ABTTF and BTAYTD were at OSCE High Level Conference in Tirana

The conference also discussed discrimination and intolerance against Muslims with partici-pation of Komotini Elected Mufti İbrahim Şerif and Xanthi Elected Mufti Ahmet Mete

Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) attended Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) High-Level Conference on Non-discrimination and Tolerance on 21-22 May 2013. Komotini Elected Mufti İbrahim Şerif, Xanthi Elected Mufti Ahmet Mete, West-ern Thrace Minority Culture and Education Foundation Pervin Hayrullah, ABTTF International Affairs Director Melek Kırmacı Arık and ABTTF International Affairs and Lobby Group Member Nabi İbrahimcik represented the Western Thrace Turkish Minority at the conference organised by Ukrainian OSCE Chairmanship and hosted in Tirana in cooperation with Albanian Government.

Western Thrace Turkish Minority has become a target of extreme right

In her speech on racism, extremism and xenophobia during the first session of the conference, Me-lek Kırmacı underlined that Western Thrace Turkish Minority had become target of extreme right in Greece. In response, Secretary General of the Minority of Interior of Greece, Evangelos Syrigos, contended the hate motivated attacks against Western Thrace Turkish Minority as being individual and personal incidents.

Kırmacı, during her speech at the session on discrimination against Muslims, backed her statements with US Report on Religious Freedom 2012, which confirmed xenophobic violence against Muslims in Greece. Further to this, Kırmacı exemplified the findings of the report with evidence on March 2012 when “The best Turk is the dead Turk” was written on the wall of Bektashi tomb by extremist circles in Greece.

At her intervention during the last session on the role of political leadership legislation and law en-forcement in combating and preventing intolerance and discrimination, Kırmacı noted on verbal insults of Golden Dawn political party to PASOK Deputy of Rodopi Prefecture Ahmet Hacıosman upon his reaction to the adoption of 240 Imams Law, which stipulates appointment of 240 Imams to the region by state-composed commission of Christians.

Greece does not recognise our elected Muftis

Pervin Hayrullah, at her speech on behalf of Komotini Elected Mufti İbrahim Şerif, Xanthi Elected Mufti and Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association, provided and in-dept expla-nation on the situation in terms of religious freedom that Greece does not recognise the Muftis elected by Muslim minority in Western Thrace, conversely the Greek state appoints the Muftis upon its unilateral decision. Further to this, Hayrullah pointed out the additional regulation adopted in 2013 enables the state to appoint Muslim religious clerks (imams) to minority’s institutions, includ-ing mosques and minority schools for performing teachings of Qur’an.

Greece, in response, brought up the arguments that on the election of Muftis there is no com-mon/agreed practice within the Muslim countries and reiterated that the Muftis in Turkey are appointed by state instead of being directly elected. Further to this, Greece claimed that the regula-tion does not pose any modification on the status of imams thus; this case does not constitute an intervention of state to religious affairs.

At her intervention during the session on the role of political leadership legislation and law en-forcement in combating and preventing intolerance and discrimination, Pervin Hayrullah uttered Greece’s comment and explanation on election of Muftis in Turkey is a misinterpretation. Hayrullah backed her statement by indicating that the Turks in Western Thrace are in minority status and any comparisons to be made are only possible with Greek Orthodox minority in Turkey. Hayrullah called on Greece to enable Western Thrace Turkish Minority to exercise its right to elect its own re-ligious leaders as guaranteed under international treaties.