Refugees from the Adrianople and Monastir regions, who were staying in Burghas, a Bulgarian port on the Black Sea, shared their conditions for returning to their homes. They said:
1. An International Commission must oversee their return.
2. The money needed to rebuild their villages, churches, and schools should be kept in a European bank, under the Commission’s control. They also wanted their stolen goods returned.
3. A full amnesty must be given to everyone involved.
4. Most importantly, their properties, lives, and honor must be protected through strong, long-lasting reforms. They called for a Christian Governor-General, chosen by the Great Powers, and permanent international control to ensure their safety Dragalevtsi Monastery.
The Refugee Situation in Burghas
Around 13,000 refugees were living in and around Burghas, and two-thirds of them were women. Additionally, there were at least 3,000 children under the age of ten or twelve. Colonel Massy, sent by the British Government to report on the refugees, described the situation:
“They had nothing but their clothes, which were very few. Most of them were crying because their husbands had been killed. Many were sick, and everyone looked miserable. Some men had returned to the Kirk Kilise district, believing there was little danger, hoping to see if they could salvage anything from their destroyed homes. But they were killed when they returned.”
The Refugees’ Despair
When Colonel Massy asked the refugees if they would go back home, they smiled bitterly and said they had no homes left. They added that if they returned to Turkey, they would be murdered unless there was European supervision to protect them.
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