Tribune Excerpts

The following article appeared in the February 2007 Edition of the Macedonian Tribune

Macedonians in Aegean Macedonia
By George Koroloff

Toronto -- The Greek government continues with its absurd position that Greece is a homogeneous society of equals with no minorities whatsoever except for the Muslim minority in Western Thrace.

In October 2006, the Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis summarized the Greek position as follows: “ I am proud of the capacity of Greek democracy. All citizens of Greece have equal rights. I am sure that you already know that in Greece there is only one minority in Western Thrace and those are the Muslims. There is no such thing as a Macedonian minority.”

Greece continues to trap itself in these outright lies. It not only continually denies the existence of a Macedonian national minority but also consistently and systematically continues to deny its Macedonian minority its rights to freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religious association and most importantly the fundamental right under international law to freedom of self-identity.

According to Kathimerini English Edition, Greece’s International English Language Newspaper, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis invited UN special mediator Matthew Nimetz to meet in Athens on Jan. 12 to resolve the name dispute with the Republic of Macedonia. This meeting was undoubtedly scheduled because of Macedonia’s recent decision to rename the Skopie airport after the Macedonian King Alexander the Great.

A fundamental principle of international law is the inherent right of all people to self identify. It is up to the Macedonians in Aegean Macedonia to self identify as Macedonians. It is not up to the Greek government to dictate in a racist fashion as they are currently doing.

What can the Macedonian diaspora do to help?

Firstly, it is incumbent on the Macedonia diaspora to unite and join groups such as the Macedonian Patriotic Organization (MPO) and Macedonian Human Rights International (MHRMI) and provide them with monetary support to lobby for our inherent right to self identify as Macedonians.  It is strength in numbers of a united Macedonian diaspora that will put the appropriate and necessary pressure on the Greek government to be able to envision the ridiculous position that they themselves have put themselves in.

Secondly, the Macedonian diaspora should quit bickering over our perceived differences and start utilizing our strengths.  We are educated, organized and more than capable of forming strong and effective lobby groups through the MPO and MHRMI to aid our cause for justice for all Macedonians. In addition, we should monetarily support the Rainbow Party in Aegean Macedonia to encourage its efforts to fight for justice for our Macedonian people stuck in a false world of Greekdom.

Kita Sapurma and Pandora Patrovska sum up and accurately portray the plight of the Macedonians in Aegean Macedonia in their wonderful book, Children of a Bird Goddess.

“The racism which envelopes the Macedonian people in Aegean Macedonia has primarily focused on the suppression of language and identity in order to maintain territorial acquisition. It has become an ideological means to assist exploitation and denationalization. This policy results in systemic discrimination and denial of basic human rights such as the inherent right to self identification.

“The dehumanization is validated by the argument that you are not Macedonian; you do not have a culture, language or a name and, therefore, there is no oppression. There is a sad irony in the fact that by claiming a Macedonian heritage, language and name, the Macedonians are seen as the villains whose actions are somehow threatening to Greece. THIS IS A CLASSIC CASE OF OPPRESSION CULTURE, IN THAT THE OPPRESSOR CLAIMS TO FEEL VIOLATED BY THE OPPRESSED. (emphasis mine) By claiming the process is actually occurring to themselves the Greek government’s aim is to validate the need for continuing the oppression.” (P162)

Greece is a member of the EU, NATO, the UN and numerous other international bodies and yet it continues with the untenable and ludicrous position that the only minority within Greece is the Muslim Minority in Western Thrace. As far as the Greek government is concerned there are no Turks, no Albanians, no Vlachs, no Jews, no Roma, and no Macedonian minorities in Greece.

This willful blindness from a country which professes to be the cradle of democracy is not only disgusting but also well outside the norms of most civilized countries. It is a charade that the Greek government has difficulty defending but like a racist bully continues.  In free countries such as Canada, the US and Australia it is our duty to speak out against this bully boy tactic engaged in by the Greeks. Our Macedonian diaspora is educated and ready to fight back by legal means against Greek wrongdoing.

Our forefathers came to free countries such as Canada to escape the tyranny and injustice of Greek ultra nationalism. We owe it to them and to ourselves to seek out justice for Macedonians in Aegean Macedonia. History demands it.

To my readership I implore you to help us. Join and support both the MPO and the MHRMI. These are noble organizations that strive for justice for Macedonians and are more than worthy of our support.