Uproar in North Cyprus over child playing a ‘dead’ hero

A child wrapped in a Turkish flag playing a dead hero in commemoration of a historic event has caused uproar in North Cyprus with authorities calling for a probe into the incident.

The event to mark martyrs’ day and the anniversary of the Turkish victory in Canakkale (Gallipoli) in 1915, took place in Famagusta on Sunday and as part of the commemoration, children dressed as soldiers and held flags while one was wrapped in a Turkish flag on the ground playing a dead hero.

Turkish Cypriot daily, Afrika described the incident as an embarrassment, saying that the day was marked with the ‘body’ of a child.

Also, the Cyprus News Agency reported that ‘education minister’ Cemal Ozyigit, who had been criticized over the affair, said they had nothing to do with it.

Ozyigit condemned the incident, adding that he would be ordering an investigation.

Our children must be raised with the concepts of love and peace and not pain and death,” Ozyigit posted on social media.

On March 18, Turkey commemorated the 103rd anniversary of the Ottoman Empire’s World War One victory over the allies who attempted to break through the Strait of Dardanelles in the northwestern province of Canakkale.

Edited from Cyprus Mail