ABTTF President: “Another divide-and-rule scenario has gained momentum based on our religious identity. But we will not fall for it! We experienced this with issue of Muftiate. Despite our rights guaranteed by treaties, our muftis, elected by our community, were not appointed to their positions; the state appointed its own. Our community was not afraid, did not cower and did not give up! Undeterred by divide-and-rule tactics, our community followed their own elected Muftis. This latest divide-and-rule scenario will not succeed either! No matter how hard they try, we are an indivisible society!”
Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), made the following statement regarding recent developments in Greece aimed at creating divisions based on the religious beliefs of the Turkish community in Western Thrace:
“Our country has implemented a new scenario based on the familiar ‘divide, divide, and rule’ tactic. The real goal is to destroy the ‘Turkishness’ of Western Thrace! They invoked the Treaty of Lausanne and claimed that ‘there is a Muslim minority in Lausanne, not a Turkish one.’ Associations were established in our region under the names of ‘Hellenic Pomaks’ and ‘Hellenic Roma.’ They declared that ‘there are no Turks in Western Thrace!’ First, they dissolved our associations that included the word ‘Turk’ in their names, then they refused to allow the establishment of new ones. As if that weren’t enough, they banned associations that included the word ‘minority’ and finally ‘Western Thrace.’ Now, another divide- and-rule scenario based on our religious identity has gained momentum. But we will not fall for it! We have seen the same scenario regarding the issue of the Muftiate. Despite our rights guaranteed by treaties, the Muftis elected by our community were not installed in their positions; the state appointed its own muftis. Our community was not afraid, did not cower and did not give up! Undeterred by the divide-and-rule tactics, our community followed their own elected Muftis. This latest divide-and-rule scenario will not succeed either! No matter how hard they try, we are an indivisible society!”
