Raif Denktaş was a Turkish Cypriot composer, politician, academic, journalist and writer. He died after a controversial car accident where his car collided with a military vehicle.
In the 1976 General Elections he was elected for the Federated Assembly as a National Unity PartyMP. Even though he worked as the Secretary General, he resigned from the NUP in 1981 citing a difference in views. He founded the Alliance of Patriotic Intelligentsia in 1982 and the Social Democratic Party on December 30, 1982. He represented his party at the Founding Parliament of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as an MP, following the establishment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 1983. He also changed his affiliation to the broader Social Democracy Group but had to reverse this move due to legal complications. Denktaş was known as a strong critic to his father. Regardless of this, he was appointed by him as the Political Adviser to the President in 1985. He also opposed heavily to the government and the National Unity Party during the preparations of the constitution. As a Kemalist, he wrote many articles on Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's ideas but fiercely supported independence over a possible annexation by Turkey. He was also known for endorsing the Cyprus peace process. His visit to the southern part of the Cyprus in 1984 along with the Communal Liberation Party leader İsmail Bozkurt and the Secretary General of the Republican Turkish Party, Naci Talat Usar was reported as the first visit by Turkish Cypriots since their displacement in 1974. This visit was criticised heavily by the nationalists and the visitors were called as "traitors" by Birlik newspaper.
Musical career
Raif Denktaş played the bass guitar for the school band of TED Ankara College where two of his compatriots were also playing. Upon his return to Cyprus, he joined Bayrak Kuartet in 1968. The band was supported by the army personnel and they practised at the basement of the headquarters of the 22nd Squad where Raif was deployed. In 1969, :tr:Sıla 4|Sıla 4 was formed by Raif, Ferahzat Gürsoy, Erdinç Gündüz and Aydın Kalfaoğlu. Raif sang and played bass guitar for the band. Sıla 4 is regarded as the most influential music band which has shaped the Turkish Cypriot music, combining folk tunes and lyrics together and arranging them to the contemporary context. Raif Denktaş composed many different songs including Gariban and Ayrılık which was not only popular in Cyprus, but also in Turkey.
Death
During 1985, Raif Denktaş was subjected to many criticism and alleged defamation by both the Turkish and the Turkish Cypriot press. Many different news, composed of hoaxes were being published including claims that Raif was hiding Hüseyin Kocabaş, a Turkish assassin at his home or he was drug trafficking in Cyprus. National Intelligence Organization of Turkey later admitted that the stories were fabricated by their agents and the agents were fired. Raif's father Rauf, claimed that he was attacked for not agreeing to Turkey's political demands at that time. Two weeks after the claims on drug trafficking were published, he sustained fatal injuries in a car crash near Cihangir on his way back from Famagusta after lecturing at the Eastern Mediterranean University on December 24, 1985. A military vehicle collided with the car Raif was driving. He was moved to Ankara for treatment, but died on December 26, 1985.
