türkçe links to original Turkish article
(Hürriyet Newspaper, 7 December 2021)
"mübadele" click here for details of the Greek-Turkish population
exchange.
201 bodies discovered in an Ottoman graveyard in the Greek village of
Simantra (called 'Gargara' in Ottoman times) in Greece's Halkikiki
province's Nea Propontida (Yeni Bandırma) town, will be buried at noon
tomorrow in accordance with Islamic traditions in the Simantra
Municipal Cemetery. The bodies were found during construction of a
new sports arena.
Şeyda Güvenç Duran, an architect whose grandparents and a large portion
of her family lived in 'Gargara' and who were resettled in Antalya along
with another 130 families during the "mübadele" (Greek-Turkish
population exchange) period, said that the burial decision had been
conveyed to her by Propontida Mayor Emmanoil Karas in an official
document.
Duran explained that "the bodies of our ancestors were found during
an excavation in Gargara/Sinmantra village near Salonica (Thessaloniki),
where my grandmother was born, and brought to a museum. They will
be properly buried in the Simantra Municipal Cemetery with Islamic
rituals, presided over by Athens Islami Mosque İmam Zaki Sidi
Muhammed. When the bodies were first discovered the Greek
authorities were very slow about announcing it, to our great dismay.
Since then the bodies have been kept in a warehouse. Turkish officials
have followed the matter closely, as have we on our own. I'm grateful
to everyone who has shown sensitivity about the issue."
In Ottoman times, about 160 Turkish families lived in Gargara/Simantra
village on Halkidiki peninsula, 90 kilometers from Salonica. There are
no Turks living there now. In accordance with the Lausanne Agreement
(finalizing the Turkish-Greek war of 1918-1923), Greeks from around
Erdek (on the Sea of Marmara) and Cappadocia were resettled in the
village. When the 201 bodies were found during the sports area
construction they were put into the Halkidiki-Aynaroz Ancient Treasures
Office's warehouse, without Turkey being informed. This prompted a
diplomatic reaction from Ankara.
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