Remembering Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

Today we remember our great leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk on 76th anniversary of his death with gratitude and love, and pay tribute to him. We are inspired by his visionary outlook and devotion to peace as ever. Here are some quotations from UNESCO, some world leaders and press who have paid tribute to him on various occasions selected from the compilation of Atatürk Today website. Further down the page there are quotations from Atatürk's letters some concerning alleged mistreatment of Armenians and others on mistreatment of Muslim people by Armenians during the years of War of Independence as compiled and presented by Professor Türkkaya Ataöv in his study titled A “Statement” Wrongly Attributed to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

“Knowing that he was an exceptional reformer in all fields relevant to the competence of UNESCO, 

“Recognizing in particular that he was the leader of the first struggle given against colonialism and imperialism, 

“Recalling that he was the remarkable promoter of the sense of understanding between peoples and durable peace between the nations of the world and that he worked all his life for the development of harmony and cooperation between peoples without distinction of color, religion and race..."

from "UNESCO Resolution on the Ataturk Centennial" 1981 (http://www6.miami.edu/studorgs/turkishsa/turkcesayfalar/eye_of_the_world.html)

"... a person who became a source of inspiration to free peoples throughout the world."

Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States of America 

"Atatürk was one of the greatest statesman of everyone who has lived and died throughout history. At no time did he dwell on the period in which he lived, he would see the future and accordingly would carry out a task."

Lord Patrick Kinross

Germany is amazed with Atatürk’s work and struggle. It sees in him, his historic monument, a powerful figure that will stay as a symbol for all the people who love freedom.

Berlin, German Agency

While the Old Ottoman Empire disappears like an illusion, the foundation of the national Turkish State is the most impressive success of this era. Mustafa Kemal has exposed a monumental piece of work. Atatürk’s brilliant success has been an example for all the colonies.

Maurice Baumant (French Professor)

The work that Ataturk has achieved, with intelligent and peaceful methods, will leave traces in the history of mankind.

Albert LEBRUN (French President)

After the signing of the Ankara Treaty with the new Turkish State, French Prime Minister stated to the Assembly, “he has betrayed us, he has come to terms with wild brigands, with Mustafa Kemal followers: The ones that you named wild brigands the hero Mustafa Kemal and all his soldiers, had they been here, we would have erected their statues one by one. I’m proud to have signed such an heroic treaty. (1921)

French Prime Minister BRIAND

The great thinkers of the period have proclaimed in their books and in conferences that, Turkey would never change and would die without changing. However it has changed without dying. Has even changed from the root and from top to bottom. Beliefs, traditions and methods broke down. They have swept away from the country the last remains like the foreign battleships and capitulations. Turkey had changed its soul. Totally and as one could imagine is possible.

Raymond CARTIER (Le Nouvelliste Journal)

He was not only a great man for Turkey, but he was also a great leader for the Eastern People.

Emanullah HAN (Afghan King)

Ataturk is an elder and father of the entire Asian continent.

Chinese Press

The people of China, we all are in mourning with Turkey. The death of the leader of a great nation, who was much loved by the Turkish people, has not only left an emptiness and void for Turkey, but also for our continent, and the world.

Chinese Press

Kemal Atatürk or Kemal Pasha by which name we knew him in those times, was my hero during my youth. I was very moved when I read about his great reforms. I met with great praise the general efforts made by Atatürk on the course of modernizing Turkey. His dynamism, undauntedness and unawareness of fatigue created a great effect on people. He was one of the builders of the modern age in the orient. I continue to be among his greatest admirers.

Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India

Atatürk was not only the Turkish people’s leader, but also he was the leader of all the people who fought for their freedom. Under his directives, you have gained your freedom. We too have followed that route to gain our freedom.

Mrs. Sucheta KRIPALANI (The President of the Indian Parliament Delegation)

Kemal Atatürk is not only one of the greatest leaders of this century. We in Pakistan see him as one of the greatest men of all times who has lived and died. He is not only the beloved leader of your country. All the Moslems in the world have turned their eyes to him with feelings of love and admiration.

Muhammed Ayub Khan, President of Pakistan

In the true sense of the word, as a constructive and creative leader, Atatürk has drawn an entirely new border to his country on the world’s map.

L’Orient Journal (1938)

The Sakarya Battle, the Sakarya Victory became the strongest recollection when I was twenty. At that time I said to myself, I wonder whether or not I can mobilize my country like this? Can I not instill in his spirit this delivering attack, this unreined passion?

Habib ben Ali BOURGUIBA, President of Tunisia

(http://www.ataturktoday.com/AtaturkWorldPressLeadersTribute.htm)

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“Within the framework of world history, the great figure of Kemal Atatürk has imprinted his indestructible profile upon the broad history of political thought…. The whole world…. was left stupefied by the apparently impossible: the victory, all-subduing of a people in arms, with poor weapons and bottled up in Anatolia over the truly formidable armies with which the Allies attempted to impose their unjust law. Decades have passed since then, and we can now see that the victory was not merely a local triumph… it was the sign of the Adeliverance of all the oppressed peoples of the East and Africa, the beginning of the end of colonialism…. Atatürk belongs not only to Turkey, but to Humanity…” (8)

Dr. Muhammed Sadiq’s brilliant The Turkish Revolution and the Indian Freedom Movement. (11) It is not only his conviction, but the considered judgment of several academics of his country, nay his continent, that Mustafa Kemal is:

“… one of those great men who changed the destiny of their peoples and left an abiding impression on the process of freedom from colonial rule…. The message of his mission spread far and wide beyond the limits of Turkey and provided inspiration to all those who were groaning under colonial captivity. He was the harbinger of a new awakening, the herald of freedom in Asia: under his leadership the liberation movement of Turkey sounded the death-knell of colonialism in Asia.” (12)

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's view on Wilsonian Boundary between Turkey and Armenia: 

“I find Mr. Wilson’s project, tending to place several million Turks under the domination of several thousand Armenians, simply ridiculous.”

