Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew: "We are without oxygen, the Patriarchate is dying.”
rick murphy
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=we-cannot-breathpatriarch-is-dying-says-bartholomeos-2009-12-24
'We cannot breathe, the Patriarchate is dying,' says patriarch
Thursday, December 24, 2009
ASLI AYDINTAŞBAŞ
ISTANBUL - Milliyet
Following criticism of his controversial statement to a U.S.
television network describing his community’s problems, Greek Orthodox
Patriarch Bartholomew says his comments were emphasized, but the
serious problem of opening Halki seminary needs to be addressed.
Criticized for telling U.S. network CBS that he felt “crucified in
Turkey,” in an interview he told daily Milliyet, “We are without
oxygen, the Patriarchate is dying.”
He said the interview with CBS was not planned and that the media had
emphasized the crucifixion quote. He said this was a metaphor for
detailing Greeks’ problems in Turkey, highlighted by the issue of the
Halki seminary located on Heybeliada, one of Istanbul’s Princes’
Islands in Marmara Sea.
“What will we do, if we cannot raise men of the cloth? Our
metropolitan bishops in Europe are over 70 years old. The ones here
are 75 years old. Now, who will I nominate to this post,” said the
patriarch, who will turn 70 this February. “Why should we nominate
people to this post who were not raised in Turkey and educated on
Heybeliada?” he asked.
“The seminary was open during Ottoman rule; [Mustafa Kemal] Atatürk
[founder of Turkish Republic] did not close it down. But it was
wrongly closed down in 1971, since it did not have university status
but was a vocational school for higher education,” he said.
The patriarch said they were open to any formula to open Halki
seminary again, saying, “Whether it will have the status of a school,
university or anything else, we want to raise men of the cloth and the
state should give this opportunity to us.”
Patriarch Bartholomew also said that Halki should be opened according
to the Lausanne Treaty, which was signed July 24, 1923 between the
Triple Entente from World War I and the newly established Turkish
Republic.
“Minorities can open schools for giving religious education by
covering the costs themselves, says the Lausanne Treaty. We had one
and it is closed down, we don’t want [an additional] right, we want
what Lausanne had given us,” he said.
The patriarch said although they had heard that there were ongoing
discussions regarding Halki in Ankara, their opinions had not been
asked. He said he talked to State Minister Egemen Bağış about the
matter, and the latter told him to organize a commission and have
discussions.
‘Deep State?’
Patriarch Bartholomew said the government was in favor of opening the
Halki seminary but it still has not opened.
“I guess the deep state does not want it [open]. Hüseyin Çelik once
said, ‘I would immediately open it if it was my decision only.’ Nimet
Çubukçu also said ‘there is no legal barrier.’ Why is it not opened
yet? It is stuck somewhere,” he said.
He said the issue has nothing to do with reciprocity, or giving rights
to Turks living in western Thrace. “We are being held hostages for the
Turks living in Cyprus and western Thrace, but we are Turkish
citizens. And we want our rights as Turkish citizens,” he said.
The patriarch also complained that despite official freedom of worship
in Turkey, his community has not remained in Turkey because of
historical incidents in which Greeks were forced to leave the country,
notably the incidents of Sept. 6-7, 1955 and other events in 1964. “We
are now around 3,000 people living in Turkey,” he said.
rick murphy
The people who are actually "without oxygen, and dying” are the Turks
in Greece.
+++++++++++++++++++
http://www.diplomaticobserver.com/news_read.asp?id=2003
April 23, 2009
IT IS DIFFICULT TO BE A TURK IN GREECE!
Western Thrace Turks have always experienced difficulties. The process
from the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923 to present
day has been full of troubles. During tough times with the 1967
Colonels Junta, the Turkish minority gave a fight for their existence.
Even there were times when Turks were banned to build or repair homes.
There were unwritten rules as much as the written ones. For instance,
the Western Thrace Turks making a living on agriculture had the right
to buy tractors but could not get driver’s licenses.
They have always been disadvantaged in education, culture, politics,
and administration. Some of the Western Thracians who could not endure
the pressures immigrated to Turkey, European countries, Australia or
the USA. According to article 19 of the former Greek Citizenship Law,
denationalized the immigrating Turks or ones travelling abroad.
20 years ago on January 29, 1988, Greece outlawed the “Gümülcine
Turkish Youth Union”, “Turkish Teachers Association”, and “Iskeçe
Turkish Union”. Because there were not Turks in Greece… The Turkish
minority, against all challenges and violent actions, gathered in
Gümülcine city center and protested the decision. With this event,
January 29 became the symbol of “national resistance” for Western
Thracian Turks. Since then, Western Thracian Turks have been
celebrating January 29.
On January 29, 1990, Western Thracian Turks celebrating the day were
attacked by a group of fanatic Greeks. Hundreds of people were beaten
and Turkish stores were attacked. January 29 was also celebrated this
year. At least they attempted to celebrate it, because Turks were
attacked once again. At the early hours of January 29, 2009 a petrol
bomb was thrown in a street in Çayüstü region, that is mostly
populated by Turks. No one died or was injured in the attack, Turks
put out the fire. Vehicles did not explode.
