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Abstract

This paper analyzes transitional justice (to democratization) mechanisms with regard to the transgressions perpetrated by the ruling Communist Party of the late 1980s against the Bulgaria's Turkish minority. It is argued that although the transition process was quite successful compared to other places like Yugoslavia, where the transition has brought about ethnic war, there were some important issues that should not have been overlooked. These are suggested as policy implications for preventing future ethnic conflict.

Keywords: regional security, conflict transformation and reconciliation, transitional justice, apology, truth commissions, peaceful coexistence, healing of victims

Özet

Bu çaliçma, 1980'lerde dönemin iktidar Komünist Partisi tarafindan Bulgaristan Türklerine kar§i içlenen mezalimlere iliçkin, demokratikle§me süreciyle birlikte geçi§ dönemi adaleti mekanizmalarinin ne derece içletildigini irdelemektedir. Etnik savaçin yaçandigi eski Yugoslavya gibi ülkelerle kiyaslandiginda, Bulgaristandaki geçi§ sürecinin oldukça baçarih oldugu görülmekle birlikte, geçi§ dönemi adaletinin saglanmasinda göz ardi edilen bazi hususlara dikkat çekilmektedir. Bu hususlar, gelecekte olasi bir etnik §iddetin önlenmesine yönelikpolitika tavsiyeleri olarak sunulmuçtur,

Anahtar Kelimeler: bölgesel güvenlik, çatiçma sonrasi geçi§ ve bariç/uzlasma, geçi§ dönemi adaleti, hakikat komisyonlari, bariç içinde bir arada yaçama, magdurlarin yaralarinin sarilmasi

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to identify the mechanisms of transitional justice that have been undertaken in relation to the transgressions against the Bulgaria's Turkish minority by the ruling Communist Party during the second half of the 1980s. The main focus is on the concepts of the transitional justice mechanisms, including the relevant theories, approaches, and their applications. It is argued that although the transition process was quite successful compared to other places like Yugoslavia, where the transition brought about ethnic war, there were some important issues that should not have been overlooked. A possible ethnic conflict was successfully eliminated by the credible efforts of both Turkish and Bulgarian political leaders. In terms of transitional justice mechanisms, there were successful applications of apologies, and reparations, like restoring political, cultural, and religious rights of the Bulgarian Turks. On the other hand, this paper emphasizes the need for a truth commission for the events that took place in 1984-1985 winter, when allegedly between 3001500 Turks were killed during the forcible name changing.

The assimilation campaign against the Bulgarian Turks, 1984-1989

After the secession of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule in 1878 until 1934, although there...

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