The resistance in Limassol between February 10-13, 1964, and those who were martyred in this resistance were commemorated on Thursday at 10am with a ceremony at the Limassol-Girne Martyrs and Freedom Monument.
President Ersin Tatar issued a message on the occasion of the 61st anniversary of the February 13 Limassol Martyrs.
In his message, President Tatar described the Limassol Resistance as a legendary story of resistance led by the Turkish Resistance Organization (TMT), which has gone down in the history of the struggle as the “Second Plevna Defence.”
“The goal of the Greeks, who saw the Republic of Cyprus established in 1960 as a ‘springboard for Enosis,’ was to annex Cyprus to Greece, downgrade the Turkish Cypriot people to minority status through constitutional amendments, and ultimately eliminate them from the island. According to this mindset, which views the Turkish Cypriot people as a ‘minority,’ our people have no political equality or sovereignty. This mentality dictates that our people should accept minority rights, the Treaty of Guarantee should be abolished, and Turkish troops should be withdrawn from Cyprus. We rejected these demands in the past, and we reject them now as well” the President said.
Stating that as long as there is a Turkish presence in Cyprus, the dreams of the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo would remain impossible to achieve, Tatar stressed that Cyprus will never become a second Crete.
In his message, President Tatar also addressed the negotiation processes, stating, “Since the start of the negotiation process, the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo has rejected a fair and lasting agreement while also disregarding our people’s political equality, sovereignty, and all legitimate rights. This hegemonic stance of the Greek Cypriot side is completely unacceptable. Our efforts for a solution based on two sovereign and equal states will continue, and we will not step back from this path. Because the most realistic and lasting solution for Cyprus and the region is a model based on two sovereign states, and this view has started to gain international support.”
At the end of his message, Tatar commemorated the February 13 Limassol Martyrs, who sacrificed their lives in the Turkish Cypriot people’s struggle for existence, with mercy, gratitude, and respect.