Western Thrace Turks commemorate late leader Dr. Sadık Ahmet at his grave
Dr. Sadık Ahmet, who led the Western Thrace Turks in the struggle for their rights and made history with his struggle, was not forgotten this year and was commemorated with prayers at his grave.
The late leader Dr. Sadık Ahmet, who fought to draw attention to the identity problem experienced by the Western Thrace Turks, the assimilation policies he faced, the denial of rights to the minority and to make it known both in the country and in the international arena, but lost his life as a result of a suspicious traffic accident, was not forgotten on the 29th anniversary of his death. A commemoration ceremony was organized by the Friendship, Equality and Peace Party, of which he was the founder, at 19.00 on Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at 19.00 at Komotini Kahveci Cemetery.The ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director for European Union Affairs Ambassador Mehmet Kemal Bozay, Deputy Minister of Family and Social Services Yavuz Selim Kıran, Director General for Bilateral Political Affairs and Maritime Aviation Border Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Burak Özügergin, Turkish Ambassador to Athens Çağatay Erciyes, Consul General of Türkiye in Komotini Aykut Ünal, Governor of Edirne Yunus Sezer, Mustafa Destici, Chairman of the Grand Unity Party (BBP), Ahmet Kamil Erozan, Deputy Chairman and Head of International Relations of the IYI Party, Zafer Sırakaya, Deputy Chairman of the AK Party, Ilhami Özcan Aygun, Tekirdağ MP of the Republican People's Party (CHP), Levent Memiş, MP representing the Bulgarian Party for Rights and Freedoms, Naim Elgandur, President of the Union of Muslims in Greece, Yavuz Baş, President of the Nationalist Physicians Association of Türkiye.
The ceremony, which was attended by the late Sadık Ahmet's wife Işık Ahmet, son Levent Ahmet and daughter Funda Ahmet, as well as the President of the Advisory Board of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority and Mufti of Komotini İbrahim Şerif, Mufti of Xanthi Mustafa Trampa, representatives of minority institutions and organizations and a large number of compatriots, started with the Sala and Aşr-ı Şerif recited by İsmail Ahmet in memory of Dr. Sadık Ahmet and all martyrs. Then a prayer was offered by İbrahim Şerif, Mufti of Komotini. In the continuation of the program, speeches indicating the meaning and importance of the day were made.The opening speech was made by FEP Party President Çiğdem Asafoğlu. Afterwards, Funda Sadık Ahmet read the poem she wrote on behalf of her father.
Then, from the protocol, Mümin Durmuş, President of Izmir Branch on behalf of the Western Thrace Turks Solidarity Association, Naim Elgandur, President of the Union of Muslims in Greece, Yavuz Baş, President of the Turkish Nationalist Physicians Association, Levent Memiş, MP representing the Bulgarian Party for Rights and Freedoms, and Mustafa Destici, President of the Grand Union Party, Ahmet Kamil Erozan, Deputy Chairman and Head of International Relations representing the Good Party, İlhami Özcan, Tekirdağ MP representing the Republican People's Party, Zafer Sırakaya, Vice President of the Justice and Development Party, Yavuz Selim Kıran, Deputy Minister of Family and Social Services of Türkiye, Mehmet Kemal Bozay, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye took the floor and talked about the late Dr. Sadık Ahmet and his struggle for Turkishness and the rights of Western Thrace Turks. Sadık Ahmet and his struggle for Turkishness and the rights of Western Thrace Turks. Mustafa Destici, Chairman of the Grand Unity Party, who attended the ceremony and did not leave the Sadık Ahmet family and Western Thrace Turks alone in the commemoration ceremony this year, greeted the participants. In his speech, Destici mentioned the struggle of Dr. Sadık Ahmet and drew attention to the principles of reciprocity. Destici; "If schools are closed here, schools should be closed there (in Türkiye). If our elected muftis are not recognized here, if a mufti is appointed against them (by the Greek state), then Türkiye should not recognize the elected patriarch there (in Istanbul) and should elect a patriarch and give him all the facilities in Türkiye." Tekirdağ Deputy İlhami Özcan Aygun, representing the main opposition Republican People's Party, also took the floor at the ceremony and greeted the West Thracian compatriots.
Stating that Sadık Ahmet fought hard for the protection of Turkish identity by resisting the assimilation policies implemented by Greece, Aygun said that Ahmet mobilized the international public opinion for the restoration of the rights of Western Thrace Turks arising from the Treaty of Lausanne.
