“No one has the power to erase the name Western Thrace”
Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), reacted strongly to the alteration of the term “Western Thrace” in written submissions to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), stating:
“No one has the power to erase the name ‘Western Thrace.’ It is not merely a name—it is part of our identity, our history, and our honor.”
Habip Oğlu emphasized that the ABTTF has been steadfastly working for years to bring the issues faced by the Turkish minority in Greece to the attention of the international community. Since obtaining special consultative status at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 2006, the federation has submitted 50 written statements to the UN Human Rights Council.
Referring to a notable incident from the past year, Habip Oğlu said:
“We noticed that in our last three submissions to the UN, the term ‘Western Thrace’ had been replaced with simply ‘Thrace’ without our knowledge. This occurred around the same time that the Western Thrace Fenerbahçe Cultural and Sports Association was shut down because of the use of ‘Western Thrace’ in its name. It was no coincidence.”
He stated that ABTTF immediately filed a formal objection and took the issue to the UN, leading to extensive correspondence. As a result, the UN confirmed that using the expression ‘Western Thrace, Greece’ was appropriate.
Continuing his remarks, Habip Oğlu said:
“Those who were disturbed by the term ‘Western Thrace’ tried to erase it, but we know that erasing a name does not erase a people. We took the necessary steps, and our legitimacy has now been recognized. We exist—and we will continue to make our voices heard on every platform.”
The ABTTF President concluded by underlining that this issue is not merely a matter of terminology, but one of identity, history, and dignity for the Turks of Western Thrace.
