25.09.2020 – The Union of Cypriots and all genuine progressive and patriotic forces in Cyprus understand the significance of “paying the price.” That’s why we offer our support and solidarity to all those who are fighting against the occupation and ongoing colonization policies in Cyprus.
That is why we honor Raif Denktaş, the son of Rauf Denktaş, one of the figures responsible for the suffering our nation endures today.
Unlike his father, Raif Denktaş was a leftist politician, as well as a musician, journalist, and an academic who graduated from the University of Oxford. He was assassinated by Turkey at the age of 34. Although he did not advocate for an independent and unitary Cyprus, his opposition to Turkey’s settler colonial activities in the occupied areas of Cyprus ultimately cost him his life.
The Union of Cypriots has issued a statement regarding the illegitimate community leadership election scheduled to take place in the occupied territories on October 11, 2020. The primary reason for deeming these elections illegitimate is Turkey’s ongoing policy of illegal settlements, which has persisted for 46 years. Currently, Turkish-speaking Cypriots constitute only 10% of the “population” and 34% of the so-called “citizens” of the pseudo-state in the occupied area of Cyprus. These figures clearly demonstrate that this “leadership” position no longer represents the interests of Turkish-speaking Cypriots, but instead represents Turkey and its illegal settlers. In our statement, published in February 2020, we proposed the solution we believe is necessary to address this situation.
Today, we pay tribute to Raif Denktaş for his opposition to Turkey’s settler colonialism at a time when the number of illegal settlers was far lower. We would like to remind everyone of his speech before the 1985 elections in the occupied areas, which resulted in a collision between his vehicle and a “Turkish military truck” on the Nicosia-Famagusta highway on December 24, 1985. This speech was delivered in the pseudo-state TRNC parliament on February 22, 1985, just a few months prior to his assassination by Turkey.
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“Dear president, dear friends, honorable members of our government. If we see an abnormal increase in the number of voters from the 1981 elections to the 1985 elections like it was from 1976 elections to 1981 elections, we will invite the world press to Cyprus and declare them that ‘this election is a farce, it was done with voters who have been imported from Turkey and this all election is just a theater’….
Because the social fabric of this country is changing for the worse and we will stop this in one way or another. We want to stop this legally and peacefully. Because we have nothing to lose and no other place to go. We will protect our homeland and say it is ours. You cannot give citizenship to whoever you want….
Every citizen to be made from today until the day the voter lists are ready is a person who has been deliberately made citizen for election. And we will react to this greatly. We are warning you, we will react very strongly. We will react to this in front of the world press and it will not be pleasant for you….
This is the solution. Because we warn you, but you do not stop. Because we ask questions, but you give vague answers. And it goes on and on and on. We will stop it, gentlemen….”
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