The launch event of the documentary “Sandıkdan Çıkan Tarih: Kıbrıs’ta Çanakkale Esirleri” – “History Out of a Chest: Çanakkale Prisoners in Cyprus” was launched.
President Ersin Tatar, who attended the event, said that one of the important periods in the Turkish Cypriot People past was the Gallipoli War and said, “The Turkish Cypriot people, despite the attempts to take away their national identity, continue to be loyal to the Motherland and have fulfilled their duty in the best way possible.”
The documentary titled “Sandıkdan Çıkan Tarih: Kıbrıs’ta Çanakkale Esirleri” was hosted by the Near East University, in cooperation with the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities.
Several speeches were delivered at the promotional event.
Prof. Dr. Ulvi Keser who held consultations for the documentary stated that the documentary tells the story of 6 thousand 732 Turkish prisoners of war who were brought to the island of Cyprus as prisoners of the British on October 13, 1916, the difficulties they experienced at the prison camp and the Turkish Cypriots who helped the prisoners at the cost of their lives.
Unal Üstündağ, the director of the documentary for his part touched upon the importance of the documentary in regards to the experiences of the Turkish soldiers captured by the British during the Gallipoli War.
Abdullah Eren, President of the Turks Abroad and Related Communities, stated that they wanted to inform people about the experiences, sufferings and difficulties of the Turkish nation in the 20th century.
Eren said, “Cyprus holds a very important place for us, a nation that has fought a great struggle for independence, helping the Turkish prisoners in the prison camp in Gazimağusa, even at the cost of their lives.”
Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa Metin Feyzioğlu emphasized that the Çanakkale victory is one of the turning points in the glorious history of the Turks.
He said “When World War I started, it was with the Çanakkale victory that it turned into a world war. The resistance and victory at Gallipoli pitted many allies against each other. Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha was reborn with this victory. Turkish Cypriots helped the Turkish prisoners held in the prison camp in Gazimağusa, risking all kinds of danger and death. As it has been throughout history, today and in the future, the TRNC and the Republic of Türkiye will walk together shoulder to shoulder.”
The Speaker of the Republic’s Assembly Zorlu Töre for his part underlined that the essence and history of Turkish Cypriots is Ottoman.
“Türkiye and the TRNC are one. If we forget history, if we forget the past, our future will be dark” said Töre.
President Ersin Tatar, in his speech, noted that one of the important periods in the history of the Turkish Cypriot people was the Dardanelles War and said that Britain, which had rented Cyprus from the Ottoman Empire, confronted the Ottoman Empire 37 years later in Dardanelles as an ally.
“Britain, which tried to pass through the impassable Dardanelles straits with its ships, announced its unilateral annexation of Cyprus two days after this move. Turkish Cypriots went to the Gallipoli War, risking death, and Turkish soldiers who were captured by the British in the war were brought to Gazimağusa. Turkish Cypriots helped Turkish soldiers by risking their own lives. Although they tried to take away their national identity, the Turkish Cypriot people, whose loyalty to the Motherland continued, fulfilled their duty in the best way possible” the president said.
Following the speeches, the documentary was screened.