"Western Thrace Turks National Resistance Day" commemoration event organised in Izmit
Western Thrace Turks Solidarity Association (BTTDD) Izmit Branch organised a programme for 29 January National Resistance Day. In the programme hosted by BTTDD İzmit Branch President Yüksel Öztürk at Antikkapı Wedding and Meeting Hall, members of the association and guests had breakfast. Mufti of Xanthi Mustafa Trampa, wife of Sadık Ahmet who fought for the rights of Western Thrace, Işık Sadık Ahmet and his daughter Funda Sadık Ahmet also attended the programme.
Mayor of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Tahir Büyükakın, Mayor of Başiskele Municipality Yasin Özlü, AK Party Provincial Chairman Şahin Talus, MHP Provincial Chairman Murat Nuri Demirbaş, DSP Provincial Chairman Halim Dedeoğlu, BBP Provincial Coordinator Metehan Küpçü and Mufti of Xanthi Mustafa Trampa AK Party İzmit District Chairman Halil Dokuzlar, DSP District Chairman Ufuk Kardeş, Representatives of Rumeli Balkan Associations also attended the commemoration. Within the scope of the programme attended by Işık Sadık Ahmet, wife of Dr. Sadık Ahmet, the martyred leader of the cause of Western Thrace Turks, and his daughter Funda Sadık Ahmet, from the front of Antikkapı to the National Resistance Monument adjacent to Fevziye Mosque, carnations were left at the monument. Izmit Mayor Fatma Hürriyet also participated in the programme during the carnation laying.
BTTDD İzmit Branch President Yüksel Öztürk, who was the host of the programme, said in his speech after the breakfast: "We are here to remember and not to forget what happened 36 years ago after the court ruled that 'there are no Turks in Western Thrace' for the Western Thrace Turks who worked for Greece, where they are citizens. We have not forgotten 29 January and we will not forget. We exist as Western Thrace Turks and we will continue to exist".
STILL NOT FULFILLED TODAY
Işık Sadık Ahmet, wife of Sadık Ahmet, said the following "The importance of this blessed day is the important struggle for us. Ahmet Sadık's struggle to keep the Turkish culture alive has been a source of example and inspiration. Ahmet Sadık said: "I am being taken to prison because I am a Turk, here I say again that I am a Turk and I will remain a Turk." This statement is a source of strength for the people of the region. The demands of the Turkish people living in the majority without being assimilated have still not been fulfilled today. As Western Thrace Turks, we must continue our struggle as one and together without slowing down. I would like to thank Tahir Büyükakın, the President of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, who has a great share in the realisation of this organisation today."
THEY ARE TRYING TO ELIMINATE THE MINORITY
Mustafa Trampa, Mufti of Xanthi, in his speech at the programme said "29 January is a very important moment, there are 2 29 January. Its reflection continues since that day. As in every region and society, we have ancient institutions and organisations in the Western Thrace region. These organisations are institutions and organisations within the Turkish word. These institutions and organisations were faced with the decision to close down by saying 'there are no Turks in Western Thrace' or they were prevented from including the word 'Turkish' in their names. Our foundation properties are confiscated, they are trying to eliminate the Turkish Muslim rage. We march against oppression. There were elections in 1988-1989. Sadık Ahmet was elected as an MP, but Greece cancelled this election.
SOMEONE DOES NOT ACCEPT THAT YOU ARE TURKISH
Then elections were held again, but this time our elected deputies were investigated for using the word 'Turk'. On 20 January 1999, they shot, broke and destroyed our shops. The people of that period were the people who worked to bring 29 January to this day. Loving one's own nation is the Sunnah of the Prophet. In the Balkans, Muslim means Turk, Turk means Muslim. If you forget that you are a Turk because someone does not accept you, no one will believe you if you come out in the future and say "We are Muslims". Every society has tales and stories and 29 January is our story. Just as 29 January is kept alive today, it will be kept alive from now on. This spirit will never, ever be extinguished until the Day of Judgement."
UNACCEPTED AND OVERESTIMATED
Tahir Büyükakın, President of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, said in his speech: "What happened should not happen again, but if similar events happen, our friends among us will not break an eye to be one of the names in history. Those without a past have no future. If we forget and do not remember what happened there, there is no possibility for our children to hold on here. They did not accept our existence on this land, they saw it as too much. They want to see us as occupiers here. No matter how much we try to be like them, their views will not change. The idea that 'we will throw those Turks out of Anatolia' still exists. We are all among the Turks they want to expel.
WE ARE ALL THE CHILDREN OF ADAM AND EVE
As Sadık Ahmet said, 'You are taking me to prison because I am a Turk', and this is the issue today, so I am happy to be a Turk. They told Mehmet the Conqueror, 'Get out of Turkishness and convert to Christianity'. They do not say Islam, they say Turkishness. We are all sons of Adam and Eve. We will stand against those who try to take down the signs saying there are no Turks. We will not forget our national identity. I commemorate Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and everyone who served for the cause of Turkishness-Muslimity with gratitude. I welcome our mufti, who came here from our lands for the organisation, and our dear wife of Sadık Ahmet, sister Işık. This nation will write history again."
