ABTTF President: ‘‘For the first time, a Greek has written with complete candour about the anti-democratic, discriminatory and oppressive state policy we face in our own country and the practices associated with it. What Sakellion has written is the stark reality of our country. Our country, which prides itself on being the cradle of democracy, must now abandon this anti-democratic and outdated mindset.’’
The repercussions continue of the statements made by journalist and New Left member Stamatis Sakellion in his article published on the left-wing website “Epoxi”, in which he indicated that the Greek state does not recognise the right of the Turkish community in Western Thrace to collectively define itself with a ‘‘Turkish’’ identity and that this constitutes an ‘‘open wound’’ for both the Turkish community in Western Thrace and Greek democracy.
In his article, Sakellion argued that while population definitions were based on religion at the time the Treaty of Lausanne was signed, the ‘‘Muslim’’ definition based on this is now invalid. Sakellion stated that a former governor who had served in the region in the past had spoken of a ‘‘Muslim language’’, adding that according to this logic, Muslims would be considered an ethnic group, but that the term ‘‘Muslim’’ refers to a religion.
Sakellion explained that the transition to democracy in Western Thrace has not been completed because issues concerning the Turkish community in Western Thrace have been shaped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Intelligence Service, forming a structure defined as the ‘‘deep state’’.
Sakellion emphasised that ‘‘denying Turkish identity’’ is no longer compatible with a democratic state; he further added that recognising the ‘‘right to collective self-identification’’ of the Turkish community in Western Thrace is inevitable in terms of both democracy and human dignity, and that his own party should take the lead on this.
‘‘While the repercussions of Stamatis Sakellion’s article on the recognition of the ethnic Turkish identity of the Turkish community in Western Thrace continue, we certainly attach great importance to this article. For the first time, a Greek has written with complete transparency about the anti-democratic, discriminatory, and oppressive state policies and practices we have faced in our own country for years. What Sakellion wrote is the stark reality of our country. When it comes to us, we cannot speak of democracy in our country. Our country, which prides itself on being the cradle of democracy, must now abandon this anti-democratic and outdated mindset. The state policy that has taken shape, which threatens the national unity of our country, must come to an end’’, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).
*Image: www.gundemgazetesi.com
