|
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
|
Macedonian Agenda Submission On The 28,000 Ethnic Macedonian Child RefugeesAegean Macedonian Association of Australia This submission was made by the Aegean Macedonian Association of Australia to the Federal Government's Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Human Rights Sub Committee, July 16, 1993. Subject Matter: 28,000 Ethnic Macedonian "Child Refugees"
Of The Greek Civil War (1946-1949) More than 28,000 ethnic Macedonian children between the ages of
2 - 14 became "Child Refugees" as a consequence of the Greek
Civil War (1946-1949). The Times, December 3, 1948, reported- by the spring of 1949, the
estimated total was approaching 30,000. The plight of the ethnic Macedonian "Child Refugees", who
went into exile and lived in refugee camps and hostels provided by
Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria and
Albania is best illustrated in the 40th anniversary book titled "1948-1988:
The Exodus of the Children from the Aegean Part of Macedonia",
a copy ofwhich is enclosed herewith. This tragic event led to the United Nations on November 27, 1948 adopting unanimously Resolution 193 C (Ill) reproduced hereunder: "The General Assembly recommends the return to Greece of Greek
children at present away from their homes when the children, their
father or mother, in his or her absence, their closest relative, express
a wish to that effect; "Invites all the Members of the United Nations and other states on whose territory these children are to be found, to take the necessary measures for implementation of the present recommendation; "Instructs the Secretary-General to request the International Committee of the Red Cross and the League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to organize and ensure liaison with the National Red Cross organizations of the states concerned with a view to empowering the national Red Cross organizations to adopt measures in the respective countries for implementing the present recommendation." Ethnic Greek refugees from the Civil War have been allowed to repatriate
to Greece. The most notable is Markos Vafiades, commander of the communist
guerillas and illegal "Prime Minister" during the 1946-1949
Greek Civil War, who was allowed to return to Greece from exile after
which he became a Socialist MP in 1989 and 1990. The Times, February
24, 1992 at page 13 "Obituary Column" gave a historical
perspective of him, a copy of which is annexed and marked with the
letter "A". Refugees from other crises have also been allowed to enter Greece.
On March 1, 1990 the Greek Government made an application to the Council
of Europe (EEC) to part finance a program for the reception and re-settlement
of 100,000 people of Greek origin who are refugees from the USSR,
a copy of the front page of which is annexed and marked with the letter
"B". However, the ethnic Macedonian "Child Refugees" have been
legally denied repatriation to their homes in Greece to reclaim their
citizenship and ancestral property. This is evidenced by the following
specific- current legislation: 1. On December 28, 1982 the Greek Parliament passed Law 106841/82
which allows only political emigrants who are "Greek by origin"
(ethnic Greeks) to repatriate to Greece and the effect of this law
is to clearly discriminate against ethnic Macedonians. 2. On April 10, 1985, the Greek Parliament passed Law 1540/85 which
deals with the return of property seized by the Greek state in the
wake of the Civil War from political refugees and internees, and blatantly
discriminates against ethnic Macedonians by limiting the definition
of political emigrants to only "Greek by origin" (ethnic
Greeks). A Case History Apostolis Radis, an ethnic Macedonian living in Poland, is just one such "Child Refugee" whose application to repatriate to his home in Greece was refused by the Greek Government on the grounds that Mr Radis is not a refugee of "Greek origin" pursuant to Law 106841/82. The relevant correspondence in this regard is annexed hereto and
marked with the letter "C"- 1. Letter from the Greek Ministry of Interior dated January 16, 1984. 2. Letter from the Greek Ministry of Interior dated March 24, 1986. 3. Letter from the United Nations Centre for Human Rights dated April
11, 1986. 5. Letter from the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Greece
in Geneva dated January 19, 1987. 6. Letter from United Nations Centre for Human Rights dated May 5,
1987. 7. Letter by Apostolos Radis to United Nations Centre for Human Rights
Geneva dated September 20, 1987. International Covenant The Greek Law 106841/82 contravenes the General Declaration of Human
Rights of the United Nations, particularly Article 13, which states: "2. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his
