Balkan Symposium - Problems and future of Balkan Muslims

Chief muftis of nine Balkan countries who for the first gathered together discussed significant issues. The chief muftis said ideologies that prioritize ethnic and religious differences are problematic and the restoration of the Ottoman model that was based on peace and tolerance would contribute to peace in the region.

Problems and future of Balkan Muslims was discussed during Balkan Symposium that was held at Istanbul Grand Cevahir Hotel. Chief muftis of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Greece gathered together at the IHH-organized symposium after long years.

Delivering the opening speech, IHH President Bülent Yıldırım said Turkey should strengthen its historical and cultural relations with Muslims in the Balkans again to reassert itself in the region. Yıldırım stated Balkan Muslims have long been neglected and said the symposium aimed to bring up the situation of the Balkans and Balkan Muslims.     

Global actors are trying to carry out various scenarios in the Balkans, Yıldırım said, adding "Turkey has the potential to prevent global games being played in the Balkans. It could contribute to peace in the region. This is what 12 million Muslims in the Balkans want."

  The first session was headed by Professor Mehmet Görmez, deputy president of the Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs. Guest muftis stated Balkan Muslims were made orphans after the retreat of the Ottomans from the region and suffered much damage during the rule of the Communist Yugoslavia. Clerics recalled numerous mosques, madrasahs and schools were destroyed in the past and said they could only begin recovering after the collapse of Yugoslavia. They stressed the significance of improving political, economic and cultural relations with Turkey and asked for Turkey's help to recover.    

Mustafa Çeriç, chief mufti of Bosnia-Herzegovina, said Bosnians were accused of extremism after they converted to Islam. "The stronger and freer Turkey becomes the stronger and freer we become. Turkey is like a mother to us, though we are not aware of it," Çeriç said. The chief mufti suggested founding a joint council with Turkey to research Ottoman cultural legacy and problems of Balkan Muslims. "We might have mistakes in the past; we want to be forgiven and we have to admit our mistakes," he added.    

Çeriç drew attention to the function of Turkish colleges in the Balkans and suggested establishment of Gazi Hüsrev University. Çeriç stated the university would contribute to the settlement of problems of Balkan Muslims.  

Ottoman Empire: a liberal power in the Balkans  

Selim Muça, head of the Albania Muslim Community, said nobody was forcefully Islamized or Ottomanized during the Ottoman reign and the Ottoman Empire pursued a liberal and tolerant policy. However, Muslims were subjected to assimilation, Islamic monuments were destroyed and tolerant policies were replaced by tyranny during the Communist rule of Yugoslavia, Muça said, adding "The tolerant period in the Balkans and eastern Europe that lasted for five centuries was a good example of the Islamic lifestyle. The presence of followers of different religions and members of different ethnic groups was a distinguishing feature of the Ottoman Empire from the Medieval Age Europe. However, everything started to change after the withdrawal of the Ottomans from the Balkans. Anti-religion practices of the communist regime put enormous pressure on Muslim people. Even Islamic monuments suffered extensive damage in the communist era. Figures of the Albania Muslim Community show that there were 1667 mosques and masjids that were built in the Ottoman period in Albania until 1939. Communist administrations destroyed or altered some of these structures. A certain number of them were spared to be displayed as cultural monument."      

Balkan Muslims lost their guardian  

Muammer Zukorliç, chief mufti of Serbia, said "After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Balkan Muslims faced constant genocide and oppression, and were deprived of their human rights particularly in the countries where they were in minority. The Islamic identity and five-century long Ottoman legacy were the main reasons why Balkan Muslims faced discrimination. Srebrenica massacre was the most violent crime committed against Muslims. Leader of the forces that perpetrated the massacre General Ratko Mladic confessed, saying 'This is a revenge on Turks.' This is show of animosity. Balkan Muslims are forced to flee their own country more than ever."      

Clash of civilizations unacceptable  

Peace in the Balkans could only be achieved through dialogue, Zukorliç said, adding "Balkan lands, which have been a scene for battles for long centuries, could become a platform for coexistence. It is the will and wish of local actors that could make this transformation. Why not turning the Balkans into a place where different religions, culture and nations coexist, and interests of all reconcile? We should put into effect the Balkan model of the Ottomans. Modern man cannot accept allegations of Francis Fukuyama and Samuel Huntington who claim civilizations are helpless against clashes. Many people believe social life and harmony among people could only be achieved through dialogue. Therefore, today everyone calls for dialogue."

Balkan Muslims are a bridge between the East and the West  

Zukorliç stated Balkan Muslims could be a bridge between the East and the West, and added, "Therefore, Muslim Balkan communities and particularly their representatives should be aware of this responsibility. Because the quality of religious organizations and relations they form will have influential results in regards to the future of Muslims and Islam in Europe. The century-long organization experience of Islamic communities of the Balkans has shown that the Islamic lifestyle and institutions are establishing foundations for the protection of the Muslim identity. Strong Islamic institutions are significant to minority Muslim communities, particularly to Muslim people who do not have their own nation states."      

