The 60th anniversary of the Gaziveren and Çamlıköy resistance and the martyrs who fell were remembered with ceremonies today.
Martyrs who fell during the defence of the villages of Gaziveren and Çamlıköy were remembered in two separate ceremonies this morning.
The first ceremony was held in front of the Gaziveren Martyrs’ Monument whilst the second in front of the bust of Çamlıköy martyr Emin İzzet.
Wreaths were laid, a minute’s silence was observed, shots were fired in tribute followed by the raising of the flags to the national anthem.
Speaking at the ceremonies, President Ersin Tatar pointed out that 60 years have passed since the Gaziveren and Çamlıköy Resistance and that the Turkish Cypriot struggle has continued under isolations and embargoes since those days.
“We are still continuing our noble struggle to carry our children to the future in peace and security in this country,” said Tatar.
Reminding that Makarios saw the 1960 Republic of Cyprus agreement as a stepping stone to connect Cyprus to Greece and that the attacks on the Turkish Cypriot people started for this purpose, Tatar said that the Turkish Cypriots struggled in this process in a manner befitting their glorious history and that the 1974 Peace Operation started a new era in Cyprus.
He emphasized that the Turkish Cypriot people owe their living in peace, tranquility and security on the island and having a state in the Eastern Mediterranean to the prices paid during those years and to the martyrs.
“Today, our new policy is that if there will be an agreement, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will be part of this agreement as a Turkish state. Others are not saying this and they are twisting our words,” said Tatar.
Emphasizing that the TRNC is today an observer member of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) and that an intensive diplomatic traffic is being carried out to promote the TRNC to the world with the support of Türkiye, President Tatar said, “Wherever we are, the Turkish Cypriots are united and will continue this struggle as one.”