own, and to return to his country." This law removes the right of ethnic Macedonian "Child Refugees"
to return to their own country (Greece). The Greek Law 1540/85 contravenes the General Declaration of Human
Rights of the United Nations, particularly Article 17, which states: "No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property." This law removes the right of ethnic Macedonian "Child Refugees"
to claim their ancestral homes. The Australian Perspective There are currently 550 ethnic Macedonian "Child Refugees"
living in Australia. These Australian citizens are deprived by the
Greek Government from repatriating to Greece and claiming their ancestral
property. Many of these Australian citizens have on numerous occasions tried
to journey back to Greece by crossing the Greek/ Macedonian border
only to be refused the right of entry. On one such occasion in 1988, the 40th anniversary of their exile
from Greece, more than 100 Australian Macedonian "Child Refugees"
were among 3,000 Macedonian "Child Refugees" who took part
in a reunion in Skopje, Macedonia. About 50 Western Australians were
believed to be An insightful discussion of the issues pertaining to the Macedonian
"Child Refugees", combined with an analysis ofanti-Macedonian
Greek laws, is contained in the book "What Europe Has Forgotten:
The Struggle of the Aegean Macedonians" annexed herewith. Conclusions It is clear that the Greek Government has failed to comply with United
Nations Resolution 193 C (Ill) of November 27, 1948 in respect to
the repatriation of the ethnic Macedonian "Child Refugees"
to Greece. It is well documented that ethnic Macedonian "Child Refugees"
are denied their basic human rights by the Greek Government, particularly
their right to repatriate to their homes in Greece, and reclaim their
citizenship (denied by Law 106841/82) and ancestral property (denied
by Law 1540/85). It is noted that Law 106841/82 was used by the Greek Government to
deny the application for repatriation to Greece of one, Apostolos
Radis (an ethnic Macedonian "Child Refugee" residing in
Poland). Ethnic Macedonian "Child Refugees" such as Apostolos Radis,
who have been denied the return of their citizenship by virtue of
Law 106841/82 are consequently unable to reclaim their confiscated
ancestral property pursuant to Law 1540/85. Proposals The Australian Government to use its good offices in the United Nations
to raise the issue of the repatriation of the ethnic Macedonian "Child
Refugees" to Greece, in compliance with UN Resolution 193 C (Ill)
of November 27,1948. The Australian Government to raise with the Government of Greece
its refusal to allow repatriation of the ethnic Macedonian "Child
Refugees" to Greece. The Australian Government to raise with the Government of Greece
the nature and effect of discriminatory law of 106841/82 as it applies
to ethnic Macedonian "Child Refugees". The Australian Government to raise with the Government of Greece
its refusal to allow ethnic Macedonian "Child Refugees"
to claim their ancestral property in Greece, which was confiscated
by the Greek Government after the Greek Civil War of 1946-1949. The Australian Government to raise with the Government of Greece
the nature and effect of discriminatory law 1540/85 as it applies
to ethnic In the alternative: The Australian Government to use its good offices in the United Nations
to raise the issue of the repatriation to Greece of the 550 Australian
citizens who are ethnic Macedonian "Child Refugees", in
compliance with UN Resolution 193 C (Ill) of November 27, 1948. The Australian Government to raise with the Government of Greece
its refusal to allow the repatriation of the 550 Australian citizens
who are ethnic Macedonian "Child Refugees" to Greece. The Australian Government to raise with the Government of Greece
the nature and effect of discriminatory law of 106841/82 as it applies
to the 550 Australian citizens who are ethnic Macedonian "Child
Refugees". The Australian Government to raise with the Government of Greece
its refusal to allow 550 Australian citizens who are ethnic Macedonian
"Child Refugees" to claim their ancestral property in Greece
confiscated by the Greek Government after the Greek Civil War of 1946-1949. The Australian Government to raise with the Government of Greece
the nature and effect of discriminatory law 1540/85 as it applies
to 550 Australian citizens who are ethnic Macedonian "Child Refugees". The Association would like to thank the members of the Committee for the opportunity to make this submission in respect to the tragic plight of the ethnic Macedonian "Child Refugees" from Greece.
Macedonian Agenda Copyright: 1995
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |