[Northern Cyprus] Republic Day (November 15)
ASRandASR
Republic Day in Northern Cyprus, celebrated on November 15th each year, holds great significance for the Turkish Cypriot community on the island. This national holiday marks the declaration of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on November 15, 1983. It represents a pivotal moment in the region's history and is a day of pride and commemoration.
On Republic Day, various events and activities take place to celebrate the establishment of the TRNC. These include official ceremonies, parades, cultural performances, and gatherings that bring the community together. Turkish Cypriots and supporters of the TRNC use this day to reflect on their history, their aspirations for the future, and their ongoing quest for recognition and reunification on the island.
It's important to note that the TRNC's declaration of independence is not internationally recognized, and the Cyprus issue remains a complex and sensitive diplomatic matter. However, within the Turkish Cypriot community, Republic Day serves as a symbol of their determination to maintain their identity and sovereignty.
The celebrations on November 15th underscore the Turkish Cypriots' commitment to preserving their cultural heritage and their hope for a peaceful resolution to the longstanding Cyprus conflict. While Republic Day may not have global recognition, it holds deep significance for the Turkish Cypriot population and represents their aspirations for self-determination.
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Elenii01
As mentioned above, this declaration of TRNC is not internationally recognised. One cannot share your sense of pride and commemoration which derives from the illegal occupation of land as a consequence of the unlawful invasion in 1974. There is a lot of history behind this, which cannot be summarized in a short paragraph and this is definitely not the place to discuss politics.
However, the fact remains that at present only Turkey recognizes TRNC and to the rest of the world, Cyprus is one country which is illegally occupied by Turkey. Therefore, your request for an official stamp commemorating this day can only be described as selfish and inconsiderate of the feelings of Greek Cypriots and not to mention, invalid. 49 years and you have yet to convince the world that your actions were/are justified.
Mahirlidar
Elenii01: I would like to say briefly about your comment. First of all, if we need to talk about the historical past, the brutal behaviors that are contrary to human rights and should be condemned by the world started with the plans of the Greek Cypriot political leaders. I don't know what kind of history lesson you [Enosis, Akritas] received, but you were the one who attempted to destroy the Turkish Cypriot presence on the island, which can be biased and selfish to a point in history. Turkey's role here was the peace operation it launched to prevent the brutal murder of people from its own nation. And although this selfish war, which separated the two island peoples and extinguished the dreams of young Turkish and Greek people on the road to death, is now being talked about more about who ended it than who started it. There were things that both sides lost, I don't want to look at this situation as land because the war takes away much more than that from people. In my opinion, the winning side of the war was neither the Greeks nor the Turks. Because the real winners were the states that played chess through us. However, we cannot change the past, what happened will be remembered with pain in everyone's hearts. But we can change the future. And Eleni, your comment goes against the act of respect that is necessary to change the future for the better. Just as the Turks cannot ignore the Greeks on this island, the Greeks should not attempt to ignore the Turkish people on the island. I hope one day the border between these two peoples will be thin and superficial, just like the borders of the countries in the EU. Because the homeland of both peoples is Cyprus, and if we do not learn to make peace and adopt a progressive mentality, it will be easier for foreign nations who covet our island to win.
Elenii01
Mahirlidar: Hello. You may want to define the word 'you' here and explain who you are referring to. I have great respect towards Turkish Cypriots and this can be verified by my friends who were born and live in the occupied part.
I am aware of the injustices made by Greek Cypriots and I condone every barbaric action that resulted in grief. My father always speaks with sorrow about a massacre with TC victims that took place near his village.
Unfortunately, both communities committed unthinkable attrocities and therefore, no community is better than the other.
However, as some of us bow our heads in shame for the pain the Greek Cypriot community has caused, Turkish Cypriots continue to work towards glorifying their attrocities and cover them up with the phrase 'peace operation'. While you are busy ASSUMING the background of my history lessons, you may want to open a dictonary up and look up the definition of the word 'peace'. Last time I checked, it did not include killings, kidnappings and rape and torture. Nor does it allow the illegal occupation of property and land of others.
Nobody is trying to ignore the presence of the Turkish Cypriots. We never have. You are a part of this island as much as we are. If you have ever visited the unoocupied area of Cyprus, you would see how our community has preserved all your minarets and other sacred places unlike the barbaric ruins we witness on our churches.
If we do not work in unison to bring peace and love between us, how would Cyprus ever go forward? If you insist on commemorating a day which brings us so much pain, then you just want to divide us further instead of bringing the communities closer.