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1990 Komotini events

The Komotini events (Turkish: Gümülcine olayları) occurred on 29 January 1990 between local Greek Christians and members of the Muslim minority in the Komotini area in northern Greece. The events started over the conviction and imprisonment of an ethnic Turkish MP, Sadik Achmet, by a Greek court. 400 shops were looted,[1] and the offices of two Turkish newspapers ransacked. The clashes broke out after the murder of an ethnic Greek by a Muslim, while there were no Turkish casualties during the events.[2]

Komotini is located in the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace in northern Greece, on the border with Turkey

Background edit

A minority, which is recognized by the Council of Europe as part of the Muslim minority in Western Thrace, with estimates varying from 50,000 (official census) to as high as 130,000 (Human Rights Watch).[3][4] The term 'Turkish minority' is officially denied by Greece via using "Muslim Greeks" instead. Discrimination of the Turks has been criticized by the US and the European Parliament.[5] On January 26, 1990, a Greek court jailed 2 Turkish leaders because they used the word "Turk" in their political organization. Turks in Greece cannot choose their religious leader (mufti).[6][7]

Events edit

The events started in Komotini, when 1,500 Greek citizens of Turkish origin [Turks in Greece] gathered near a mosque chanting "we are Turks" in protest of the 1982 Supreme Court ruling restricting the use of the word "Turkish".[8] After the broadcast of an erroneous news item on a local radio station, organized Greek mobs damaged and looted around 400 shops of the Turkish minority as well as beating up some of the minority members including the acting mufti. The police did not intervene. After international reaction[citation needed] 12 Greeks were arrested for attacking Muslim premises.[9][10]

According to an eye-witness reported by Helsinki Watch: Greek mobs consisted of approximately 40 to 50 people running wild, breaking windows, beating people and vandalizing cars; he saw a police car coming behind the mob, without making any effort to stop the Greek nationalists. Foreign observers stated Greek shops were not touched, indeed many of these shops displayed Greek flags in the windows, suggesting the riots were carefully orchestrated, and that the police did not interfere to stop the mobs.[11]

Aftermath edit

The event increased the tension between Greece and Turkey when the Turkish Consul in Komotini was declared "persona non grata" and expelled from the country for having referred to the minority as "our kinsmen" in a letter he wrote to Greek authorities demanding the indemnification of damaged shops. Turkey retaliated by expelling the Greek Consul in Istanbul.[11]

When a group from Synaspismos (Coalition of the Left) led by Maria Damanaki a member of Greek parliament visited the destroyed shops of the city two days after the events, they were verbally attacked by some Greek nationalists. During their meeting with the local politicians at the town hall, an angry mob gathered outside to protest, calling Damanaki a traitor. The group could not meet the minority representatives under such circumstances and had to abandon the town hall under police surveillance.[12]

In 1991 when Turks protested the dismissal of their chosen Mufti by the Greek government the tension increased again, reportedly thirteen people were injured and the Mosque of Komotini was bombed.[13]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Statement on "the continuous Greek violation of the right of freedom of association of the Turkish minority of Western Thrace"". Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  2. ^ Vemund Aarbakke (2000). The muslim minority of Greek Thrace. Phd thesis / University of Bergen. pp. 430–431. At this time there was also an unfortunate incident at the public hospital in Komotini...
  3. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 27, 2009. Retrieved December 17, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ Council of Europe, Commissioner for Human Rights, Mandate 2006-2012, Thomas Hammarberg. "Commissioner for Human Rights - Report by Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, following his visit to Greece on 8-10 December 2008 - Issue reviewed: Human rights of minorities". Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  5. ^ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "Refworld - Greece: The Turks of Western Thrace". Refworld. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  6. ^ "European HR Court - Ahmet Sadik v. Greece". Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  7. ^ (Organization), Human Rights Watch (December 1996). Human Rights Watch World Report 1997. ISBN 9781564322074. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  8. ^ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "Refworld - Chronology for Muslims in Greece". Refworld. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  9. ^ Whitman, Lois (1990). Destroying Ethnic Identity. ISBN 9780929692708. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  10. ^ Crossing the Aegean, Hirschon Renée, p.105
  11. ^ a b Lois Whitman, Destroying ethnic identity: the Turks of Greece, Helsinki Watch (Organization : U.S.). Page 21
  12. ^ Oran Baskın, Türk-Yunan ilişkilerinde Batı Tarakya sorunu, page 192 Bilgi Yayınevi, 1991
  13. ^ Linguistic minorities in Central and Eastern Europe, Christina Bratt Paulston, Donald Peckham, page 70
  • MacEwen, Martin (1995). Tackling racism in Europe: an examination of anti-discrimination law in practice. Berg Publishers. ISBN 978-1-85973-047-8.
  • UNHCR: Chronology for Muslims in Greece