Western Thrace Turks do still not have the minority status. They
cannot demand their rights. Pasok Party spokesperson Yorgos
Papakonstantinu says: “There is one minority in Greece, and it is the
Muslim minority”. Athens, just as it claims Macedonia is not
Macedonia, is claiming that Turks are not Turks but “only Muslims”.
On January 25, the cemetery in Musellim (Tekton) village of Iskeçe
were attacked by the construction vehicles of the municipality.
Historical gravestones were destroyed. 10 days before this sad
incident, Greek parents in Gümülcine held a meeting and decided not to
send their children to school under the pretext of crowded classes,
hepatitis and many other issues. There are 150 Turkish and 80 Greek
students attending that school!
Another important issue is that, while Turkey is restoring Hagia
Sophia, Ottman’s first and biggest mosque in the Balkans, Çelebi
Sultan Mehmed Mosque in Dimetoka is in bad condition due to
dilapidation….
Macreau
> The people who are actually "without oxygen, and dying” are the Turks
> in Greece.
>
> +++++++++++++++++++
>
SEVERAL TURKISH DEPUTIES IN THE GREEK PARLIAMENT.......
WHAT IS IT THAT TURKS AND AZERIS FABRICATE NEWS??????????
rick murphy
http://www.sparta.markoulakispublications.org.uk/index.php?id=224
Violence in Greek and Roman Antiquity
by Nikolaos Markoulakis
Violence permeated all aspects of ancient Greek and Roman culture.
Ancient literature, art, and historical evidence demonstrate that the
Greeks and Romans understood the important role which violence played
in their cultures. Myth provided numerous stories of acts of violence
committed by both gods and humans. Watching violence in the form of
gladiatorial competitions was a popular form of entertainment. The
violence which initiated and later removed tyranny in Athens, as well
as the regularity with which Roman emperors were assassinated,
demonstrates that the Greeks and Romans understood that violence was a
means of achieving political ends. Violence was also state sanctioned:
the testimony of a slave was only admissible in a Roman trial if
extracted under torture. And Greek tragedy explored violence as a
manifestation of some of the darker aspects of human nature.
rick murphy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turks_of_Western_Thrace
Turks of Western Thrace
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
The region of Thrace.Turks of Western Thrace (Turkish: Batı Trakya
Türkleri) are ethnic Turks who live in Western Thrace, which is in the
north-eastern part of Greece. The Turkish community number between
120,000 and 130,000 ethnic Turks.[1][2] The Greek government refers to
the Turkish community as Greek Muslims or Hellenic Muslims, and denies
the existence of a Turkish minority in Western Thrace.[3]
History
Turks began to settle in Western Thrace during the twelfth century and
the area was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1354,[4] remaining in
Turkish hands until 1913 when it was taken over by Bulgaria, which had
been victorious in the First Balkan War. France occupied the area at
the end of the First World War, following the defeat of Bulgaria, and
it passed into Greek hands under the Treaty of Sèvres in August 1920.
[5]
In 1923, the population of Western Thrace was 191,699, of whom 129,120
(67%) were Turks and 33,910 (18%) were Greeks; the remaining 28,669
were mostly Bulgarians, along with small numbers of Jews and Armenians.
[6]
Within the larger definition of the Muslim minority, the Turks of
Western Thrace were exempted from the 1922-1923 Exchange of
populations between Greece and Turkey and were granted special rights
within the framework of Lausanne Treaty, such as education in the
Turkish language.
Citizenship
According to the Greek government, between 1955 and 1998,
approximately 60,000 Greek Muslim individuals, predominantly Turkish,
were deprived of their citizenship under Article 19. Of these 60,000,
approximately 7,182 lost their citizenship between 1981 and 1997.[7]
Denial of ethnic identity
The Greek government denies the existence of a Turkish minority within
its borders; government spokesmen say there are no Turks in Western
Thrace.[8] They view the Turks as a religious minority, rather than as
an ethnic or a national minority.[9][10] Greek courts have also
outlawed the use of the word 'Turkish' to describe the Turkish
community. In 1988, the Greek High Court affirmed a 1986 decision of
the Court of Appeals of Thrace in which the Union of Turkish
Associations of Western Thrace was ordered closed. The court held that
the use of the word 'Turkish' referred to citizens of Turkey, and
could not be used to describe citizens of Greece; the use of the word
'Turkish' to describe Greek Muslims was held to endanger public order.
[11] This led to about 10,000 people demonstrating against the
decision in Western Thrace. According to members of the Turkish
minority, it was the first time ethnic Turks had taken to the streets.
[12]
Degrading treatment
The Turkish minority continues to experience degrading treatment in
the form of continued harassment by the police.[13]
Freedom of expression
The freedom of expression of the Turkish minority is frequently
violated. However, they are allowed to issue newspapers and magazines
in the Turkish language; newspapers and magazines published in Turkey
are not allowed entry into Western Thrace, nor are Turkish books. In
addition, Turkish television and sometimes Turkish radio are jammed.
