In the previous days, the High Committee of the Court of Appeals of Greece approved the final decision concerning the ban of one of the outstanding associations of the Western Thrace Turkish minority, the Turkish Union of Xhanti (ITB), which has been active in the Western Thrace since 1927. Coming to such a conclusion of the case, which had lasted over 20 years, has caused disappearing of the hopes of the Western Thrace Turks for a solution of their problems any longer and entirely, who has been treated as second class citizens for years. The ban of this minority association, which has demonstrated peaceful activities until today, due to the only reason that it carries the adjective “Turkish” in its name, and by this way, the rejection of the identity of the over 200 thousand Western Thrace Turks, who are Greek nationals and live in the Western Thrace, Western Europe, America and Australia, does never comply with the 21th century nor the norms of the European Union, to which Greece, our country, is proud of being a member.
After the ban decision of the Court, the executives of the Turkish Union of Xanthi (ITB) are going to apply to the European Court of Human Rights, and carry our identity struggle there. As being in the ambassador position of the Western Thrace Turks in the Western Europe, the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), will always be beside the identity struggle of the Turkish Union of Xanthi (ITB) and further of our minority with its all strength.
In order to inform the world public opinion about this injustice we have being suffering from, a signature campaign is being organized nowadays in the Western Thrace to support the Turkish Union of Xanthi (ITB). Through this signature campaign, we are also looking for the support of everyone in Europe who are aware of and sensitive to this subject. Every signature to be submitted is very important for the improvement of the conditions of our minority.
I request your help, and thank for your attention and support.
With my best regards and sincere greetings.
On behalf of the Executive Board of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe
President
Halit Habipoglu
Architect
If you also want to say “Stop!” to the ban of the Turkish Union of Xanthi (ITB), and the rejection of the Turkish identity, you can participate to the signature campaign continuing at the member foundations to the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), or through printing out the ready-made signing petition form, you can collect signatures in your environment, and support the campaign by this way .
Please click on this icon to print out the signing form.
ATTENTION!!!
IN ORDER THAT THE COLLECTED SIGNATURES ARE VALID
1. ALL THE FIELDS OF NAME, ADDRESS AND SIGNATURE IN THE SIGNING FORM SHOULD BE FILLED OUT COMPLETELY, AND
2. THESE COLLECTED SIGNATURES SHOULD BE SENT PER POST TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS BELOW.
ABTTF
Johannis Str. 50,
58452 Witten, Germany
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