Call from the Organization of the Islamic Conference

Respect Call from the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) for the Identity of the Western Thrace Turks

At the OIC 32. Term Foreign Ministers Meeting which took place in Jemen, it was called that all the measures should be taken in order that the identity and rights of the Western Thrace Muslim Turkish Minority in Greece were preserved.

In the written proposal adopted unanimously at the OIC Foreign Ministers meeting, the repressions carried out against the Muslim minority were stressed, and the “adjudication pressure” on the elected Muftis (the highest religious authority of a province) of Xanthi and Komotini were condemned and the official recognition of Muftis were appealed.

Furthermore, it was demanded that the necessary steps were taken in order that the Muslim Turkish minority in the Western Thrace could elect their own executive boards in such a way that this would make the self-management of the foundations possible.

Concerning the issue of the Turkish Union of Xanthi (ITB), one of the oldest NGOs of the Turkish minority, unhappiness about the ban of the foundation activities by the Greek Highest Court of Appeal due to the word “Turkish” in its name was expressed, and it was stressed that it was unacceptable that the identity and rights of the Western Thrace Turkish minority were being ignored.

The OIC General Secretariat has also been assigned to prepare a report about the news of the destruction of the mosques and Muslim graveyards in the Western Thrace. It was stated that the report related to the Turkish minority in the Western Thrace would be presented at the next OIC Foreign Ministers Meeting.