.....

In the meantime, one may quote, within the general framework of this booklet, five original letters of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, some of which are being published here for the first time. A Mustafa Kemal telegram (See Annex 15.), (46) marked “very urgent”, dated March 16, 1920 and addressed to the representatives of the Entente Powers in Istanbul and to Admiral Bristol, the U.S. High Commissioner, well expose the nature and the real causes of anti-Turkish propaganda based on alleged, new “massacre of 20,000 Armenians”. He states that the Turkish nation is “grieved to see the occupation, under various pretexts, of most important portions of its lands left over from the Mondros (Mudros) Armistice”, that it “expected modifications in accordance with our legitimate wishes and requirements of justice” but that “certain circles in Europe, which consider the furthering of a negative drive as imperative for their own interest” now have “fabricated the hated and most unjustified lie that there has been a new massacre of 20,000 Armenians in Anatolia”. He further states that the Turks had found it “entirely unnecessary even to issue an official denial of this wholly untruthful falsification, on account of the presence of several persons and agents in the whole of Anatolia, representing the Entente Powers and the American Government”. He points out that “there had been loss of life among the Turks, the French and the Armenians participating with the French troops, during clashes in and around Maras and Urfa”. He underlines, however, that “this was not a massacre of Armenians”. The Armenians brought to Cilicia from outside and those armed local Armenians had “carried out unbearable acts of aggression, continually sought the enlargement, with no reason whatsoever, of the area of occupation” and that the commanders of the occupation forces had “tolerated the Armenian attacks on the Moslem population”. He adds:

“It is essential to add that, had the persons commanding the forces of occupation in and around Cilicia refrained from arming, conferring duties on and championing the Armenians, had they administered the various sections of the local population with justice and equity and had they desisted from expanding, with no grounds and remittingly, the territory, which was under the British at the end of the Armistice, now changed and occupied, these unfortunate clashes, having led to the loss of life of so many people, would never have taken place”.

Mustafa Kemal further adds that this was “the real nature of the lies on the so-called massacre of Armenians in Anatolia” and that “the declaration already made by the Armenian representatives and notables of the people of Maras, supposedly massacred, absolutely supports this fact”. He asks the Entente Powers and the U.S. Government to assist in the formation of an “international supreme council to investigate on spot and at once this fabricated story of the Armenian massacres and illuminate the world…. on the nature…. of this propaganda…. aiming to mislead public opinion.”

In another letter to the Ministry of War on February 29, 1919 (See Annex 16) (47) Mustafa Kemal relates that a “British officer, accompanied by an Armenian interpreter, has come to Beyazit from Igdir and spoke to the Lieutenant Governor there, telling him that Beyazit and its environs have been assigned to Armenia under British custody and that 15,000 Armenian refugees, under the protection of regular Armenian troops, would be transferred to the liva (subdivision of a vilayet or province) of Beyazit”. He adds that the Turkish Lieutenant Governor informed the British officer that he had “not received any official communication from his own government in respect to measures pertinent in this case”, that “the number of the refugees ought to be 7-8,000″ instead of 15,000 and that there was “no need for them to come under the protection of Armenian troops”. He also quotes the Turkish Lieutenant Governor’s figure as to “the Moslem population of Beyazit being 80,000″ and stresses himself that “a concession of even an inch of land to Armenia in the Eastern Vilayets is unthinkable”.

Mustafa Kemal’s letter of June 5, 1919 (see Annex 17), (48) written from Havza (No.343451) and addressed to the Office of the Prime Minister, states, inter alia, that within the borders of the liva of Amasya, there had been “no Moslem attacks on the Christians”, but Christian bands have carried five consecutive raids on the Moslem population, that “certain Greek and Armenian provocateurs continue their policy and attitude to create events directed against the Islamic peoples in order to show the administration as defective, to invite occupation and intervention and especially applying directly to foreign officers and entirely bypassing the government, at places where such foreign army personnel may be found”. He emphasizes that the Moslem citizens, though regretful about it all, nevertheless, “keep quiet”. Underscoring that “the leaders of the Armenian and the Greek bands are spoiled by the British officers and some American personnel whom they invariably contact”, he adds that these foreigners are “misled and deceived”. He further states, in the last paragraph of his communication, that the Armenians are “active and in preparation” in Caucasia and in the east of Erzurum, Erzincan and Van.

In a letter to the General Staff on May 25, 1919, (see Annex 18), (49) Mustafa Kemal informs that “three-hundred Armenians with three heavy machine guns and considerable explosives” have been penetrating from the north-east corner of Erzurum, that they were expected to become active in the interest of their “political objectives” as soon as the climate allows and hence that “the 15th Army Corps should not only be left intact, but even enlarged in accordance with circumstances”.

Still another Mustafa Kemal documents (see Annex 19) is a draft of a telegram sent to the Italian representative at Alanya (south-western Turkish port in the Mediterranean), to be dispatched to the Paris Peace Conference, the Entente Powers, the American Government and the diplomatic representatives of the neutrals. The statement refers to the “Armenian destruction of forty Moslem villages”, where a portion of the “civilian population was subjected to slaughter” and “belongings openly sold in the markets of Kars”. His report also informs the foreign representatives that armed Armenian bands of similar make-up were preparing attacks on other regions to be followed by similar bloodshed. Mustafa Kemal forcefully protests against such aggression.

From "A “Statement” Wrongly Attributed to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk" by ProffesorTürkkaya Ataöv. http://aranerdebilli.wordpress.com/video-az-turkce/