1990, komotini, events, komotini, events, turkish, gümülcine, olayları, occurred, january, 1990, between, local, greek, christians, members, muslim, minority, komotini, area, northern, greece, events, started, over, conviction, imprisonment, ethnic, turkish, s. The Komotini events Turkish Gumulcine olaylari occurred on 29 January 1990 between local Greek Christians and members of the Muslim minority in the Komotini area in northern Greece The events started over the conviction and imprisonment of an ethnic Turkish MP Sadik Achmet by a Greek court 400 shops were looted 1 and the offices of two Turkish newspapers ransacked The clashes broke out after the murder of an ethnic Greek by a Muslim while there were no Turkish casualties during the events 2 Komotini is located in the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace in northern Greece on the border with Turkey Contents 1 Background 2 Events 3 Aftermath 4 See also 5 ReferencesBackground editA minority which is recognized by the Council of Europe as part of the Muslim minority in Western Thrace with estimates varying from 50 000 official census to as high as 130 000 Human Rights Watch 3 4 The term Turkish minority is officially denied by Greece via using Muslim Greeks instead Discrimination of the Turks has been criticized by the US and the European Parliament 5 On January 26 1990 a Greek court jailed 2 Turkish leaders because they used the word Turk in their political organization Turks in Greece cannot choose their religious leader mufti 6 7 Events editThe events started in Komotini when 1 500 Greek citizens of Turkish origin Turks in Greece gathered near a mosque chanting we are Turks in protest of the 1982 Supreme Court ruling restricting the use of the word Turkish 8 After the broadcast of an erroneous news item on a local radio station organized Greek mobs damaged and looted around 400 shops of the Turkish minority as well as beating up some of the minority members including the acting mufti The police did not intervene After international reaction citation needed 12 Greeks were arrested for attacking Muslim premises 9 10 According to an eye witness reported by Helsinki Watch Greek mobs consisted of approximately 40 to 50 people running wild breaking windows beating people and vandalizing cars he saw a police car coming behind the mob without making any effort to stop the Greek nationalists Foreign observers stated Greek shops were not touched indeed many of these shops displayed Greek flags in the windows suggesting the riots were carefully orchestrated and that the police did not interfere to stop the mobs 11 Aftermath editThe event increased the tension between Greece and Turkey when the Turkish Consul in Komotini was declared persona non grata and expelled from the country for having referred to the minority as our kinsmen in a letter he wrote to Greek authorities demanding the indemnification of damaged shops Turkey retaliated by expelling the Greek Consul in Istanbul 11 When a group from Synaspismos Coalition of the Left led by Maria Damanaki a member of Greek parliament visited the destroyed shops of the city two days after the events they were verbally attacked by some Greek nationalists During their meeting with the local politicians at the town hall an angry mob gathered outside to protest calling Damanaki a traitor The group could not meet the minority representatives under such circumstances and had to abandon the town hall under police surveillance 12 In 1991 when Turks protested the dismissal of their chosen Mufti by the Greek government the tension increased again reportedly thirteen people were injured and the Mosque of Komotini was bombed 13 See also editAnti Turkism Bulgarization of Turks in Bulgaria Provisional Government of Western Thrace Istanbul PogromReferences edit Statement on the continuous Greek violation of the right of freedom of association of the Turkish minority of Western Thrace Retrieved 9 May 2015 Vemund Aarbakke 2000 The muslim minority of Greek Thrace Phd thesis University of Bergen pp 430 431 At this time there was also an unfortunate incident at the public hospital in Komotini Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on May 27 2009 Retrieved December 17 2009 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Mandate 2006 2012 Thomas Hammarberg Commissioner for Human Rights Report by Thomas Hammarberg Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe following his visit to Greece on 8 10 December 2008 Issue reviewed Human rights of minorities Retrieved 9 May 2015 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Refworld Greece The Turks of Western Thrace Refworld Retrieved 9 May 2015 European HR Court Ahmet Sadik v Greece Retrieved 9 May 2015 Organization Human Rights Watch December 1996 Human Rights Watch World Report 1997 ISBN 9781564322074 Retrieved 9 May 2015 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Refworld Chronology for Muslims in Greece Refworld Retrieved 9 May 2015 Whitman Lois 1990 Destroying Ethnic Identity ISBN 9780929692708 Retrieved 9 May 2015 Crossing the Aegean Hirschon Renee p 105 a b Lois Whitman Destroying ethnic identity the Turks of Greece Helsinki Watch Organization U S Page 21 Oran Baskin Turk Yunan iliskilerinde Bati Tarakya sorunu page 192 Bilgi Yayinevi 1991 Linguistic minorities in Central and Eastern Europe Christina Bratt Paulston Donald Peckham page 70 MacEwen Martin 1995 Tackling racism in Europe an examination of anti discrimination law in practice Berg Publishers ISBN 978 1 85973 047 8 UNHCR Chronology for Muslims in Greece Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1990 Komotini events amp oldid 1195146509, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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