[14]
Religious freedom
According to the Lausanne Treaty, the Turkish minority is entitled to
freedom of religion and to the right to control charitable and
religious institutions. However, the Turkish community believes that
these international law guarantees have been violated by the Greek
government[15] by denying permission to repair or rebuild old mosques
or to build new mosques, by denying the right to choose the muftis
(this chief religious officers), and by efforts to control the Turkish
communities charitable foundations.[16]
Demographics
See also: Demographics of Greece
The Turkish community has a strong presence in Komotini (Turkish:
Gümülcine) and Xanthi (Turkish: İskeçe).
Politics
In 1990 a new electoral law was introduced in Greece, which set a
threshold of at least 3% of the nationwide vote for a party to be
represented in the parliament, independent Turkish MPs were thus
barred from election at the 1993 elections. The participation of
members of the minority in the Hellenic Parliament is since then
assured by Turkish candidats from nationwide political parties, but
the Party of Friendship, Equality and Peace, which succeeded the
Independent Muslim List in 1991, went on competing for elections at
the prefectural and municipal levels. In the Parliament elected in
2007, there are 2 ethnically Turkish PASOK MPs, Çetin Mandacı and
Ahmet Hacıosman. In the preceding legislature (2004-2007) there was
only one Turkish MP, from New Democracy, İlhan Ahmet.
Greek legislative election, 2009
There are presently two Turkish MPs from Western Thrace, both
affiliated to the Panhellenic Socialist Movement, Çetin Mandacı
(Xanthi) and Ahmet Hacıosman (Rhodope), former president (1999-2007)
of the Party of Friendship, Equality and Peace created by former
(1989) MP Sadık Ahmet in 1991[17].
At least 14 candidates from the Turkish minority have been nominated,
mainly in Rhodope and Xanthi[18].
For New Democracy, former MP (2004-2007) İlhan Ahmet and Ahmet Ahmet
are candidates in Rhodope[19], and in Xanthi Aysel Zeybek and Ahmet
Budur[20]. Mrs Zeybek is a former victim of Article 19 of the Greek
Citizenship Code, which allowed the government to revoke the
citizenship of non-ethnic Greeks who left the country[21]. She won her
case before the European Court of Human Rights and re-secured her
Greek citizenship in 2001.
For PASOK, Çetin Mandacı and Seval Osmanoğlu are among the 5
candidates in Xanthi, Rıdvan Kocamümin and Ahmet Hacıosman among the 5
in Rhodope[22].
For the KKE (which presently has no MP in Xanthi or Rhodope), Faik
Faik in Rhodope and Hasan Efendi in Xanthi.
For SYRIZA (which presently has no MP in Xanthi or Rhodope), Hasan
Malkoç and Hüseyin Zeybek are candidates in Xanthi[23], and in Rhodope
[24] Dr. Mustafa Mustafa (former MP) and Celalettin Yurtçu[25].
According to the Turkish newspaper Zaman,
The ND and PASOK are upping the ante with get-out-the-vote measures
aimed at Turks, including providing free bus transportation for 20,000
Greek citizens living in Turkey to Western Thrace so that they can
cast their votes. They will also pay 50 euros per head for voters
coming to Western Thrace[25]
In an earlier published Zaman article more details were mentioned:
PASOK party gives 50 euros for each voter, the ruling ND party, 40
Euro (...) 20,000 Greek citizens living in Istanbul and Bursa are to
be moved by buses at no charge to Western Thrace. For the 2007
election, approximately 10 thousand had been flocked by buses to
Western Thrace. (...) This time, electors living in Germany will be
transported freely from Cologne to Thessaloniki on October 1, and from
Düsseldorf on October 2 to Alexandroupoli. Those going to Komotini and
Xanthi will be transported by free buses.[26]
Diaspora
See also: Turks in Germany
There are some members of the Greek Muslim community among the some
350,000 Greeks living in Germany who are Turks or who espouse a
Turkish identity.[27] The majority of Turks immigrated from Western
Thrace.[28] In the 1960s and 1970s, the Thracian tobacco industry was
affected by a sever crisis and many tobacco growers lost their income.
This resulted in many Turks leaving their homes and immigrating to
Germany with estimates suggesting that today there are now 12,000
residing in Germany.[29]
rick murphy
The Treaty of Lausanne (July 24, 1923) composed of 143 articles
defined and regulated the status of Greeks in Turkiye and Turks in
Greece. If Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, or any citizen of Greece,
or Greek government, or any citizen of Turkiye of Greek heritage
thinks the word and/or the merit of this treaty is violated by Turkish
government, he/she should go to UN or any other international justice
organization such as the World Court, instead of complaining about
Turkiye how bad it is in the American press. As long as they abstain
from doing so, there is no issue to discuss and they have no right to
create baseless issues and sensationalize them. But I do not think
Bartholomew or any other Greek will resort to a legal remedy.
Throughout the short history of the Republic of Turkiye, Greeks, as
well Armenians, always preferred to create baseless issues and
sensationalize them. That way they obtained better results.