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Rauf DenktasFirst President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Date of Birth: 27.10.1924
Country:  Cyprus |
Content:
- Childhood and Education
- Academic and Legal Training:
- Political Career
- Rise of Turkish Resistance:
- Turkish Cypriot Leader:
- Turkish Intervention and TRNC
- Resistance to Reunification:
- Legacy and Personal Life
- Family and Passing:
Childhood and Education
Early Life:Rauf Raif Denktaş was born in Paphos, Cyprus, to a judge. His mother passed away due to complications from an abortion when he was only three months old. His father sent him to Istanbul Lyceum in 1930 for his education.
Academic and Legal Training:
After graduating from high school, Denktaş worked for the British military and later became a court secretary in Famagusta. He also briefly taught at the school where he had been a student. In 1944, he began studying law at Lincoln's Inn and became a member of a Masonic lodge there.
Political Career
Cyprus's Journey to Independence:Upon returning to Cyprus in 1947, Denktaş established his own law practice. In 1948, he became a member of the Assembly responsible for drafting self-governance principles for Cyprus. He also served as a prosecutor and as the Deputy Attorney General of Cyprus.
Rise of Turkish Resistance:
In 1957, Denktaş co-founded the Turkish Resistance Organization (TMT). The TMT opposed the Greek Cypriot organization EOKA, which sought independence and union with Greece (enosis). Denktaş became the chairman of the Federation of Turkish Cypriot Associations in October of the same year.
Turkish Cypriot Leader:
After Cyprus gained independence in 1960, Denktaş was elected as the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot House of Representatives. However, in 1963, he was banned from the island for alleged terrorism and fled to Turkey.
Turkish Intervention and TRNC
Military Intervention and Leadership:In 1974, after a Greek Cypriot military coup and subsequent Turkish invasion, Denktaş was twice elected president of the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus. On November 15, 1983, he was elected president of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Resistance to Reunification:
Denktaş remained in power until his retirement in 2005. He vehemently opposed the UN plan for the reunification of Cyprus, which was rejected by Greek Cypriots in a referendum but favored by Turkish Cypriots.
Legacy and Personal Life
Literary and Political Contributions:Rauf Raif Denktaş authored numerous books in both English and Turkish. He was known for his writing abilities, political acumen, charisma, and tenacity as a lawyer.
Family and Passing:
Denktaş's son, Serdar, is the leader of the TRNC's Democratic Party. Denktaş passed away in 2012 following an illness. His legacy as a key figure in the history of Cyprus continues to be debated and analyzed.
