Dr Sadık Ahmet Monument opened in Izmit

Dr Sadık Ahmet, the unforgettable leader of Western Thrace Turks, is not forgotten in Kocaeli. In this context, in the event organised by 13 NGOs under the leadership of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality and Western Thrace Turks Solidarity Association Izmit Branch, Dr. Sadık Ahmet Monument built in Doğu Kışla Park was opened.

Mayor of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Tahir Büyüakın, wife of Dr. Sadık Ahmet Işık Ahmet, President of Western Thrace Turks Solidarity Association Hasan Küçük, President of Western Thrace Turks Solidarity Association Hasan Küçük, President of Western Thrace Turks Solidarity Association Izmit Branch Yüksel Öztürk, President of Kocaeli City Council Ali Korkmaz, Provincial Chairs of Political Parties, NGO representatives and citizens attended the opening of the monument built by the Metropolitan Municipality to keep alive the memory of Dr. Sadık Ahmet who is known for his struggle for the rights of Western Thrace Turks in Greece.

"DR. SADIK AHMET IS A HERO"

Stating that they kept the memory of Dr. Sadık Ahmet alive in Kocaeli, Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tahir Büyükakın said, "We had previously named the pedestrian overpass built between Izmit Outlet Center and 41 Burda Shopping Malls as "Dr. Sadık Ahmet Overpass". This time we built a monument to keep his memory alive. Great nations are nations that know how to keep their heroes alive with monuments. Because what is essential is the cause and stance. The main thing is to continue that case and stance without being forgotten. Otherwise, if you forget your cause and stance, you will forget your history. Sheikh Edebali Hazretleri says, 'He who has no past has no future'. There is no nation without a past. In order to become a nation, your bond with the past must continue very firmly. One of the most important elements that establishes our bond with the past is to keep alive the memories of our heroes who have served our history. Dr Sadık Ahmet is undoubtedly one of these heroes."

"LET'S CHERISH HIS MEMORY"

Stating that Dr. Sadık Ahmet fought for the rights of Western Thrace Turks, President Büyükakın said: "He was saying 'I am a Turk' at a time when it was difficult to say the name 'Turk', let alone 'I am a Turk' in Western Thrace. Now it is written on the monument, 'I am being taken to jail because I am a Turk' He was saying that no matter how many times they take me to jail, I will proudly continue to say that I am a Turk. Thanks to his brave stance, that case continues. Everyone who has respect and affection for Dr Sadık Ahmet should show the same respect to his family. Every member of this nation will protect the memory of Dr Sadık Ahmet. On this occasion, I commemorate him with respect and mercy on the 28th anniversary of his departure from us, and I express once again that I will protect his cherished memory and cause."

IŞIK AHMET THANKS TO BÜYÜKAKIN

In her speech, Işık Ahmet, the wife of Dr. Sadık Ahmet, the defender of Western Thrace Turks, said: "It is a very proud event for us that he is mentioned again after 28 years and that he is always on the agenda". Işık continued: "It is a meaningful day for me. After 28 years, it is very important that the name of my leader, whose surname I bear again, is mentioned here. A person dies the last time his name is mentioned. I see the respect everyone has for him. I have been in this struggle with him for 17 years. If he had survived, he would have done a lot of work. The events in Greece are still continuing. The Greek state has recently closed 9 Turkish schools. Turkey is a great state. There is tolerance here. But they immediately intervene in every negative situation in Turkey or when we raise our voices in Western Thrace. As Western Thrace Turks, our cause there continues. We may have lost Sadık Ahmet but we continue on his path. Turks in Western Thrace will continue to live under the protection of the Lausanne Peace Treaty. We feel the support given to the Balkans. From now on, we will continue this struggle with our compatriots living in Western Thrace and Turkey with your contribution. I would like to thank our President Tahir for keeping the name of Dr Sadık Ahmet alive."

"GREAT LEADERS DO NOT COME TO EVERY SOCIETY"

Hasan Küçük, President of Western Thrace Turks Solidarity Association, stated that Dr. Sadık Ahmet was a great leader of the society and said: "Great leaders are not fortunate for every society. How happy we are that a leader like Dr Sadık Ahmet came out from among us. I would like to thank the young people of Western Thrace Turks. They always carry the flag they took over in this blessed cause forward and to good days. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the creation of the monument and especially our Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tahir Büyakakın and İzmit Branch President Yüksel Öztürk." Yüksel Öztürk, President of Izmit Branch of Thracian Turks Solidarity Association, said: "Dr Sadık Ahmet is a great hero who has written his name in golden letters in Turkish history and has gained deep love and respect in the hearts of our saints and nepip nation."

MONUMENT OPENED WITH A CEREMONY

After the speeches, Dr Sadık Ahmet Monument was opened. On the monument where carnations were left, there is an article about the life of Dr Sadık Ahmet, a picture, a map of Western Thrace, his own sentences and Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's "Western Thrace is within the borders of the National Mission".

SABAH