A release issued by the American Jewish Congress in reference to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency despatch reporting the decision of the Bulgarian Government to allot 1,200,000 liras for rebuilding the schools in Tartar and Paardjik, demolished in the earthquake, declares that representations were made by the Council for the Rights of Jewish Minorities, at Geneva, in this connection.
According to information previously received by Mr. Zevi Aberson of the Geneva Bureau of the Council, the action just taken is the direct result of the representations he made, asking for an investigation of the matter last August, the American Jewish Congress states. Mr. Aberson then sent letters to the Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and M. Dimitri Mikoff, Permanent Representative of the Bulgarian Government to the League of Nations at Geneva, and head of the Legation of Bulgaria at Berne, Switzerland. The letter to the Bulgarian Minister, dated August 16, was forwarded through the courtesy of M. Mikoff.
In his letters Mr. Aberson referred to reports that the requests of Jewish and Moslem communities affected by the earthquake had been refused.
“According to information which circulated in the Jewish press and stirred Jewish public opinion, the Direction of the Relief funds for the victims of the earthquake which affected regions of southern Bulgaria appears to have refused to accede to the requests of Jewish and Moslem communities affected by the earthquake, soliciting a fair part of the funds destined for reconstruction of school and worship buildings, he wrote. “The Direction of the Relief funds is said to have replied that the buildings belonging to the Jewish and Moslem religious communities, which have suffered from the eartquake, shall not be repaired with the funds of which the Direction is disposing.
“We are convinced that the Bulgarian Government, which has constantly extended its protection to all its nationals without distinction of race, language or religion, will be the first to disapprove any discrimination in regard to Jewish and Moslem communities of Bulgaria in the distribution of assistance to the victims, and that the Government will cause an enquiry to be held in regard to the matter.”
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