Activities Carried Out by the Association of Turkish Minority of Cyprus (ATMCI) for the Benefit of the Turkish Cypriot Community in the Light of Documents of the National Archive of the TRNC (1943-1946)

In this study, the educational, economic and cultural activities performed by the Association of Turkish Minority of Cyprus Island (ATMCI) for the Turkish Cypriot community in the years of 1943-1946 were handled. Its aim is to demonstrate the role played by the ATMCI in the process of rendering Turkish Cypriots an intellectual, developed and conscious society. Greek Cypriots, who had become more prosperous than Turks thanks to the British tolerance, found the opportunity to raise their enosis (union with Greece) demands. However, Turkish Cypriots regarded union with Greece as a threat to their future and fate. In addition to this, they wished for gaining their social rights. Thus, they started to establish their own organizations. One purpose of these organizations was to stand up to the Greek Cypriots’ enosis desire, while another one was to make endeavors in the presence of the British rule for the Turkish Cypriots’ communal rights. The ATMCI, which was emerged in 1943, was a part of this organization process. The Association made significant contributions to the economic and cultural development of the Turkish Cypriot community