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The Greek Human Rights Web Pages

Mr. Ismail Cem Foreign Minister of Turkey

and

Mr. George Papandreou Foreign Minister of Greece

2 January 2001

OPEN LETTER
ON "RECIPROCAL" VIOLATION OF MINORITY RIGHTS

Dear Ministers,

Our NGOs, Greek Helsinki Monitor and Minority Rights Group - Greece, in the framework of their regular monitoring of minority rights in, inter alia, Greece and Turkey, have recently become aware of a condemnable "reciprocal" violation of the rights of the "Lausanne minorities" in Thrace and Istanbul.

More specifically, we were informed that the "quota teachers" each state sends to the minority schools of the other state have not been allowed to assume their duty before December 2000, although they had arrived at the beginning of the school year. This practice -that is clearly detrimental to the quality of the education of the pupils concerned- was systematic before 1999, and its abolition last year raised the hope that it would not be repeated again. Regretfully, it resurfaced in 2000: concerned minority members in Istanbul and Thrace were offered the explanation that the "quota teachers" in the other minority area were also prevented from assuming their duties. This "reciprocity" is a possible, though unfortunate, explanation of the reason why these minority members did not come forth complaining about the resumption of this practice, so as not to embarrass their "kin state."

We urge you to investigate this practice and provide us, the international governmental organizations concerned, and especially the minorities themselves, with an adequate explanation and, most importantly, a guarantee that the phenomenon will not be repeated.

Sincerely,

Panayote Elias Dimitras Spokesperson Greek Helsinki Monitor panayote@greekhelsinki.gr

Nafsika Papanikolatos Spokesperson Minority Rights Group - Greece nafsika@greekhelsinki.gr