of our own sovereign State, we owe it to our martyrs, to the great sacrifices of our people and to the support and assistance of Motherland Türkiye.
Our duty is to protect and keep the homeland, our State, freedom, independence and sovereignty alive at any cost, which are entrusted to us by our brave martyrs. Motherland Türkiye is with us as always. As we see what is taking place in Ukraine today, we can better understand and appreciate the importance of having the guarantee of Motherland Türkiye.
We do not stake a claim on anyone's rights, and we will not allow our rights to be violated. We will never give up our State, our sovereignty and the effective and de facto guarantee of Motherland Türkiye.
I pay tribute to our veterans, may they live long and healthy lives and I commemorate our martyrs with respect and gratitude. May they all rest in eternal peace."