Turkish Cypriots on Monday commemorated the 87th anniversary of the death of the Republic of Turkey’s founding president Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Events centred on the Ataturk monument at Nicosia’s walled city’s Kyrenia gate, where a minute’s silence was held at 9.05am, the exact time Ataturk died on November 10, 1938.
As well as the minute’s silence, dignitaries laid wreathes at the monument, there was a rendition of the Turkish national anthem, and flags were lowered to half-mast.
The ceremony concluded with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, Turkish ambassador in Nicosia Ali Murat Basceri, and Turkish Cypriot armed forces commander Lieutenant general Sebahattin Kilinc signing a memorial book.
Former Turkish Cypriot leaders Ersin Tatar and Mehmet Ali Talat, the north’s ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel, and political party leaders were also present.
Erhurman wrote in the book that “the Republic [Ataturk] founded is not only a form of government, but the strongest expression of faith in human reason, science, and equality”.
“The Turkish Cypriot people remain determined to follow the enlightened path you paved, to uphold your ideals, and to become a society integrated with universal values … In the goal you have set, we once again remember our responsibility to build a future worthy of peace, justice, and human dignity,” he wrote.
Basceri, meanwhile, wrote that “the outstanding heroism, determination, courage, and leadership [Ataturk] displayed on the path to independence and modernity continue to be a compass for our beloved nation and for our Turkish Cypriot brothers”.
Before that ceremony, Erhurman released a statement to mark the anniversary, saying that “a leader is undoubtedly someone who has served his country greatly during a given period and changed the destiny of his people”.
“One of the peoples most deeply influenced by Ataturk’s actions, thoughts, and values is undoubtedly the Turkish Cypriot people. Love for Ataturk and devotion to his thoughts, values, and ideals shaped the character of the Turkish Cypriot people, providing hope and lighting the way in their fight for existence,” he said.
He then made reference to Ataturk’s address on the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey in 1933, in which he had said that “we can never consider what we have done sufficient”, before comparing that to the Turkish Cypriots’ situation.
“If we, the Turkish Cypriot people, are sincere in following Ataturk’s path, we must know that we have a very long road ahead of us, but if we remember what can be achieved … we must know that we have no right to fall into the pit of thinking that this country will be nothing or that we cannot do anything,” he said.
He added that in the speech in 1933, Ataturk had promised that he would “work harder”, and added, “yes, we promise in the presence of the great leader’s spirit that we will all work harder together”.
