Denktas is a leader who has gone down in history

Cyprus International University (CIU) Faculty of Education academic staff Assist. Prof Dr. Osman Emiroğlu, explaining that the founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş spent his life within a struggle, stated that as long as he lived, he defended his views to the end, in order to protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriots.

Adding that Denktaş worked in all difficult conditions, without escaping any responsibility, in order for Turkish Cypriots to live independently and civilly, Emiroğlu stated that with his principles, Denktaş is a leader who has gone down in history guiding not only the Turkish Cypriots, but also the Turkish world.

Reminding that Denktaş was born on 27th January 1924 in the town of Paphos, Assist. Prof. Dr. Emiroğlu went on to say, “He received his primary and Junior education at a boarding school in Istanbul. After he graduated from the Arnavutköy Fevzi Ati Secondary school, he returned back to the island and graduated from the English school in 1941”

Expressing that after his graduation, Denktaş wrote for Dr. Fazıl Küçük’s The People’s Voice (Halkın Sesi) Newspaper, Emiroğlu noted that in 1944, he went to London to study and receive education in the heirloom profession of law, graduating from Lincoln Inn in 1947.

Emiroğlu noted that during the darkest period of history in Cyprus, between 1964-74, Denktaş and his friends continued their difficult struggle, and went on to say “He had defended his thesis on every platform, stating that it is impossible for the Turkish Cypriots to live on the island without the Motherland Turkey. In addition, with the peace operation, it was one of the most decisive factors in the historical process that ensured the liberation of the Turkish Cypriots”.