Turkey: Disappointment with State Department report on ‘Turkish minority’ in Greece – News – news
The US State Department has published the 2021 Human Rights Practice Report, which examines the human rights situation by country around the world, writes the Turkish website balkangunlugu.com.tr.
The term “Muslim minority”
He adds that in the section concerning Greece, the issues related to the “Turkish society of Western Thrace, while presented in the titles of ethnic / racial / ethnic minorities, this title has been deleted in this year’s report and the problems related. with the Turkish society of Western Thrace are mentioned more limited compared to the previous years “.
ABTTF President Halit Habib Oglu said it was “very disappointing” that this year’s report deleted the title of members of ethnic / racial / ethnic minorities, and covered the problems of the Turks of Western Thrace with just a few suggestions in the field of education. . , the association and the powers of sharia by the muftis “.
In the 36-page report on Greece, its structure has changed compared to previous years. This year does not address the problems in the areas of self-determination, demographic structure and population, education and religion of the “Turkish society” of Western Thrace, and the definition of the “Muslim minority in Thrace”, the Turkish website writes.
“In a completely different structure”
Using the term “Muslim minority in Thrace” in the headline education, it is noted that some members of the minority complain about the poor quality of school minorities, including the lack of bilingual secondary schools.
From the Turkish article entitled “US Report on Human Rights in Greece 2021 Published”
On the other hand, as mentioned in last year’s report, there is no talk of closing primary schools belonging to the “Turkish community” of Western Thrace due to the low number of students and the rapid decline in the number of primary schools.
In addition, the lack of bilingual “Turkish kindergartens” in the region is not included in this year’s report.
The self-identification “Macedonians” and “Turks”
Under the heading of discrimination, this year’s report includes the note that only individuals belonging to the “Turkish community of Western Thrace” can apply for sharia law in family and inheritance matters with their consent in the presence of a notary. The report does not include the mufti and other religious issues.
As for freedom of association, last year’s report reiterates that although the constitution and law recognize freedom of association, the government continues to impose laws on the names of those who identify themselves as “Macedonians” as an indication of their collective national identity and identity. with the word “Turk” in their names.
In this regard, only the statement is now included that the CoC approved the previous court decisions for reasons of national security and public order regarding the rejection of the decision for the registration of the Turkish Union of Xanthi on June 30, 2021.
The report notes that the Turkish Union of Xanthi stated that the decision of the Supreme Court violated the decision of the Court of Human Rights and that the association must be officially registered.
However, the relevant rulings of the Court of Human Rights (ECHR) with the three associations, known as the cases of the Bekir Usta group, which were closed or were not allowed to be established due to the word “Turk” in their names and the application by Greece of these decisions from 2008, are not detailed.
“We will convey our review”
“The report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 2021 has been prepared in a different structure from the previous years. For the last two years we have been criticizing because the problems of the Turks of Western Thrace are less and less covered. As ABTTF, we will convey our critique of the content of the report concerning Greece to the US authorities. “As every year, so this year, we will prepare a report in which we will describe in detail the problems of human and minority rights of the Turkish society in Western Thrace and we will forward our report to the competent US authorities”, stressed Halit Habip Oglu. concludes the Turkish publication.
Source: balkangunlugu.com.tr, echedoros-a.gr