A work dedicated to Sadık Ahmet’s Life and Case

The book Doctor Sadık Ahmet, which was prepared for Sadık Ahmet’s 75th birthday, offers us the opportunity to know everything about Sadık Ahmet as a father, a human rights advocate, a leader, a doctor of medicine and an intellectual. The book consists of articles written by specialized writers. Every article focuses on a different side of Dr. Sadık Ahmet, revealing under what conditions a leader is raised and what s/he endures throughout his/her life.

The book Doctor Sadık Ahmet, which was prepared for Sadık Ahmet’s 75^th birthday, sheds light on Sadık Ahmet’s life story full of struggles, inspiring all the oppressed people in Turkish-Muslim geography, primarily the Turks in Western Thrace.   Defending human rights and freedoms, the book provides an insight into the history of Western Thrace Turks living within the borders of Greece.

The book consists of specialized writers’ articles grouped under given chapters. It presents Dr. Sadık Ahmet focusing on his life, personality and legacy from the perspective of those who know him in person.

Every article focuses on a different side of Dr. Sadık Ahmet, revealing under what conditions a leader is raised and what s/he endures throughout his/her life.  It offers us the opportunity to know everything about Sadık Ahmet as a father, a human rights advocate, a leader, a doctor of medicine and an intellectual.

Dr. Sadık Ahmet, who touched many lives as a political figure and medical practitioner, made friends with distinguished people not only in Western Thrace but also in areas where Turks live in the majority. In this book, we get to know about Dr. Sadık Ahmet directly from his family’s testimony as well as through the distinguished people he made friends with. Among them are Mustafa Abdülmecil Kırımoğlu, a national leader of Crimean Tatars, İbrahim Şerif, Dr. Sadık Ahmet’s comrade and Gümülcine’s elected mufti, Ahmet Hacıosman, Dr. Sadık Ahmet’s close friend and a former Rhodope deputy, Köksal Toptan, a former Chairman at GNAT and Mehmet Müezzinoğlu, a former minister of Health, Labor and Social Security.

Doctor Sadık Ahmet took a firm stand proudly on all obstacles and oppressions. He made significant contributions and put great efforts into protecting the gains of the Western Thrace Turkish minority.

Doctor Sadık Ahmet refers to the troubles he and the Western Thrace Turks have gone through as follows: “The Muslim Turkish community in Western Thrace has been exposed to injustices, oppressions and discriminations in the last 30 years. An unjust order and an understanding that has destroyed our education system as well as economic pressures, inequalities and expropriations that aim to make our poor peasants even poorer have made it hard for us to survive”.

Sadık Ahmet visited almost all settlements in Western Thrace starting from a young age and listened to people firsthand. He devoted his life to Western Thrace Turks, who had been neglected, ignored, and oppressed. He fought to revive national consciousness among them and protect their rights. Sadık Ahmet was aware of the cost of protecting Muslim-Turkish identity and giving voice to Western Thrace Turks.

“I am taken to prison because I am Turkish. If it is a crime to be a Turk, I reiterate my words: I am Turkish and will remain so. I am addressing the Western Thrace minority and telling them not to forget that they are Turks. One day we will absolutely secure our rights!”

Sadık Ahmet not only fought for the rights of the Turkish minority but also became a part of the fight for universal human rights. He stood against the assimilation policies applied by Greece to Western Thrace Turks and worked in many fields to protect Turkish identity, open bilingual minority schools, bridge the employment gap in teaching, grant the foundations autonomy, and give Turks religious freedom and political representation rights.  Sadık Ahmet died for his country, to which he dedicated his entire life, in a suspicious accident he had with his family when he was only 48. His greatest legacy to the Western Thrace Turks is his inspirationally assertive personality.

Last but not least, as emphasized in the introduction of the book, “If the stories of heroes are not written, people read the lies of traitors”. Thus, we are proud to present this valuable book to you, our precious readers: Doktor Sadık Ahmet