Another important guest who made a speech at the ceremony was Yavuz Selim Kıran, Deputy Minister of Family and Social Services of Türkiye. Kıran emphasized the importance of identity politics in his speech; "The struggle of the late Sadık Ahmet was to preserve and strengthen the Turkish and Muslim identity of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace together with the struggle for rights and justice."Kıran said that the obstacles to weaken the Turks in Western Thrace continue to increase, especially in the fields of education and identity policies, and that Türkiye continues to fight for the rights of Western Thrace Turks in the field, at the table and on every platform. Deputy Foreign Minister Bozay, representing the Justice and Development Party government, also took the floor at the ceremony. Sadık Ahmet's struggle for Turkishness on the one hand, and on the other hand, he reminded that in recent days, Greek authorities closed four more Turkish minority primary schools in Western Thrace on the grounds of lack of students and emphasized that the Greek state should put an end to these unjust practices. Bozay said that they expect positive steps to be taken to eliminate the inadequacies in minority schools and added: "While implementing the Lausanne Peace Treaty, we also take into account the progress made in human and minority rights in the last century, and we shape our approach to our own minority within the framework of these contemporary values. Naturally, we expect the same constructive treatment to be extended to you. I would like to emphasize once again that we will follow the struggle of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace for the delivery of its rights arising from the treaty and that we will stand by you, our compatriots, who are troubled by the troubles and happy with the joys of the motherland."
Stating that they will continue to take steps in all platforms for the improvement of the situation of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace and the solution of its problems and that they will continue to see this issue as a priority, Bozay underlined the importance of unity and solidarity by stating that the just struggle of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace should be continued with the resilience and determination shown by Sadık Ahmet.
Sadık Ahmet message from President Erdoğan
During his speech, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Bozay read out President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's message on Sadık Ahmet to the participants. President Erdoğan stated the following in his message:
"Dear family of the late Dr. Sadık Ahmet, esteemed muftis, esteemed members of the Friendship Equality Peace Party, esteemed representatives of minority institutions and organizations, dear brothers and sisters, I greet you with my most heartfelt feelings, longing and affection. On the 29th anniversary of the passing away of Dr. Sadık Ahmet, the leader of the Western Thrace Turks and the founder of the Friendship and Equality Peace Party, I once again remember him with mercy and gratitude. As you know very well, the late Dr. Sadık Ahmet was a man of cause who fought with great courage for the Western Thrace Turks to regain their usurped rights and dedicated his life to this path. He was a community leader who became the symbol of unity and solidarity of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority and established a throne in the hearts of the entire Turkish nation. The Friendship Equality Peace (FEP) Party follows in his footsteps and continues the struggle of the late Sadık Ahmet with the same determination and courage."
Finally, Işık Sadık Ahmet, the wife of the deceased, made a speech. On behalf of his family, he thanked the Western Thracian kinsmen who attended the ceremony and the guests from the motherland and neighboring countries.
At the end of the program, a dinner was distributed by the FEP Party to the kinsmen and other guests who attended the ceremony.
Dinner by the FEP Party
The FEP Party hosted a dinner for the guests who attended the commemoration ceremony organized on the occasion of the 29th anniversary of the death of Dr. Sadık Ahmet.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mehmet Kemal Bozay made a speech to the participants before the dinner given in the village of Eşekçili.
Bozay: Turks have a patient stubbornness, we don't leave until we get what we want
Bozay made a speech at the dinner given by the FEP Party and shared with the participants the problems of the Western Thracian kinsmen, the perspective of the motherland Türkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the Turkish minority. Deputy Minister Bozay stated the following;
"After saying a few things to you with the comfort of being in a family environment with you, I would like to tell you that as a brother from Türkiye, I am leaving here with new duties that will fall on me as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. It was a very instructive visit for me. I have been in the foreign affairs for 36 years. Of course, our cause is everywhere. In all the places where I have served, we have always taken initiatives regarding our compatriots in Western Thrace. But now I am leaving here with the excitement of doing this with love, with much more enthusiasm, with the energy you have given us, with what you have told us. I want you to believe this. I have conveyed the heartfelt message of our President to you. He commemorated the late Dr. Sadık Ahmet in his speech this morning and in his tweets. With the power and will given to us by our President at the head of the Turkish state, we will intensify our work on the issue of muftis, schools and foundations in the coming period. We will continue on our way together in unity and strength. Mr. President of the FEP Party said that compared to the 2014s and 2020s, this time we are facing some harsher and more aggressive behaviors. But the Turk has a patient stubbornness. We don't give up until we get what we want. What we want is our legal and legitimate rights. We do not interfere with anyone's rights. We will continue on our way in a way to protect our rights on this path of right. I am telling you these messages with the will of our President and all the authorities of the Turkish state. I wish you days full of health, peace and happiness. May the soul of the late Dr. Sadık Ahmet rest in peace and his place be in heaven."