Only Muslims suffered from communism  

Süleyman Recebi, head of the Macedonia Islamic Union, said Islam was the key to problems of the modern world. He said, "Macedonian religious life is well-organized and is smoothly progressing. The removal of anti-religion pressure and propaganda that was widespread during the old communist period has brought about positive changes in thoughts of Muslims. The new democratic conditions have generated the opportunity to prove to the modern man who continuously degenerates that Islam is the only way out from his impasse. Drug use, alcohol addiction, prostitution, trafficking in human, homosexuality, etc are some of the global dangers facing the modern world. As Muslims we should make good use of this opportunity."

Aliş: Balkan Muslims made orphan by the fall of the Ottomans  

Mustafa Aliş, chief mufti of Bulgaria, said Bulgarian Muslims were the first Muslim community made orphan by the withdrawal of the Ottoman Empire from the Balkans. "The population of the Bulgarian Muslim community is about 1.5 million. There are over 1,200 mosques and 200 masjids in Bulgaria. The policy of the Bulgarian government is to force Muslims to migrate from urban centers to rural regions and cut rural Muslim population's access to education. Thus, majority of Muslims reside in villages and live on farming and livestock breeding. A small number of Muslims founded businesses after the communist regime ended. The government's refusal to return properties of Muslim foundations is one of the most serious problems of the Bulgarian Muslim community. Muslims are not allowed to use a large number of mosques and madrasahs. The Bulgarian government has declared them state property. Followers of the Protestant Christian denominations such as Evangelism, Methodism and Jehovah's Witnesses are active in Bulgaria. They particularly target Muslim Roma people. The unofficial population of Roma people in Bulgaria is estimated to be around one million people. The majority of them were Muslim until a decade ago; however, the majority is believed to be Christian today."  

Final declaration of Balkan Symposium

The final declaration of the Balkan Symposium that was organized between October 18-19, 2008 by the IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation has been released. Certain problems of the Balkans and suggestions for solution are as follows:

•    Balkan communities are having political, economic and cultural problems due to long years of volatility in the region; the low level of communication within region as well as with Turkey and the Islamic world reinforces these problems.
•    International justice mechanisms have failed to prevent rights violations in the Balkans. More effective policies have to be employed to prevent more rights violations and to achieve peace in the region.   
•    Rights and liberties of minorities in the Balkans should be brought up and a special Balkan Law Platform should be set up to this end.
•    Thousands of structures were systematically destroyed following the withdrawal of the Ottomans from the region. Those that survived are either being used for purposes other than their original mission or are left to destruction without maintenance. These invaluable structures should be returned to local Muslim communities, repaired and restored; legal procedures should be initiated in every region to get back those structures. Turkish General Directorate of Foundations, Turkish Ministry Culture and Tourism and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) should take initiative in this direction. A scientific conference about foundation structures in the Balkans should be organized in the coming days.
•    Muslim communities have been prevented from practicing their cultural and moral values, and transmitting these values to new generations during the repressive period of the last 130 years. Balkan communities should be empowered with social development projects against cultural and political degeneration attempts.
•    Balkan countries host communities with different ethnic origin, religion and culture. Common denominators should be highlighted to secure peaceful coexistence of different ethnic and religious groups, and a Consultative Council should be formed to settle disputes among Muslim communities.
•    Partial history writing is influential in the construction of identity and values in the Balkans. However, the history of the Balkans cannot be understood as separate from the Ottoman history. A common language and sense of belongingness should be created among Balkan peoples. Common historical legacy should be revived and alienation should be prevented through history writing.    
•    The Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs should help with its experience to improve religious institutions in the Balkans. Periodical meetings should be held and communication channels should be diversified. Clerics that will represent Muslim communities should be qualified enough. These individuals should be chosen by credited religious institutions that represent Balkan Muslims.  
•    Cooperation between Balkan countries and Turkey and other Muslim countries should be increased. Turkey and the OIC should take the lead in organizing periodical meetings in Muslim countries.   
•    A Balkan Forum as a civil society organization that will focus on cooperation and joint activities should be established.
•    Economic cooperation between Balkan countries and Turkey and the Islamic world should be improved through joint platforms that will bring together businessmen.
•    The Balkan youth get accustomed to drug use and alcoholism, get involved in prostitution, and lose their religious and national identities due to weakening in familial structure, identity crisis, missionary activities, etc. These problems should be tackled at their roots and youth-oriented institutions should be founded.  
•    Activities of nongovernmental organizations that focus on women, who play a significant role in raising new generations, should be supported.
•    Theology schools, Islamic institutes and joint research institutes should be established, student exchange programs should be launched, and international meetings should be held to bring together the youth in the region.   
•    The number of mass media outlets that broadcast in accordance with cultural fabric of the region should be diversified; radios, television stations, magazines, books and newspapers should be supported and translation activities should be done. A Balkan Monitor Boards should be set up to monitor developments in the Balkans on a daily basis.
•    Balkan people are threatened by missionaries who are trying to Christianize the region. Local NGOs should be supported against missionary activities; scientific studies should be conducted; a group of Muslim scholars should be formed to guide local NGOs and other related organizations regarding the issue; a secretariat should be set up to bring together academics, educators and representatives of civil society; Muslim thinkers, poets, artists and politicians should be supported.   
•    The second round of this meeting will be held in the Balkans in 2009.

(www.ihh.org.tr)