Incidents in Cyprus and Turkish Resistance Organization (1957-1964).

Abstract

Cyprus is of strategic importance in international politics owing to its geographical location. A state, which rules the Cyprus Island can be considered to control the Mediterranean and its surroundings. Therefore it had been a scene of struggles and battles in history. Following the treaty signed between the Ottoman Empire and the United Kingdom in 1878, the responsibility of the administration of Cyprus was given to Britain. When the First World War broke out, Britain unilaterally annexed the island. Afterwards Cyprus became a Crown Colony. In 1955 a Greek Cypriot organization called EOKA under the leadership of George Grivas, started fighting against the Governor. Their demands were the annexation of the island with Greece, simply Enosis. Thus they started massacre against the Turkish Cypriots. In 1957 a Turkish Cypriot organization called Türk Mukavemet Teşkilatı (TMT) (Turkish Resistance Organization) started resistance. TMT has been restructured with the support of Republic of Turkey. In this study, the establishment, structure, defence activities of TMT and the process on the Cyprus Island is described. Our work aims to contribute to the studies in Cyprus issue including the chronological summary of the relations between Turkish, British, Greek and UN in the historical perspective.