While 60 years have passed since the massacre written in history as ‘Bloody Christmas’, those who were martyred in Greek Cypriot attacks continue to be commemorated.

Kumsal martyrs were commemorated with a ceremony on Sunday.

President Ersin Tatar, who attended the ceremony, said that the Turkish Cypriot people are determined to continue their struggle for sovereignty.

Tatar emphasized that “The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will live forever and the martyrs will never be forgotten”.

Kumsal Martyrs were commemorated with a ceremony at the Museum of Barbarism.

The ceremony here started with the placing of wreaths, in line with the protocol.

The ceremony continued with a minute’s silence, shots being fired and the reciting of the National Anthem.

A poem was read and then a military official from the Turkish Peace Forces in Cyprus delivered a speech explaining how the Greek Cypriots tried to destroy the Turkish Cypriot people with the Akritas plan.

He also noted that if the Turkish Cypriot people are living in a free country today it is due to the sacrifices made by the heroic martyrs and therefore the land and the freedom of the Turkish Cypriot people will never be compromised.

The President of the Martyrs’ Families and Disabled Veterans Association Gürsel Benan for her part stated that 11 people were martyred in the Kumsal raid and spoke about the massacre that took place at the house of Major Dr. Nihat İlhan in the Kumsal neighbourhood.

She said that future generations should know well what happened in the past in order to take firm steps forward and added that “Today we are free thanks to the Peace Operation and Motherland Türkiye”.

President Ersin Tatar, who also attended the ceremony, stated that a barbarism rarely seen in history was experienced in Kumsal.

Stating that the Turkish Cypriot people did not succumb to violence thanks to their resilient spirit and the support of the Motherland, Tatar said that the Turkish Cypriot people, who are an inseparable part of the Turkish nation, continue to defend their just cause and sovereignty.

“Societies that do not know their history are doomed to disappear. We resisted against the Greek Cypriots who wanted to connect the island to Greece. As the Turkish Cypriot people, we are determined to continue our struggle for sovereignty. We always remember our martyrs. If there will be an agreement, the TRNC will be a part of this agreement. The TRNC must be sustained. The Greek Cypriots should carefully review their new proposals, the Turkish Cypriot people are a sovereign people,” said Tatar.

After speeches, the ceremony ended with a tour of the Museum of Barbarism.