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PRESIDENT'S OFFICE
Press Release
Thessaloniki, 16/3/2005

The President of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE), Andrew A. Athens sent a letter to the President of the Republic of Georgia, Mikael Saakashvili regarding issues of safety and human rights for Hellenes in Tsalka, Georgia following the murder of the 60 year old Hellene Michalis Tsamourliev by an armed gang that broke into his house on February 23, 2005.
Mr. Athens who discussed the above mentioned issues with President Saakashvili during his last visit to Tbilisi last October, mentions in his letter that all these incidents are not in agreement with the existing good relations among Hellenes and Georgian people. Mr. Athens stresses the fact that the status of terror for Hellenes in the area of Tsalka continues to exist for the past seven years resulting from the actions of gangs that murder and steal their homes, fields and their belongings.
At the same time Mr. Athens mentions in his letter that a large number of Hellenes of the Diaspora have sent letters saying that � we cannot allow this to continue without appealing to all nations and international organizations, without taking whatever measures are available.�
Mr. Athens calls upon President Saakashvili to help the Hellenic Community of Tsalka and requests from the Georgian Government to provide effective police protection immediately to these small villages and to create an active commission that includes members of the Hellenic leadership in Georgia which will review speedily the issue of the properties taken illegally.
In his letter Mr. Athens mentions that such events have become common occurrence in Tsalka prefecture, the center of about 25 villages with mostly Hellene populations.
� In what appears to be an organized invasion, about 2000 homes owned by Hellenes have been seized  forcefully by families that have come in groups into the area from other parts of Georgia�, Mr. Athens says in his letter.� The police and other authorities are not providing security for the homes in Tsalka, many of which belong to families that have moved temporarily or permanently to other countries in search of work�.
Mr. Athens also mentions that even worse than the struggle for property rights, is the struggle for personal survival. According to Mr. Kyriakos Iordanidis, President of the Federation of Hellenic Communities of Georgia, more than 7000 squatters have moved in and refuse to return the properties to the legitimate owners.
The Union of Tsalka Hellenes �Pontos� has listed 11 organized home invasions or arson incidences from Jan. 2 to Feb. 23, 2005.  In recent cases, couples were beaten so badly that the invaders left them for dead. In some instances only animal feed and warehousing were destroyed which shows that the arsonists aim to terrorize in order to take over their properties.
SAE President will visit Georgia and the Hellenic Villages of Tsalka in the middle of April.


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