In his speech at the ceremony, President Tatar solemnly marked the 51st anniversary of the massacre, paying tribute to the martyrs with reverence and respect. Pointing to the attacks and massacres suffered by the Turkish Cypriot people, the President stressed that the Peace Operation in 1974 was a decisive turning point in their history.

President Tatar emphasised that "this moment stands as the most significant chapter in the collective memory of the Turkish Cypriot people". He recalled that after the first phase of the Peace Operation, talks were held in search of a settlement, but these efforts were rejected—leading to the Second Phase of the Peace Operation.

President Tatar described the massacres at Muratağa, Sandallar and Atlılar -- three neighbouring villages in the Mesaoria Plain,  as acts of cruelty and inhumanity, noting that even in the Greek Cypriot record they remain acknowledged as “unpunished murders.” He declared that what occurred there was “a massacre unprecedented in human history".

Drawing a parallel with current events, President Tatar stated that when one looks at Gaza today, the value of living in peace, security, and stability becomes even clearer -- something owed to the Republic of Türkiye and the Turkish Armed Forces.

He stressed that today’s circumstances have deepened the understanding of the importance of sovereignty, peace, security, and statehood. In the context of any future settlement in Cyprus, the President underlined that two States, sovereignty, and Türkiye’s guarantorship remain indispensable, non-negotiable red lines.

Speaking in the spiritual presence of the martyrs, President Tatar honoured their memory, expressed solidarity with their families in their grief, and pledged that the State will always stand by them.