TRAV44@UMUC.BITNET (Alexandros Polymenopoulos) (02/03/90)
(To epomeno keimeno einai mia ekdosi tou Institoutou Politikon Epistimon.
Sas to metafero sta Aglika gia osous apo sas tha thelate na xrisimopoiisete
stoixeia stis syzitiseis sas me tous Tourkous. Distixos para tis
prospatheies mou den katafera na grafto sto scg.
PROEIDIPOIISI: To keimeno einai arketa megalo kai isos kourasei olous
ekeinous pou den asxolountai me to thema. Periexei poly xrisima stoixeia
gia to kafto thema ton meionotiton pou mporoun na xrisimopoiithoun se
sxetikes sizitiseis.)
PROLOGUE
Allegations about "suppression" of the right of the Moslem minority in
Western Thrace have intentionally been aired in the last few years and do
not reflect the true sistuation in that region. In view of the fact that
these allegations are unfounded, since Greece has always respected
and implemented the provisions of the Treaty of Lausanne, they can be
attributed to nothing else but Turkish propaganda which has made
a substantial contribution to this effect. The above allegations lack
any foundation and they attempt to shift the focus of attention
away from its real place, namely the plight of the Greek minority
of Constantinople, Imbros and Tenedos, a thriving minority in
the twenties but decimated in our times.
INTRODUCTION
The Peace Treaty of Lausanne resorted Western Thrace to Greece in 1923
and the Greek-Turkish border was drawn along the course of the
Evros river.
The Treaty of Lausanne provided for an exchange of the Greek and
Moslem populations then living in Turkey and Greece respectively.
The Greeks of Constantinople, Imbros and Tenedos and the Moslems
of Western Thrace were excepted from this exchange. According
to Turkish statistics in 1924 the Greek population of
Constantinople amounted to 279,788. In the space of ten years
(by 1934), this figure had fallen to 103,000. Further, there
was a Greek population of 8,200 Greeks on the islands of
Imbros and Tenedos. Imbros had no Turkish inhabitants at all.
At the present time there are no Greek citizens living in
Constantinople (they were subjected to mass expulsion and
their property was confiscated in 1964), while the Turkish
citizens of Greek descent number no more than 5,000. On
Imbros and Tenedos the reduction of the Greek element has
been equally dramatic and today it does not exceed 850 persons.
The Moslem minority of Western Thrace, 86,793 persons
according to the 1920 figures, now numbers approximately
104,000. Homogeneous in religion, this population is
nevertheless heterogeneous in origin and language. It is
composed of:
a. some 55,000 Turkish speaking Moslems
b. approximately 35,000 Pomaks of Thracian origin, who speak
their own language, which has no written form
c. approximately 14,000 Athinganoi, descendants of
Christian heretics who were expelled from Asia Minor
during Byzantine times and were later converted to
Islam, and gypsies (tribes who migrated from India).
The rights of the minorities excepted from the above exchange
of populations are protected by special articles of the Peace
Treaty of Lausanne (Articles 37-45). Furthermore, Article 14
provides for a special administrative organization for the
non-Moslem population of the islands of Imbros and Tenedos,
which, however, has never been set up. Two important legal
principles are established by these arrangements:
a. Reciprocity (a numerical balance and identical treatment
of the minority groups of each side).
b. The religious (Moslem) character of the minority in Greece,
on one hand, and the national (Greek) character of that in
Turkey, on the other.
The Turkish Covernment, by a series of legislative and administrative
measures, has engineered an impressive depletion of the numbers of
the Greek minority, thus violating not only explicit international
treaty obligations - more specifically those which stem from the Treaty
of Lausanne on the protection of minorities, from the International
Declaration of the United Nations Charter and from the Convertion
of the Council of Europe on Human Rights - but also those of its
own domestic law (successive Turkish constitutions and laws).
The violations of the Treaty of Lausanne are examined below, article
by article. Examples of the violation of other international are
the infringement of Article 26 of the International Declaration on
Human Rights (closing Greek schools on the islands of Imbros and
forcing Greek childrenm to attend Turkish schools), the violation
of Article 1 of the 1st protocol of the European Convention on
Human Rights (expropriation of the church at Therapia for the
benefit of a private individual without compensation),
continuous violation of Article 55 of the Charter of the United
Nations (discrimination against the Greeks of Constantinople)
and infringements of Article 24 of the Turkish Constitution
and Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights
(interference with the free practice of religion).
These measures have been accompanied by appalling acts of
violence either committed at the behest of the Turkish
Government or tolerated by it.
>>>TREATY OF LAUSANNE
>>>
>>>ARTICLE 14
>>>The islands of Imbros and Tenedos, remaining under Turkish
>>>sovereignty, shall enjoy a special administrative organization
>>>composed of local elements and furnishing every guarantee
>>>for the native non-Moslem population in so far as concerns
>>>local administration and the protection of person and property.
