6-7 EYLÜL OLAYLARI

6-7 EYLÜL OLAYLARIKTC had close collaborative relationships with student and youth associations. Since the initiativetor constituting this association belonged to student organisations, the majority of foundingmembers were comprised of TMGT and TMTF members.KTC was acting together with the trade unions which were clearly in the "nationalistic line"; thecollaboration between KTC and those unions had reached to such a point that the executive staffs ofboth institutions were overlapping. For instance, Bahir Ersoy, who was the top executive of Union ofTextile and Weaving Industry Workers, was also enlisted as an executive member of TMGT, and hepreviously participated to the initiative which resulted in the foundation of KTC. Beginning from August1955 up until the time the events broke out. the activities of KTC astoundingly increased.While the number of local branches of this association in Istanbul was only three until mid-August, at least ten branches were set up in different regions, i.e.. in Büyükçekmece, Küçükçekmece,Bakirkoy. Kadikoy. Beykoz, Mecidiyekoy, Fener, Florya. Topkapi. Rami. Sarıyer. Pendik and Yenikapiin Istanbul up to the time that the attacks started on 6th of September 1955.The crucial thing about this setting was that Istanbul and Anatolian branches of the associationwere founded by the members of DP local organisations and trade-union executives. For example,Serafim Sağlamel, who was the head of DP Zühtüpaşa district division, was also the head of KTCKadikoy branch. The executive committee members of DP Zühtüpaşa district division were also thetop executives of KTC Kadikoy branch. The members of Buyukçekmece, Kuçukgekmece. Pasabahgeve Beykoz branches of KTC were also DP members. Seyfi Lobut. who was the head of DP Beykozdistrict division, and other executives of this local division were also KTC Beykoz branch's executivemembers. The executive board of Union of Textile Workers Beyoglu Division founded thenew KTC branch in Mecidiyekoy. Three members of the Union of Leather. Shoemaking and SaddleryWorkers w'ere founding members ot KTC Beykoz Branch. KTC branch of Fener was set-up bythe seven executive members of the Federation of the Unions of Alcoholic Drinks and Tobacco Industry.Abdullah! Çökmez, who was one of the members of the Union of Motor Vehicle IndustryWorkers, and Nuri Sargın, who was again the member of the Union of Ship Industry Workers, werealso founding members of KTC Topkapi Branch.With respect to the letter which was written by Fazıl Küçük, who was the leader of TurkishCypriots, on account that Greeks on the island were preparing a massacre towards Turkish minority,Bil sent a letter to the whole branches of the association on 16th August 1955 that he stated thenecessity of a "proper reaction" through which a "manly reaction" from the Turkish motherlandwould intimidate London and Athens. On 4 September 1955. Hikmet Bil ordered Kamil Önal thatstudents should burn down some Greek newspapers at Taksim Square so that they would supportthe demonstration organised by KTC local branch in London in this way. Indeed, university studentscalled Gundüz Gölönü and Hurşit Şahsuvar. incinerated Greek newspapers in front of manymembers of the press. In the last week of August. Önal gave an urgent order to a printing house that20.000 placards including the expression "Cyprus is Turkish" to be prepared, and he commandedthe university students among whom Aydın Konuralp, Hurşit Şahsuvar. Erol Çetindağ and EkremYangın were present, and charged them to distribute aforementioned posters to main streets and departmentstores two days before the attacks. A day before the attacks, on 5 September 1955. Prime208