President Ersin Tatar’s message on the occasion of the 21-25 December National Struggle and Martyrs’ Week
“The state and sovereignty cannot be abandoned”
“We are on the 59th anniversary of the Greek Cypriot attacks that started on 21 December 1963 with the aim of destroying the Turkish Cypriot people and turning Cyprus into a Hellenic island. It is impossible for us to forget these attacks, known as ‘Bloody Christmas’ in history.
Our people faced massacre and genocide in these attacks, launched in line with the Akritas Plan, known as the 'plan to exterminate the Turkish Cypriot people'. 103 villages were forced to migrate and the Republic of Cyprus, of which our people were equal founding partners, was transformed into a Greek Cypriot state by force of arms. Until the morning of 20 July 1974 our people lived under siege in ghettos, which corresponded to a mere three percent of the island. We can never forget those days, the deep pain experienced, the cries of mothers and fathers who had to bury their children.
Our heroic and self-sacrificing people, under the harshest conditions of those dark days, did not bow to the Greek Cypriots, did not trample the honour and dignity of being Turkish, and prevented Cyprus from becoming a Hellenic island, with the epic struggle led by the Turkish Resistance Organisation and with the support of Motherland Türkiye.
The price of this was very heavy as our people had to bury their children in deep sorrow. The great struggle and resistance was concluded with the advent of peace to all of Cyprus with the Peace Operation on 20 July 1974, and the Turkish Cypriot people gained their freedom, independence and their own state under the protection and assurance of Motherland Türkiye.
On the morning of July 20, 1974 with this epic struggle, our people gained its freedom and independence with the Peace Operation carried out by Motherland Türkiye. If our people and new generations live in freedom, independence and sovereignty in their own homeland and under the roof of its state, we owe this to the self-sacrifice and resistance of our people, to our saintly martyrs and to Motherland Türkiye, who is always by our side and does not spare its help and support. We can never forget all these.
We do not harbour grudges or enmity, but the past and what happened in the past will not be forgotten.
On the 59th anniversary of the 'Bloody Christmas' attacks, we see that the Greek Cypriot mentality has not changed and continues as it is. According to this mentality, the Turkish Cypriot people are a minority, and do not have equal sovereignty, Turkish Cypriots should be patched on the Greek Cypriots, the guarantee of Motherland Türkiye should be lifted and the Turkish military should withdraw from Cyprus. It is not possible for us to accept these, to give up our sovereignty, our state and Motherland Türkiye. The Turkish Cypriot people are not guests on these lands, they have as many rights as of the Greek Cypriots.
We are in favour of a fair, sustainable and lasting agreement in Cyprus. The way to this agreement is not a solution based on a federal basis, which cannot be realised, but our solution proposal based on the existence of two separate sovereign equal states. This solution proposal, which is also supported by the most powerful and largest country in the region, Motherland Türkiye, is the most realistic solution of which will benefit Cyprus and the region. We will not sit at the negotiating table until our equal sovereignty and equal international status are recognised.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, established with the great sacrifice and resistance of our people and the blood of martyrs, is getting stronger towards recognition, despite all the embargoes and isolations. Pursuant to the historical speech by President of the Republic of Türkiye Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the 77th General Assembly of the UN, a new era has begun with the call to all countries to 'recognise the TRNC' and the fact that the TRNC was accepted as an observer member with its constitutional name at the 9th summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkish States, of which we are an inseparable part, has added even more strength to our strength. In this new period, we are progressing in determination together with Motherland Türkiye.
Our dear martyrs, rest in peace. We will protect our state, our homeland, our freedom and sovereignty. We will not trample on all of our sacred values. While commemorating our martyrs with mercy and gratitude once again, I send my respects to our veterans."
Our people faced massacre and genocide in these attacks, launched in line with the Akritas Plan, known as the 'plan to exterminate the Turkish Cypriot people'. 103 villages were forced to migrate and the Republic of Cyprus, of which our people were equal founding partners, was transformed into a Greek Cypriot state by force of arms. Until the morning of 20 July 1974 our people lived under siege in ghettos, which corresponded to a mere three percent of the island. We can never forget those days, the deep pain experienced, the cries of mothers and fathers who had to bury their children.
Our heroic and self-sacrificing people, under the harshest conditions of those dark days, did not bow to the Greek Cypriots, did not trample the honour and dignity of being Turkish, and prevented Cyprus from becoming a Hellenic island, with the epic struggle led by the Turkish Resistance Organisation and with the support of Motherland Türkiye.
The price of this was very heavy as our people had to bury their children in deep sorrow. The great struggle and resistance was concluded with the advent of peace to all of Cyprus with the Peace Operation on 20 July 1974, and the Turkish Cypriot people gained their freedom, independence and their own state under the protection and assurance of Motherland Türkiye.
On the morning of July 20, 1974 with this epic struggle, our people gained its freedom and independence with the Peace Operation carried out by Motherland Türkiye. If our people and new generations live in freedom, independence and sovereignty in their own homeland and under the roof of its state, we owe this to the self-sacrifice and resistance of our people, to our saintly martyrs and to Motherland Türkiye, who is always by our side and does not spare its help and support. We can never forget all these.
We do not harbour grudges or enmity, but the past and what happened in the past will not be forgotten.
On the 59th anniversary of the 'Bloody Christmas' attacks, we see that the Greek Cypriot mentality has not changed and continues as it is. According to this mentality, the Turkish Cypriot people are a minority, and do not have equal sovereignty, Turkish Cypriots should be patched on the Greek Cypriots, the guarantee of Motherland Türkiye should be lifted and the Turkish military should withdraw from Cyprus. It is not possible for us to accept these, to give up our sovereignty, our state and Motherland Türkiye. The Turkish Cypriot people are not guests on these lands, they have as many rights as of the Greek Cypriots.
We are in favour of a fair, sustainable and lasting agreement in Cyprus. The way to this agreement is not a solution based on a federal basis, which cannot be realised, but our solution proposal based on the existence of two separate sovereign equal states. This solution proposal, which is also supported by the most powerful and largest country in the region, Motherland Türkiye, is the most realistic solution of which will benefit Cyprus and the region. We will not sit at the negotiating table until our equal sovereignty and equal international status are recognised.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, established with the great sacrifice and resistance of our people and the blood of martyrs, is getting stronger towards recognition, despite all the embargoes and isolations. Pursuant to the historical speech by President of the Republic of Türkiye Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the 77th General Assembly of the UN, a new era has begun with the call to all countries to 'recognise the TRNC' and the fact that the TRNC was accepted as an observer member with its constitutional name at the 9th summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkish States, of which we are an inseparable part, has added even more strength to our strength. In this new period, we are progressing in determination together with Motherland Türkiye.
Our dear martyrs, rest in peace. We will protect our state, our homeland, our freedom and sovereignty. We will not trample on all of our sacred values. While commemorating our martyrs with mercy and gratitude once again, I send my respects to our veterans."