2023-06-07 11:24:49
Denktaş describes what happened in those days and the reasons for the establishment of TMT as follows;
“TMT is the armed branch of a national policy. Things go badly when the armed branch or an armed organization creates a policy of its own. If it is the arm of politics, a result can be achieved in a national struggle. Therefore, we looked at VOLKAN’s work. VOLKAN was a courageous initiative, which was made up of volunteers but not in cooperation with the political arm, to oppose the brutality, atrocities and killings committed by the Greeks to an unarmed society, expressing a reaction.
We saw the need to make VOLKAN a force trained under the leadership of a more organized and disciplined expert, and the TMT was established just in time. Because, in 1958, EOKA was preparing to strike the final blow. The British are also with the Greeks at all costs, Turkishin the short run CyprusThey were maintaining contacts in order to make an agreement to transfer Turkey to the Greek Cypriots.” (12- Denktaş, Rauf Raif Denktaş, Notepad, 1957)
Greek-Greek press
While the Greek-Greek duo and the press, which took action immediately after the distribution of TMT’s first statement, started a smear campaign against TMT, various haberare also brought up. In these news, it is stated that “a force unit of 600 people who will take every main front against EOKA is being tried to be established in Cyprus”. (13- HALKIN VOICE Newspaper- 29 November 1957)
TMT in British secret reports
British Colonial Administration, England In the confidential report he sent to the Colonial Ministry, he states that “TMT was founded on November 29, 1957, its main purpose was to defend the Turks against Greek attacks, and later it became an organization devoted to the realization of Taksim”. An example of this is the following statements in the statement distributed by TMT on 20 December 1957; “Turkey is the only representative of the Turkish Cypriots and their password is Taksim only.” (14- Telegram No. 1824 sent to the Colonial Office, 1957, RGC1015/45)
People’s Voice: Volkan has been replaced by TMT
In an article published in the HALKIN SESİ Newspaper about the establishment of TMT, it is said exactly as follows; “We saw in the published declaration that there is no organization called VOLKAN and that a new organization (TMT) has taken its place. (15-People’s Voice Newspaper, 4 January 1958)
Osman Örek: TMT was founded in 1957
Osman Örek, who played an important role in the freedom and independence struggle of the Turkish Cypriot people, in his memoirs states that “TMT was founded in 1957 and gives the following information;
“Though TMT was founded in 1957, it lacked the experienced and conscious head like Grivas, who ran EOKA. We had no weapons. We had nothing but a few light weapons such as pistols, which our brave bodyguards smuggled away from the British soldiers by risking the death penalty from time to time, and a few locally made weapons and bombs that our long-suffering peasant brothers handcrafted from bicycle frames or water pipes.” (16- People’s Voice Newspaper- 19 June 1997)
Mustafa Turkoglu; Established before TMT Vuruşkan came
Mustafa Türkoğlu, the first “Serdar” of Famagusta, who held very important positions in TMT, tells in his memoirs published years later that “TMT was established before Rıza Vuruşkan came to Cyprus and Rauf R. Denktaş started this business”. (17-Cahit, Neriman, “TMT Years, 1-10”, Ortam Newspaper- 26.5, 1997)
Aziz Altay: TMT was established against EOKA in 1957
Aziz Altay, who undertook important duties in our national struggle and in TMT and also became the President of the TMT Association years later, states that TMT was founded in 1957 in the speech he delivered at the dinner given in honor of President Denktaş on March 11, 1998. Altay’s speech to Denktaş is as follows;
“As the founder of TMT, we are all happy to have you among us. Towards the end of 1957, your attempts for the Motherland to actively help the TMT you established against EOKA yielded positive results after months of excited waiting. Our motherland’s de facto claim to TMT by standing by the Turkish Cypriots saved us from loneliness and accelerated our struggle for freedom and existence. (18- TRNC Presidential Bulletin, 26 March 1998, No:108)
Lieutenant Colonel Rıza Vuruşkan: TMT was established before me
Lieutenant Colonel Rıza Vuruşkan, who was sent to Cyprus on July 31, 1958, after the Turkish government decided to reinforce TMT with expert officers and materials, describes the first organizational activities of TMT that started in 1957;
“Rauf Bey established an organization from the headmen in his own way. Previously, there was an organization called TMT. They lacked discipline and technique.” (19-Manizade, Prof. Dr. M. Derviş, “Cyprus for 65 Years, What I Wrote, What I Said”, Istanbul, 1993, p. 573- 582)
Organization and defense units
After the distribution of the leaflet announcing the establishment of TMT, the efforts to establish organizational and defense units gain more intensity. While resistance nuclei were formed under the leadership of headmen and teachers in 98 villages across the island, the institutions, organizations and unions where the first organization was formed are as follows;
Çetinkaya Turkish Sports Union, Sönmez Sports, Küçük Kaymaklı Sports Union, Yeşilada Sports, Cyprus Turkish High School Alumni Union, Turkish Workers’ Unions Federation, Farmers Union, Nicosia Turkish High School, Victorian Girls’ High School, English School, Teacher’s College, NATO Taxi Office, Youth Force, Merchants’ Association, Brotherhood, Porters’ Union, Dellas Union, Folk Club, Community Lovers Club, Revolution Club, Wealth Club, Women’s Union, Physicians’ Union, Bloody Mescit Sports Club, Iron Turkish Sports Union, Turkish Tradesmen Union, Mosque Commissions. Doğan Turkish Union, Progress Club, Bargemen’s Union, Famagusta Turkish Association, Paphos Turkish Union, Lefke Turkish Union, Kandu Turkish Union, Çatoz Turkish Youth Union, Gönyeli Turkish Sports Club, Kondera People’s Chamber, Kazafana Turkish Cultural Association, Mora Turkish Farmers Union, Galatya Turkish Farmers Union, Tatlısu Turkish Youth Union.
first weapons
In the founding days of TMT, the entire armament consisted of 3 pistols and a broken machine gun. Some of these were weapons taken over from VOLKAN and supplied by the people themselves. Weapons made from water pipes and grenades were also insufficient.
Meanwhile, it was a great misfortune that the bombs made of water pipe and some capsules and gunpowder stored in the village of Aytotora in the Magusa district were seized by the British soldiers during a search. (20- Halkın Sesi Newspaper, 26 November 1957) Despite all the need, TMT was also rejecting offers from arms smugglers.
(to be continued)
confidential documents,
papers, notes and memoirs…
Aydin AKKURT
#Decision #time