Human Rights Watch Helsinki went on a fact-finding mission in Aegean Macedonia and wrote the following report which was published in 1994. This official publication provides a brief and concise insight into the Macedonian struggle in Aegean Macedonia following its partition; and the Human Rights abuses Macedonians have faced that followed in this part. I would advise this report to be one of the foundational texts you read to start learning about the struggle.

Whilst the digital copy can be located on the internet, it is often missing the annexes. I have created this audiobook with prompts to pause where certain annexes are relevant. You will also find these available to skip to and in order at the end. Despite the publication being in the 90s, little has developed for Macedonians in Aegean Macedonia who have been conditioned with internalised racism and self-hate. The climate of fear and authoritarianism is still very much prevalent today, and many of the activists mentioned are still active today in Greece. I will create a video review in time, discussing the findings of this report.

Blurb: Although ethnic Macedonians in northern Greece make up a large minority with their own language and culture, their internationally­ recognised human rights and even their existence are vigorously denied by the Greek government. Free expression is restricted; several Macedonians have been prosecuted and convicted for the peaceful expression of their views. Moreover, ethnic Macedonians are discriminated against by the government's failure to permit the teaching of the Macedonian language. And ethnic Macedonians, particularly rights activists, are harassed by the government­ followed and threatened by security forces and subjected to economic and social pressures resulting from this harassment. All of these actions have led to a marked climate of fear in which a large number of ethnic Macedonians are reluctant to assert their Macedonian identity or to express their views openly.

Ethnic Macedonian political refugees who fled northern Greece after the Greek Civil War of 1946-49, as well as their descendants who identify themselves as Macedonians, are denied permission to regain their citizenship, to resettle in, or even to visit northern Greece. By contrast, all of these are possible for political refugees who define themselves as Greeks. Greek courts have denied permission to establish a "Center for Macedonian Culture." Ultimately, the government is pursuing every avenue to deny the Macedonians of Greece their ethnic identity.

1:44:48 Annex