President presents medals to female freedom fighters on Mother’s Day

PRESIDENT Ersin Tatar presented medals to female freedom fighters who made sacrifices during the “years of the Turkish Cypriot struggle” at a National Struggle Medal Presentation Ceremony on Mother’s Day last Sunday.

Others who attended the ceremony at the Turkish Resistance Organisation (TMT) Fighters Association clubhouse in Lefkoşa were Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces Commander Major General Sezai Öztürk, Security Forces Commander Major General Zorlu Topaloğlu, TMT Fighters Association chairman Yılmaz Bora, commanders, veterans and their families.

During his speech at the ceremony, Mr Tatar thanked the organisers of the event and expressed his gratitude to “all freedom fighters” and wished “God’s mercy upon the freedom fighters who lost their lives and good health for the survivors”.

Pointing out the “value” of the Turkish Cypriot people’s “struggle for their independence” Mr Tatar said that cooperation “with Motherland Turkey is of great importance for the survival of our country”.

Stating that “our struggle continues”, Mr Tatar noted that it is “impossible” to reach a federal agreement in Cyprus and that “with the full support of Motherland Turkey, we will carry out the new policy based on two separate, sovereign equal states living side by side until the end”.

“We emphasise how important our independence and sovereignty are in order to continue to exist on these lands,” he stressed.

“Our people see that this is the right policy because we continue to tell them and our youth that we can only exist with our heads held high and freely in this land as the TRNC.”

The women to whom Mr Tatar presented medals were: Nafiye Piro, Şerif Ertayfur, Güllü Tokatlı, Nurten Peker, Nuray Kamacı, Şermin Kotak, İlkay Öztunca, Mümine Beyit, Günay Ebeoğlu, Nurten Emiroğlu and Pervin Gürler.