by runaway » Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:49 pm
Turkish Cypriots to Mark 36th Anniversary of July 20 Peace & Freedom Day
Friday, 16 July 2010 04:55 .Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will mark the 36th anniversary of the July 20, 1974 Peace & Freedom Day. Dignitaries of the Turkish state will attend the celebrations on July 20.
Secretary General Mustafa Isen will represent the Turkish Presidency while State Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek will represent the Turkish government at the celebrations. A delegation representing the Parliament as well as chairman of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Kemal Kilicdaroglu will attend the ceremonies.
The ceremonies will begin on July 19, Monday at noon with artillery shooting and address of TRNC President Dervis Eroglu on Bayrak TV.
On July 20, a ceremony will be held in Yavuz Cikarma Beach at 08.50 a.m. and various other events will take place.
PEACE OPERATION
The Greek Cypriots, who wanted to exclude Turkish Cypriots from the ''Republic of Cyprus'' on December 21, 1963 and annex the island with Greece by achieving Enosis (union of Greece), could not achieve their target thanks to resistance of Turkish Cypriots and warnings of Turkey.
However, the Greek Cypriots have never abandoned their intention. Greek Cypriots, who supported EOKA which was against delay in Enosis, and the military junta in Greece had made a military coup against Makarios, the ''president of Cyprus'', in order to achieve Enosis as soon as possible.
Many Turkish Cypriot people had been killed when resisting to Greek Cypriot attacks for 11 years since 1963 and they had to live under blockade.
Turkey, which used its rights under the international agreements, launched Cyprus Peace Operation on July 20, 1974 to ensure safety of Turkish Cypriots and settle peace in the island.
Turkish Cypriot people declared July 20, 1974 as Peace and Freedom Day since it brought peace to the island and freedom to themselves.
