Turkish Cypriots have been criticised for showing a due lack of
care to the memory of Dr Fazıl Küçük on the 30th anniversary of his passing.
On January 15, the TRNC government led the annual memorial service
to Dr Küçük, who dedicated his life to championing Turkish Cypriot rights. The
day started with a service by his grave, followed by speeches from President
Eroğlu and other TRNC dignitaries. Special TV programmes were broadcast
documenting Dr Küçük’s life, together with other activities, including a photography exhibition.
A qualified doctor, Küçük’s concern for the fate of his people meant
it was politics that shaped his life and carved out his place in the history of
Cyprus Cyprus Republic
of Cyprus
Universally loved and respected, for many ordinary Turkish
Cypriots the speeches made by the TRNC President and other officials about the
importance of Dr Küçük and his legacy were rendered hollow given the lack of
care in maintaining the memorials created in his honour. A life-sized statue of
the great leader, located in the heart of the capital Lefkoşa (pictured), is
heavily soiled by bird droppings and has not been cleaned for years. The Dr Fazıl
Küçük museum is also in a major state of disrepair.
Seeing the state of the statue, one Turkish Cypriot posted on
Facebook, “Today I saw how true we are [about
Küçük]. The reality is all these words on Küçük and freedom and sovereignty and
letting the youth know about his importance are worthless.”
Another said, “We are happy
to erect these statues, but our nation is useless in taking responsibility for
their upkeep. We always want to pass the buck to someone else: the family, the
authorities. Shame on us!”
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