Telef-ât...

The Sivas Congress was held in September 1919.

The first congress of the Republican People's Party (CHP), in other words, its Founding Congress, was this very congress.

The foundations of today's Republic of Turkey were laid at this congress.

And Atatürk, who was elected Chairman of the Representative Committee (Heyet-i Temsiliye) at this congress, was, in a sense, the presidential candidate of the CHP for the Republic to be established in 1923, even if his candidacy had not yet been officially announced compared to today.

Indeed...

Well, let's take a look at what people said about Atatürk, the future presidential candidate.

In 1920, Refii Cevat Ulunay, a writer for the Alemdar newspaper, called the Kuva-yı Milliye (National Forces), led by Atatürk, 'bandits' and 'poisonous creatures'.

Ali Kemal, the editor-in-chief of the Peyam-ı Sabah newspaper, was no better. He called Atatürk a 'brigand', 'outlaw', and 'rebel'. 'Şaki' meant 'bandit', and 'Bagi' meant 'rebel leader'.

Not stopping there, Ali Kemal even called Atatürk, whom the CHP would later elect as President, a 'heretic' and a 'hypocrite'. 'Zındık' meant 'someone who does not believe in God or the afterlife', and 'Münafık' meant 'deceitful and treacherous'.

Ali Kemal went so far at the time that he even compared the Kuva-yı Milliye, led by Atatürk, to a snake.

That same Kuva-yı Milliye was the foundation of the current Turkish Armed Forces.

On April 23, 1920, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey was established, and Atatürk was elected Speaker of the Assembly. In other words, Atatürk took an important step toward the presidency.

He did, but on that same day, Ali Kemal wrote in the Peyam-ı Sabah newspaper about the future President, saying, "The enemies (Greece and Britain) are a thousand times better than Mustafa Kemal and his soldiers." Can you believe it?

Two days later, on April 25, 1920, Ali Kemal raised the bar and said, "The bandit Mustafa Kemal, and gang leaders like Kazım Karabekir, Ali Fuat, and Sami, will meet their punishment sooner because they are baser and worse than the Unionists."

He really said that.

As for Refii Cevat Ulunay, on September 8, 1920, he wrote in the Alemdar newspaper regarding President-to-be Atatürk: "Greece will soon crush the looters called Mustafa Kemal's forces."

The palace's sycophantic writers even said, "I would rather see the country taken over by the Greeks than see Mustafa Kemal win!"

This statement was equivalent to saying, "I wish the Greeks had won."

That is what they were saying about the future President.

About the most natural President the CHP would choose to lead the state to be established.

And the Sultan, what didn't he say? He even issued an arrest warrant.

If he had arrested him, he would have executed him.

Back then, there was no shortage of people calling Atatürk names.

Heretic, hypocrite, head of the snake, rebel, brigand, outlaw...

And so much more.

He had been called a "drunkard" before, and now they have called him "Telefat" (casualties/waste). Can you believe it?

Telef-ât is a word meaning "destruction, killing, wasting in vain, wearing down." It is generally used for animals.

Well then,

What do you think happened to those who didn't hold back their insults toward Atatürk?

As you all know, the Turkish Army, under the leadership of Atatürk, emerged victorious and won a great victory not just against the British and the Greeks, but against the world.

Following this, Mihran Apikyan Efendi, the owner of the Peyam-ı Sabah newspaper, terminated Ali Kemal's employment. Ali Kemal, who was planning to flee abroad, was kidnapped by the men of Sakallı Nurettin Pasha while getting a shave at a barbershop in Istanbul, brought to İzmit, and lynched by the public as he was leaving the governor's office.

Lynching was not a pleasant thing. The judiciary should have punished Ali Kemal for what he wrote and did.

While these events were unfolding in Istanbul and Kocaeli, the Republic was proclaimed in Ankara, the Republic of Turkey was established, and Atatürk was elected President as the candidate of the CHP.

The Sultan, who wanted to execute Atatürk, fled the country on a British ship, leaving his wives to a British commander.

Refii Cevat Ulunay was sent abroad as part of the "150 Personae Non Gratae" list.

Ali Galip from Kayseri, from the Fevzioğulları family, who was sent by Prime Minister Damat Ferit Pasha to kill the CHP's presidential candidate Atatürk, first fled to Aleppo, then was included in the "150 Personae Non Gratae" list and exiled abroad. He died of a heart attack while working as an animal handler in the port of Constanta, Romania.

But the one who says "Telef-ât" is still among us.

May his end be a good one as well...