Teachers' Union issues statement for the January 29 National Day of Resistance and Solidarity.
The Western Thrace Turkish Teachers' Union (BTTÖB) published a statement on the 29 January National Resistance and Solidarity Day, which will be celebrated at 19:00 in the evening at the Komotini Turkish Youth Union on Sunday, January 29, 2023.
Stating that "January 29, 1988 is the day when Western Thrace Turks showed an honorable resistance against the denial of their national identity and shouted to the world that they would never accept anti-democratic discrimination and oppression," the BTTÖB administration emphasized that it also condemned the vandalism that was common to Western Thrace Turkish society on January 29, 1990.
BTTOB management stated the following regarding the events of January 29, both in 1988 and 1990:
"The date of January 29, 1988 is the day when the Turks of Western Thrace showed an honorable resistance against the denial of their national identity and shouted to the world that they would never accept anti-democratic discrimination and oppression. It is the day when he feels like a citizen and voices with a strong voice that he will live in this country.
The heroes who bravely hit the road that day gave us this 'National Resistance and Social Solidarity Day'. We will continue to commemorate the heroes who gifted us this honorable holiday, on the anniversaries of this meaningful day, and to wish mercy to the deceased of this cause with great determination.
Two years later, we have never forgotten and we will never forget the fascist attitude that forbade the commemoration of the National Day of Resistance and Social Solidarity, blackened the day of January 29, 1990 in the pages of history, and deserved vandalism towards the workplaces of the members of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority.
We are watching with concern the attitude of the European Union, which has been silent for years against the usurpation of the rights of a minority whose rights and laws have been determined by international treaties, in the name of humanity and peace. This attitude causes us to question our belief in concepts such as democracy, human rights, freedom of expression, and the right to equal education, which the European Union has been expressing and emphasizing sensitively and even forming the foundations of for years.
Now, with kindergartens that will provide bilingual Turkish-Greek education, our historical associations will become official in this country with their own identities, all the blessings of democracy will be benefited, freedom of thought will be exercised fearlessly, the heads of institutions will not be intimidated by the judiciary, the education we are entitled to will be done as we wish, school closures will be stopped. We hope that the days will come when minority schools will be opened in the needed area and our young people will look to the future with hope.
With these feelings and wishes, as the Western Thrace Turkish Teachers' Union, we sincerely celebrate the January 29, 1988 National Resistance and Social Solidarity Day of our minority, and once again condemn the vandalism that was prevalent in our society on January 29, 1990."
