Mehmet Fatih Saatci Murder
The Arabs, whom Baghdad Government settled in Kerkük in order to make the people become Pan-Arabian, caused a public disorder. Especially an event occurring on 7th July 1970 was the last straw and the Turks condemned the indirect oppressions of the Government. That 5 Arab Policemen and Police soldiers killed an unarmed Turkish boy with automatics in bazaar and caused people in Kerkük to lose their grip, started the attack. The murder of an innocent boy called Mehmet Fatih Saatçi,18, worried the Turks a lot. Upon this event, the bazaar was closed, the officials did not go to work and the Tradesmen shut down their shops. The people got worked up in Kerkük where a strike was gone on for two days. A great funeral was held. In the funeral including about 45.000 people, the people staged a protest with the words; Blood-shed! Revenge ! Kerkük is Turkish and it will retain so forever!. This demonstration, uniting all the Turks regardless of gender and age, caused a great reaction in Iraq. Besides, the Baghdad Government was greatly shocked at the demonstration.