Turkish minority in Greek islands 'near extinction'
by Compiled from Wire Services
ISTANBULOct 11, 2019 - 10:57 pm GMT+3
by Compiled from Wire Services
Oct 11, 2019 10:57 pm
A representative of the Turkish minority living in the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea has said the community faces “extinction” over suppression of their rights. Professor Mustafa Kaymakçı, who heads the Culture and Solidarity Association of Rhodes, Kos and Dodecanese founded by Turks who relocated to Turkey from Greece, said Turks in the islands face many problems. He was addressing a symposium in the western city of İzmir at a university on the problems Turks faced in Greece. He said they were trying to raise awareness on the issue of sale of properties belonging to the Turkish-Muslim foundations on the islands and the neglected Ottoman-era architecture.
“The world views the Turkish minority in Greece as restricted to Western Thrace but there is a community of Turkish Muslims with a population of over 9,000 people on those islands. Greece, however, does not recognize their cultural identity under the pretext that the islands were under Italian rule when the Lausanne Treaty was signed. “Turks now are deprived of many human rights they are supposed to have,” he said. Kaymakçı also noted the “extraordinary assimilation” of Turks and said, “If we don’t stop this assimilation policy, the Turks will disappear.” Greece is home to a small Turkish community concentrated in the Western Thrace region, while a smaller number of Turks, whose roots date back to the Ottoman times reside on Greek islands scattered across the Aegean Sea near Turkish shores.
Among the problems they face is a ban on Turkish education as bilingual schools were closed down in the 1970s. Ottoman-era foundations survived on the islands and were responsible for running mosques, soup kitchens and schools, etc. But the community complains of Athens’ intervention to limit their functions, such as the handover of properties to universities instead of original foundations. They also complain of what they call “unfair” taxation, not applied to Christian foundations. Greece also objects to the restoration of mosques by Turkey, according to the foundations. Ankara and the Turkish community in Greece have long complained about the mistreatment of Turks by Greek authorities, especially in terms of religious freedoms. In particular, the election of muftis or Muslim clerics, for the community has stirred up controversy due to Athens' refusal to recognize elected muftis.
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