Fazıl Küçük

Fazıl Küçük

Fazıl Küçük in 1973
1st Vice President of the Republic of Cyprus
In office
3 December 1959 – 18 February 1973
President Makarios III
Preceded by Office established
Succeeded by Rauf Denktaş
Personal details
Born (1906-03-14)March 14, 1906
Nicosia, British Cyprus
Died January 15, 1984(1984-01-15) (aged 77)
London, England
Nationality Turkish Cypriot
Political party Kıbrıs Türktür Partisi
Spouse(s) Süheyla Küçük
Occupation Politician, journalist

Fazıl Küçük (Turkish pronunciation: [faˈzɯl cyˈt͡ʃyc]; 14 March 1906 in Nicosia – 15 January 1984 in London) was the first Vice President of the 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 Halkın 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 is still being published 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 helped for the transfer of the Evkaf (a Turkish religious fund) from British to Turkish Cypriot control.

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. Following Greek Cypriot attempts to modify the constitution (see Cyprus dispute), Küçük continued as the Vice President of the Republic of Cyprus until 1973 when he was sidelined by Rauf Denktaş. Despite ill health, Küçük continued to support Turkish Cypriots through his Halkın Sesi newspaper.

Küçük died in a Westminster hospital on January 15, 1984, less than a year after the Unilateral declaration of Independence of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. He was the uncle of former Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus prime minister, İrsen Küçük.

See also

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