>>>The maintenance of order will be assured therein by a police
>>>force recruited from amongst the local population by the local
>>>administration above provided for and placed under its orders.
>>>The agreements which have been, or may be, concluded between
>>>Greece and Turkey relating to the exchange of the Greek and
>>>Turkish populations will not be applied to the inhabitants
>>>of the islands of Imbros and Tenedos.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN PRACTICE
-----------------------------
TURKEY GREECE
(Constantinople, Imbros, Tenedos) ** (Western Thrace)
**
1927: Law 1151 (Articles 13 and 14) ** This article concerns solely
abolished minority schools on Imbros ** Turkey and the obligations that
and Tenedos. No part of Article 14 ** it assumed vis-a-vis the Greek
of the Treaty of Lausanne was ** inhabitants of Imbros and
implemented. ** Tenedos.
May 1964: The Public Prosecutor's **
Office of Imbros notified 900 Greek **
inhabitants of the island that they **
must "voluntarily" sell their land **
to the Turkish State at a price of **
100 dollars per stremma. In the **
event of failure to comply with this **
"offer" - went on the notice - the **
Turkish Government would proceed to **
the compulsory expropriation of **
private land in order to set up an **
agricultural open proson and a **
police academy. **
Out of total 34,000 stremmas of **
arrable land, belonging to the **
Greeks of Imbros, 27,354 stremmas **
have already been axpropriated. **
At the same time, 43,000 stremmas **
of grazing land on the island have **
been designated forest or **
reforestation areas and the Ministry **
of Agriculture has forbiden grazing. **
1967: An Imbros special court ordered**
the Greeks to return to the Turkish **
State the pittances which they had **
received as compensation for the **
confiscation of their land (e.g. **
Decisions Nos 1967/8508, 1967/6476, **
1967/6478). **
1984: Expropriations continued. By **
Decision No. 1016/26.6.84 of the **
Prefecture of Canakkale, 956 **
stremmas, belonging to the Greek **
Community, were compulsorily **
purchased for 30 dollars a stremma. **
>>>ARTICLE 38
>>>The Turkish Government undertakes to assure full and complete
>>>protection of life and liberty to all inhabitants of Turkey,
>>>without distinction of birth, nationality, language, race or
>>>religion.
>>>All inhabitants of Turkey shall be entitled to free exercise,
>>>whether in public or private, of any creed, religion or belief,
>>>the observance of which shall not be incompatible with public
>>>order and good morals.
>>>Non-Moslem minorities will enjoy full fredom of movement and
>>>of emigration, subject to the measures applied, on the whole
>>>or on part of the territory, to all Turkish nationals, and which
>>>may be taken by the Turkish Gonernment for national defence, or
>>> for the maintenance of public order.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN PRACTICE
-----------------------------
TURKEY ** GREECE
(Constantinople, Imbros, Tenedos) ** (Western Thrace)
1941: While the spectre of Nazism ** Article 5 of the Constitution
was hovering over Europe, Turkey ** assures complete protection of
refused to play any part in the ** life, honor and liberty without
fight of the western world to uphold ** distinction of nastionality,
democratic ideals and mobilized all ** race, language and religious
Greeks between 18 and 45 years of ** or political beliefs.
age, deporting them to special labor ** Article 13 of the Constitution
camps in the depths of Asia Minor. ** guarantees that religious
Many died there. ** freedom is inviolable.
1955: A mob, under the direction of ** Article 5 protects full freedom
the Turkish authorities, took to the ** of movement and of emigration.
streets of Constantinople. Their **
attacks were made exclusively **
against the Greeks and their shops, **
workshops, houses, churches, **
hospitals, schools and cemetaries **
were wrecked and looted. The Toorkish**
police, when they were not totally **
absent from the scene, led the **
crowd in beatings and rapes. A priest**
was burned alive and another **
suffered fatal injuries. Corpses **
were dug up and knifed. **
From that time on, refusal or **
excessive delay in the issue of **
passports, threats against life and **
personal safety, intimidation, **
blackmail and bodily searches, as **
well as physical violence, have been **
the order of the day. **
>>>ARTICLE 39
>>>Turkish subjects belonging to non-Moslem minorities will enjoy the
>>>same civil and political rights as Moslems.
>>>All the inhabitants of Turkey, without distinction of religion,
>>>shall be equal before the law.
>>>Differences of religion, creed or confession shall not prejudice
>>>ant Turkish national in matters relating to the enjoyment of
>>>civil and political rights, as, for instance, admission to
>>>public employments, functions and honors, or the exercise of
>>>professions and industries.
>>>No restrictions shall be imposed on the free use by any Turkish
>>>national of any language in private intercourse, in commerce,
>>>religion, in the press, or in publication of any kind or at
>>>public meetings.
