Remembering Rauf Denktaş: The Father of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Rauf Denktaş was a prominent figure in Turkish Cypriot politics, and was instrumental in the formation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Denktaş was born on January 27, 1924, in the city of Paphos, located in the southwest corner of Cyprus. He attended secondary school in Cyprus before moving to England to study law at King's College London. After completing his studies, Denktaş returned to Cyprus to practice law.
In the 1950s, Denktaş became involved in politics and was a founding member of the Turkish Resistance Organization (TMT) – a group that sought to protect Turkish Cypriots from violence that was being perpetrated against them by Greek Cypriots. Denktaş became the leader of the TMT in 1958.
The political situation in Cyprus deteriorated in the early 1960s, and Denktaş became an advocate for the partition of the island into separate Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot states. In 1964, Denktaş founded the Turkish Cypriot National Unity Party and was elected the first president of the Turkish Cypriot Provisional Administration.
In 1974, a coup d'etat in Cyprus backed by the Greek military junta led to the invasion of the island by Turkish forces. Denktaş was a key negotiator in the subsequent talks that led to the establishment of the TRNC in 1983.
During his time as the president of the TRNC, Denktaş worked to establish a separate Turkish Cypriot identity and sought recognition for the TRNC by other countries. He was also vocal in his opposition to reunification with the Greek Cypriots.
Denktaş served as the president of the TRNC for over 22 years, from 1983 until 2005, and was known for his unwavering commitment to Turkish Cypriot rights and his efforts to ensure the survival of the TRNC.
Rauf Denktaş passed away on January 13, 2012, at the age of 87. He is remembered as a leader who fought tirelessly for the rights of Turkish Cypriots and who played a pivotal role in the establishment of the TRNC. His legacy lives on, and he will always be remembered as the father of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
