IADD (UK Ataturk Thought Union) commemorated the Turkish enlightment revolution’s one of the biggest actors, Prof. Ahmet Taner Kışlalı on his 17th year from passing.
As an unforgettable icon, Ahmet Taner Kışlalı (10 July 1939 in Zile, Turkey – 21 October 1999 in Ankara) was a Turkish intellectual, political scientist, lawyer, commentator/author for the Cumhuriyet newspaper, academics and politician.
On 21 October 1999, shortly after having faxed his article to the newly Cumhuriyet at 9:40 h local time, Ahmet Taner Kışlalı left his home and headed for his car. As he got in the car, he noticed a packing placed at the windshield wiper. He picked it up with his left arm, and at that moment an explosion occurred tearing off his left arm at elbow. His wristwatch penetrated into his head together with bomb shrapnel. His wife Nilüfer Kışlalı arranged for his immediate delivery to a hospital, where however his death only was ascertained.
After memorial services held at the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Faculty of Communications in Ankara University, Grand Theatre of Ankara Opera House, Ankara Office of Cumhuriyet newspaper, and religious funeral service at Kocatepe Mosque, he was laid to rest at Karşıyaka Cemetery in Ankara.
IADD president Jale Özer, published a press release stating that spirit of Prof. Kışlalı’s spirit would endure forever as well as his heroic heritage.
“The heroes we lost to our country’s phase of development for it to be a brighter, more modern and democratic will never be forgotten as their legacy has brought a big responsibility on us. We are on duty to embalm their heritage by taking care of our democracy, by never losing our hope to darkness. As always, in the end, light shall rise upon the darkness”