We were born in Fethiye

While winding my way from Yeşil Üzümlü toward Fethiye, I stopped in front of a fountain on the right side of the road, where water was gushing from two spouts. Located at the foothills of the Taurus Mountains, the fountain was built in memory of Şahin Boğa, who provided water to passersby. May his soul rest in peace. I leaned down and drank my fill from the spouts. Despite the droughts experienced in recent years, the water flowing here is so pleasant and beautiful to drink. You cannot get enough of it. If your path crosses this way, do not pass by without taking a sip.

In these days as we reach the middle of October, the pines, heathers, shrubs, myrtle, and nature itself are waiting for rain. They are waiting for water. The Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, and indeed all of Anatolia, are thirsty. Water is precious. The Teke Peninsula, Beşkaza, and Fethiye are among the most beautiful geographies in the world. After this short break, having increased my endorphins—the happiness hormone provided by the pines, nature, and water—I passed among those who had just arrived at the fountain and continued my journey toward Fethiye.

As I pondered who had come and gone through this ancient region, I thought of the many people, communities, states, and wars that have passed from the Land of Lights, Lycia, to the Republic of Turkey. Yes, we are Lycian. We stand for freedom. We are the grandchildren of the Lycians who committed mass suicide rather than be captured or surrender to the enemy. Some sections of the history of Fethiye and its surroundings passed before my eyes like a film strip.

Right near the Fethiye Atatürk Monument, the Yunus Nadi Park and the Yunus Nadi Abalıoğlu memorial area were preparing to experience a historic moment and day.

We were at the site of the covered statue, along with Cumhuriyet newspaper executives and writers, the Abalı family, members of parliament, local political leaders, and the people of Beşkaza and Fethiye. The Fethiye Municipality, led by Mayor Alim Karaca and the Municipal Council members who approved the project unanimously, had taken their places at this historic opening. The true creator of these beauties, the secret hero of the project, a fellow Fethiye native and my colleague with whom I served in the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Bursa Deputy Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ceyhun İrgil, was among us with his humble demeanor.

I offer my sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to this effort and to those who contributed to and witnessed this historic event.

Following speeches by one of Turkey's youngest Ministers of Tourism and Culture, Alev Coşkun, and other protocol members, the monument was unveiled with great enthusiasm and excitement.

On the side of the monument facing Fethiye, the bust of Yunus Nadi under the words "Republic 100th Year" and "We were born in Fethiye," written by his son, our Chief Writer Nadir Nadi, gave me great honor.

Yes, we were born in Fethiye. Yunus Nadi Abalıoğlu, a member of the Kuvay-ı Milliye (National Forces) and a journalist of the Foundation and Liberation, was born in 1879 in the village of Seydiler in the Fethiye district (then known as Meğri) of the Aydın province. His son, Nadir Nadi, the Chief Writer of Cumhuriyet Newspaper, was also born in 1908 in the village of Kayaköy in Fethiye.

While struggling for the modernization and liberation of his country, Yunus Nadi was arrested and sentenced to 3 years in prison on the island of Lesbos. At his own request, he served his sentence in Fethiye.

As İlhan Selçuk said, "Mustafa Kemal is the inventor of the war of independence. Yunus Nadi is its journalist. He published the most fiery articles of the War of Independence in Yeni Gün; the writing and journalism of those days gained a significance rarely seen in history."

Sami Karaören, also from Fethiye, who made great contributions to the Cumhuriyet newspaper, noted for history that "Yunus Nadi nourished the War of Independence with his entire soul, heart, and mind."

Şükrü Kaya said, "His pen was strong. His voice was loud; he wrote harshly and spoke firmly." Indeed, as the İzmir Deputy, Yunus Nadi was "a Fethiye native who announced the proclamation of the Republic to the world with that loud voice" from the podium of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

In the history of the press, Yunus Nadi, who served as a reporter and chief writer for many newspapers during the last twenty years of the Ottoman Empire, founded the Yeni Gün newspaper in 1918 and the Cumhuriyet newspaper on May 7, 1924. He also played a leading role in the establishment of the "Anadolu Agency," one of the turning points of the National Struggle.

As a Fethiye native who served as a Muğla Deputy for a long time and experienced the pride and honor of being a Muğla Deputy who held the same position, I wanted to share this happiness with you.

Yes, we were "born in Fethiye." Freedom and independence are in our genes.

Dear 12punto readers, I offer my sincere thanks to all the newspaper executives who made it possible for me to meet with you.

Hoping to meet in my 'Health Now and Then' column every week, I greet you with a 'Hello' from our fellow townsman, the Fisherman of Halicarnassus.