The Macedonians of GreeceDenying Ethnic IdentityBy Human Rights Watch, 1994.
This report is based on information gathered by a fact-finding mission in the Macedonian region in northern Greece. In July 1993, organized and co-ordinated by the Minority Rights Group-Greece. The participants were Panayote Dimitras, representing the Minority Rights Group-Greece; Erik Siesby, head of the Danish Helsinki Committee; and Lois Whitman, the Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch/Helsinki. The report was written by Lois Whitman and edited by Jeri Laber, the Executive Director of Human Rights Watch /Helsinki.The Greek Fogeign Ministry, which initially refused to meet with the three groups making up the fact-finding mission, was subsequently very cooperative with Human Rights Watch / Helsinki in answering questions and providing information. Macedonian rights activists were very helpful in providing interviews and information, sometimes at considerable risk. In many cases activists and others interviewed by the mission requested that their names not be used, for fear of retaliation by authorities.Here is a small excerpt from the book:
On the basis of the evidence obtained during the fact-finding mission, Human Rights Watch/Helsinki has concluded that:
an ethnic Macedonian minority with its own language and culture exists in northern Greece;
the Greek government has denied the ethnic identity of the ethnic Macedonian minority in violation of international human rights laws and agreements. This is evidenced by open statements by Greek officials; by the government's denial of the existence of a Macedonian language; by the government's refusal to permit a "Center of Macedonian Culture;" and by the government's refusal in the recent past to permit the performance of Macedonian songs and dances;
freedom of expression is restricted for ethnic Macedonians in violation of international human rights laws. Some rights activists have been prosecuted and convicted for the peaceful expression of their views; although some of these charges were eventually dropped due to a recent change in the law, some convictions are still in effect;
the Greek government discriminates against the ethnic Macedonian minority in violation of international laws and agreements to which it is a party;
ethnic Macedonian political refugees who fled northern Greece after the Greek Civil War, as well as their descendants who define themselves as "Macedonians," are denied permission to regain their citizenship, to resettle, or to visit northern Greece; in contrast, political refugees who define themselves as Greeks are permitted to do so;
the teaching of the Macedonian language is not permitted;
ethnic Macedonians were discriminated against in employment in the public sector in the past, and may suffer from such discrimination at present; the Greek government should examine its employment practices to determine whether such discrimination exists today;
ethnic Macedonians, and particularly Macedonian rights activists, are harassed by the government, followed and threatened by security forces, and subjected to economic and social pressures resulting from government harassment; this has led to a marked climate of fear in which many ethnic Macedonians are reluctant to assert their Macedonian identity or to express their views openly.If you are asking yourself: "what has changed in these 14 years since the report was published?", I will answer you - NOTHING! Since 1913, and especially after the World War II, Greece is organizing and implementing a silent ethnic genocide of the entire "non-greek" population, especially in Aegean Macedonia. The name issue is just the tip of this monstrous legacy.
On the basis of the evidence obtained during the fact-finding mission, Human Rights Watch/Helsinki has concluded that:
an ethnic Macedonian minority with its own language and culture exists in northern Greece;
the Greek government has denied the ethnic identity of the ethnic Macedonian minority in violation of international human rights laws and agreements. This is evidenced by open statements by Greek officials; by the government's denial of the existence of a Macedonian language; by the government's refusal to permit a "Center of Macedonian Culture;" and by the government's refusal in the recent past to permit the performance of Macedonian songs and dances;
freedom of expression is restricted for ethnic Macedonians in violation of international human rights laws. Some rights activists have been prosecuted and convicted for the peaceful expression of their views; although some of these charges were eventually dropped due to a recent change in the law, some convictions are still in effect;
the Greek government discriminates against the ethnic Macedonian minority in violation of international laws and agreements to which it is a party;
ethnic Macedonian political refugees who fled northern Greece after the Greek Civil War, as well as their descendants who define themselves as "Macedonians," are denied permission to regain their citizenship, to resettle, or to visit northern Greece; in contrast, political refugees who define themselves as Greeks are permitted to do so;
the teaching of the Macedonian language is not permitted;
ethnic Macedonians were discriminated against in employment in the public sector in the past, and may suffer from such discrimination at present; the Greek government should examine its employment practices to determine whether such discrimination exists today;
ethnic Macedonians, and particularly Macedonian rights activists, are harassed by the government, followed and threatened by security forces, and subjected to economic and social pressures resulting from government harassment; this has led to a marked climate of fear in which many ethnic Macedonians are reluctant to assert their Macedonian identity or to express their views openly.If you are asking yourself: "what has changed in these 14 years since the report was published?", I will answer you - NOTHING! Since 1913, and especially after the World War II, Greece is organizing and implementing a silent ethnic genocide of the entire "non-greek" population, especially in Aegean Macedonia. The name issue is just the tip of this monstrous legacy.
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