>>>Notwithstanding the existence of the official language, adequate
>>>facilities shall be given to Turkish nationals of non-Turkish
>>>speech for the oral use of their own language before the Courts.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN PRACTICE
-----------------------------
TURKEY ** GREECE
(Constantinople, Imbros, Tenedos) ** (Western Thrace)
Every kind of economic, ** The whole wide spectrum of
administrative and psychological ** rights, included in Article 39,
pressure has been brought to bear ** above quoted, are fully covered
(imposition of discriminatory taxes, ** by Articles 4,11,13 and 39 of
minute scrutiny and seizure of ** the Constitution and enjoyed in
accounting books, dissolution of ** practice by the Moslems in
Greek bussiness, blocking of the ** Western Thrace.
capital of Greek partners, economic ** The equal treatment of the
sabotaging of bussiness, closing of ** Moslems as Greek citizens is
Greek shops, imposition of unduly ** demonstrated by their enjoyment
severe tax penalties, refusal of ** of state grants of every kind.
State agencies to accept supplies of ** More specifically, Moslems, whose
materials by Greek firms, failure to ** principal occupation is
accept tenders from Greeks, refusal ** agriculture, receive the largest
of bank credits, refusalto employ ** percentage of state agricultural
in public services). ** subsidies in Western Thrace,
** while farmers' pensions are
** granted without any
** discrimination.
1942: The notorious "Varhk vergisi" ** In the social field, the Moslems
Law imposed a wealth tax on property.** enjoy full social support and
However, the provisions of the law ** and care, while infrastructure
were enforced with exceptional zeal ** projects are constantly being
only against Turkish subjects ** carried out. The Moslem
belonging to non-Moslem minorities. ** population of mountain areas
As a result the Greeks were forced ** receive annually a considerable
to liquidate all their property, but,** quantity of supplies and animal
since even so they were not able to ** foodstuffs entirely free.
meet their obligations, they were ** The Moslem minority participate
uprooted from their homes and put to ** fully in the country's public
forced labor. ** life.
** They have been able to elect
** two Moslem deputies in the Greek
** parliament, while 284 Moslems
** serve on the locally controlled
** community councils.
** Some 20 Moslems are presidents
** of communities which have a mixed
** Christian and Moslem population.
** In addition, a significant number
** of Moslems are employed in the
** public sector in permanent posts.
1963: A major campaign was mounted ** The Moslem Turkish language press
in Constantinople with "Speak ** in Western Thrace is not merely
Turkish" as its slogan. Greeks did ** free but often oversteps the
not dare to speak their own language ** the limits set by the country's
not only in the courts but even in ** legislation. At the present time
the street. If they did, they were ** four Turkish language newspapers
savagely beaten up. Notices were ** two religious periodicals, one
stuck on the windows of Greek shops ** children's magazine and one
to deter potential customers from ** advertising periodical are
entering. The entrances to the shops ** published in Western Thrace.
were picketed. ** Thrace Radio broadcasts daily
1964: The Turkish authorities closed ** bulletins in Turkish directed
the Patriarchal printing house and ** exclusively to the Moslem
forbade the further printing of the ** population.
christian relifious journals, ** The Turkish language and that
"Orthodoxia" and "Apostolos Andreas".** of the Pomaks are employed freely
** even by Christian tradesmen to
** facilitate transactions.
1973: Police carried out lightning **
searches at ten of the largest Greek **
minority bussiness and at the homes **
of the owners. The searches led to **
the seizure of their accounting books**
and private correspondence and the **
blocking of their accounts with **
banks.
Not a single Greek has been employed **
in the Turkish bublic service during **
the last 40 years and no Greek deputy**
has sat in the Turkish Parliament for**
the last 20 years. **
etc., etc., etc.
EPILOGUE
In addition to all above, the Greek State provided its citizens with the
financial means for social emancipation. Within the framework of the free
economy, guaranteed by the Constitution, all Greek citizens enjoy the
benefits of a pluralistic, developed and prosperous country. Greeks can
freely practice every commercial trae, industrial business or any other
economic activity, irrespective of their religion, sex or age.
In order to assist, secure and promote the farmers' income, the State
through special economic programmes, funded by itself and the European
grants subsidies, loans and special aid programmes. For example, in 1982
the State granted 142 million drachmas to tobacco growers in the
Prefecture of Rodopi (72 million drs were given to Moslem growers and
70 million drs to Christians), while in the Prefecture of Xanthi, in the
same year, the total amount of subsidies to tobacco growers was 91 million
drs (82 million to Moslems and 9 million to Christian growers).
These government efforts, which should be placed within the framework
of the general programme for the economic development of Thrace, have
greatly contributed to the progress of the Moslem religious minority.
It is indicative that the income of the average Moslem farme is about
14% higher than the income of his Christian counterpart.