Fazıl Küçük
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Fazıl Küçük (1906 – January 15, 1984) was the first and only Turkish Cypriot Vice President of the 1960 Republic of Cyprus.
Fazıl Küçük, the son of a farmer, was born in Nicosia in 1906. After graduating from the Turkish High School in Nicosia, Küçük went on to study medicine at the Universities of Istanbul, Lausanne and Paris. Having returned to Cyprus in 1937, he started a practice, but his interest in politics soon led to him to become a voice for Turkish Cypriot rights. In 1941 Küçük founded the newspaper Halkin Sesi (The Voice of the People) and became the managing editor. Due to his campaign against the British colonial administration, his paper was not given a permit for publication until 1942, the paper exists to this day.
In 1943, he became one of the founders of the Kıbrıs Adası; Türk Azınlık Kurumu (Association of the Turkish Minority of the Island of Cyprus - known as KATAK). The aim of the party was to promote the social, economic and political well being of the Turkish Cypriot people. Due to disagreements with some of its members, Küçük parted with KATAK and established the Kıbrıs Türk Milli Birlik Partisi (Turkish Cypriot National Union Party). Following a 15 year struggle, Küçük was able to transfer the Evkaf (a Turkish religious fund) to Turkish Cypriot control. His chief aide would become Rauf Denktaş, the future president of the de-facto Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
During the 1959 London and Zurich Conferences for the creation of an independent Republic of Cyprus, Küçük represented the Turkish Cypriot community and was able to secure constitutional safeguards for the people. On December 3, 1959 Küçük was elected Vice President of the new Republic unopposed until its breakdown in 1963 following Greek Cypriot attempts to modify the constitution (see Cyprus dispute). Küçük continued representing the Turkish Cypriot community until 1973, when he was succeeded by Rauf Denktaş;. Despite ill health, Küçük continued to support Turkish Cypriots through his Halkın Sesi newspaper.
Dr. Küçük died in a Westminster hospital on January 15, 1984, less than a year after the UDI of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
[edit] See also
- Cyprus dispute
- Civilian casualties and displacements during the Cyprus conflict
- Politics & Elections in TRNC
- Politics of Northern Cyprus
