14 August 1945 – 30 Mart 1972
Mahir Cayan , one of the leaders of 1968 revolutionary generation and founders of the People’s Liberation Party-Front of Turkey ( THKP-C ), was born on August 14, 1945 in Samsun. After finishing his primary and secondary education, he enrolled in the Istanbul University Law Faculty. Following a year of education in the Law Faculty, he continued his education in Ankara Political Science Faculty. He conducted activities in Political Science Idea Club, affiliated with the Workers’ Party, the Federation of Idea Clubs (FKFs) and the Marxist Leninist Communist Party of Turkey, and became its chairperson in 1965.
He adopted the view of National Democratic Revolution (MDD), at the time of transformation of FKFs into Revolutionary Youth Federation of Turkey (Dev-Genc). In the last General Assembly of Dev-Genc on September 17-18, 1970, he defended the idea that the MDD strategy is a war strategy and, therefore, there is a need for a war party, a party which could materialize it.
After the foundation of THKP-C, he became responsible for development of the organisation’s ideology and political views. Mahir Cayan brought together in written format of all his ideas through articles that he wrote in various magazines and newspapers. Uninterrupted Revolution I-II-III is his theoretical work. THKP was doing guerrilla actions in the cities. Cayan participated in these actions as well. He took part in the robbery of Ankara Ziraat Bank and Istanbul Turkish Trade Bank, also in kidnapping of the Israeli Consulate General, Ephrahim Elrom. On June 1, 1971, he was caught by the police and arrested while his comrade Huseyin Cevahir got killed. He escaped from prison and became free on October 29, 1971.
To stop the execution of his comrades-in-arms Deniz Gezmis, Huseyin Inan and Yusuf Aslan from THKO on March 26, 1972 he and his other comrades kidnapped three English technicians who were working in Radar Station in Unye and then came to Kizilderevillage of Niksar. They did not surrender to the fascist Turkish army who surrounded the house where they were hiding. They fought with honour and with their heads held high. On the 30th of March 1972, Mahir Cayan became a martyr, together with his comrades, as a result of bombs thrown into the house. If you have any questions you can always contact mlkp.info.
