Minority Rights Group Europe (MRGE), one of the leading international non-governmental organisations which work on minority rights field published a report entitled “The Turkish Minority in Western Thrace: The Long Struggle for Rights and Recognition” on 23 October 2019. The report was written by Evelin Verhás who currently works as Head of Programmes in Tom Lantos Institute and worked for Minority Rights Group International (MRGI) between 2010 and 2016. The report is based on the information that Verhás gained from the interviews she conducted with the elected Muftis of the Turkish community in Western Thrace, civil society executives, representatives of Turkish minority schools and Mayor of Komotini and on her observations in the region during her field research to the region of Western Thrace in Greece in June 2019.
Greece does not recognise the Turkish ethnic identity of Western Thrace Turks and violates the autonomy in the field of education and religion.
In the report, the problems of Western Thrace Turks, non-recognition of the ethnic identity of the Turkish community in Western Thrace and state intervention on the autonomy of education and religion guaranteed by the treaties are addressed as the main topics.
In the report, it is indicated that the collective Turkish identity of the Turkish community in Western Thrace is denied by Greece. The report also points out that the associations belonging to the Turkish community in Western Thrace bearing the name “Turkish” have been shut down or not registered. Besides, the report states that Greece has not been implementing the judgements of the European Court of Human Rights on the Xanthi Turkish Union, Cultural Association of Turkish Women of the Region of Rodopi and Evros Minority Youth Association against itself for 11 years.
The report highlights that Greece has not recognised the Muftis elected by the Turkish community in Western Thrace and restricts the freedom of religion as well as designing the “waqfs” boards through appointment in contradiction to the religious autonomy. In the report, it is noted that Greece started appointing the Muftis pursuant to the law adopted in 1991 and disregards the religious autonomy of the Turkish community in Western Thrace. Furthermore, the report refers to the cases filed at ECtHR between 2000 and 2006 and won by İbrahim Şerif, the elected Mufti of Rodopi and Mehmet Aga, former elected Mufti of Xanthi against Greece on the grounds of violation of article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights regarding freedom of religion.
In the report, it is indicated that the autonomy in the field of education is not implemented in practice although the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne granted this autonomy to the Turkish community in Western Thrace. Accordingly, the report expresses that 65 minority primary schools have been shut down due to economic reasons since 2010. The report also states that bilingual (Turkish and Greek) minority preschools are not allowed to be established in Western Thrace.
The report draws attention to the fact that international human and minority rights determine minimum standards which states should meet. Therefore, the report emphasises that Greece should find an appropriate way to restore the autonomy in education which the Turkish community in Western Thrace has in order to comply with the international human rights standards.
The report includes recommendations to the Greek government and indicates that Greece should act in line with its obligations arising from a series of international human rights. The report calls on Greece to recognise the Turkish ethnic identity of the Turkish community in Western Thrace and take actions immediately to remove the obstacles which prevents the Turkish community from fully enjoying their rights.
You can view the report which is published in English, Greek and Turkish through the links below:
English:
https://minorityrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/MRG_Rep_WThrace_EN_Sept19.pdf
Greek:
https://minorityrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/MRG_Rep_WThra_GRK_Sept19_ONLINE2.pdf
Turkish:
https://minorityrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/MRG_Rep_WThra_TK_Oct19_ONLINE.pdf
