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HISTORIC DECISION: ERDOGAN RETURNS SEIZED PROPERTY TO RELIGIOUS MINORITIES
Asia News
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Historic-decision:-Erdogan-returns-seized-property-to-religious-minorities-22481.html
Aug 29, 2011
Italy
A decree published last night for the return of thousands of properties
seized in '36, just hours before an Iftar of the Prime Minister
with representatives of religious minorities. The beneficiaries are
Greek-orthodox Christians, Armenians, Jews. Roman Catholics do not
fall within the recognized minorities. The Prime Minister's hopes:
end to era of discrimination.
Istanbul (AsiaNews) - In a sudden twist, the Prime Minister Tayip
Erdogan has decided to return thousands of properties, confiscated
by the government after 1936, to non-Muslim religious foundations.
This is Erdogan's second surprise reserved for the old establishment
of the Turkish Republic after the recent decapitation of the heads
of the armed forces and the return of the primacy of politics over
the military.
The publication of the draft-law on the restitution of property took
place yesterday, just hours earlier than the traditional Iftar [the
dinner-party that celebrates the end of the Ramadan fast] which the
representative of the non-Muslim religious foundations, Lakis Vingas,
held last night with the Prime Minister guest of honour.
The publication of the draft-law is a real "coup de theater": it
will return all property to religious foundations that the Turkish
administration with various subterfuges has seized in the past,
after the census of 1936. Non-Muslim religious foundations means
those recognized by various international treaties signed by Turkish
Republic after 1923.
The decree has been published within a few days of Bartholomew I's
request for the return of unjustly usurped properties to minorities.
In his campaign to see the return of certain properties of the
Greek-orthodox communities, Bartholomew I had approached various
European forums.
The decree provides:
1) the restitution of property as they were surveyed and registered
in 1936 and subsequently confiscated from the religious foundations
by the various administrations of the Republic of Turkey;
2) the return of the management of cemeteries belonging to non-Muslim
foundations, which have been improperly sold to various towns and
municipalities;
3) the restitution of undefined deeded property (such as monasteries
and parishes), which were never recognized as legal entities by the
Turkish Republic.
4) In the event that these properties have been sold or disposed
of in various ways by the Turkish state parties, the Minister of
Finance of the Republic of Turkey will establish with the owners a
just compensation.
Interested parties are invited to submit the relevant documentation
to the Directorate General of Foundations within 12 months.
It should be noted that the last law of the Turkish parliament voted
on February 20, 2008, challenged and never accepted by opposition did
not provide any of these regulations. What remains to be determined is
the fate of mazbut properties (the so-called "occupied" properties)
in which management, administration and property passed to the
Turkish state.
According to an initial calculation, the decree provides for the
restitution of 1000 properties to the Greek-orthodox Christians,
100 to the Armenians, numerous properties to the Chaldean Catholics
and also to the Jews.
Nothing is expected for the Roman Catholics as they do not fall under
the Treaty of Lausanne. But according to observers, the passage of
the decree gives hope.
The decree has provoked positive reactions from all minority
representatives. The director of the non-Muslim foundations described
it as "a step of great importance and great historical content", the
lawyer for minorities, Dr. Kezmpan, described it as a great revolution,
after the liberation from the military dominance" .
Another lawyer, Dr Hatem said that finally "the wrong done to the
Church is restored."
In recent years the EU has always asked Turkey to take steps to remove
discriminatory laws against religious minorities. And in some cases
the European Court for Human Rights has condemned the Turkish state
to return property or compensate the former owners.
At the Iftar yesterday, Erdogan said: "Like everyone else, we also do
know about the injustices that different religious groups have been
subjected to because of their differences...Times that a citizen
of ours would be oppressed due to his religion, ethnic origin or
different way of life are over".
Asia News
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Historic-decision:-Erdogan-returns-seized-property-to-religious-minorities-22481.html
Aug 29, 2011
Italy
A decree published last night for the return of thousands of properties
seized in '36, just hours before an Iftar of the Prime Minister
with representatives of religious minorities. The beneficiaries are
Greek-orthodox Christians, Armenians, Jews. Roman Catholics do not
fall within the recognized minorities. The Prime Minister's hopes:
end to era of discrimination.
Istanbul (AsiaNews) - In a sudden twist, the Prime Minister Tayip
Erdogan has decided to return thousands of properties, confiscated
by the government after 1936, to non-Muslim religious foundations.
This is Erdogan's second surprise reserved for the old establishment
of the Turkish Republic after the recent decapitation of the heads
of the armed forces and the return of the primacy of politics over
the military.
The publication of the draft-law on the restitution of property took
place yesterday, just hours earlier than the traditional Iftar [the
dinner-party that celebrates the end of the Ramadan fast] which the
representative of the non-Muslim religious foundations, Lakis Vingas,
held last night with the Prime Minister guest of honour.
The publication of the draft-law is a real "coup de theater": it
will return all property to religious foundations that the Turkish
administration with various subterfuges has seized in the past,
after the census of 1936. Non-Muslim religious foundations means
those recognized by various international treaties signed by Turkish
Republic after 1923.
The decree has been published within a few days of Bartholomew I's
request for the return of unjustly usurped properties to minorities.
In his campaign to see the return of certain properties of the
Greek-orthodox communities, Bartholomew I had approached various
European forums.
The decree provides:
1) the restitution of property as they were surveyed and registered
in 1936 and subsequently confiscated from the religious foundations
by the various administrations of the Republic of Turkey;
2) the return of the management of cemeteries belonging to non-Muslim
foundations, which have been improperly sold to various towns and
municipalities;
3) the restitution of undefined deeded property (such as monasteries
and parishes), which were never recognized as legal entities by the
Turkish Republic.
4) In the event that these properties have been sold or disposed
of in various ways by the Turkish state parties, the Minister of
Finance of the Republic of Turkey will establish with the owners a
just compensation.
Interested parties are invited to submit the relevant documentation
to the Directorate General of Foundations within 12 months.
It should be noted that the last law of the Turkish parliament voted
on February 20, 2008, challenged and never accepted by opposition did
not provide any of these regulations. What remains to be determined is
the fate of mazbut properties (the so-called "occupied" properties)
in which management, administration and property passed to the
Turkish state.
According to an initial calculation, the decree provides for the
restitution of 1000 properties to the Greek-orthodox Christians,
100 to the Armenians, numerous properties to the Chaldean Catholics
and also to the Jews.
Nothing is expected for the Roman Catholics as they do not fall under
the Treaty of Lausanne. But according to observers, the passage of
the decree gives hope.
The decree has provoked positive reactions from all minority
representatives. The director of the non-Muslim foundations described
it as "a step of great importance and great historical content", the
lawyer for minorities, Dr. Kezmpan, described it as a great revolution,
after the liberation from the military dominance" .
Another lawyer, Dr Hatem said that finally "the wrong done to the
Church is restored."
In recent years the EU has always asked Turkey to take steps to remove
discriminatory laws against religious minorities. And in some cases
the European Court for Human Rights has condemned the Turkish state
to return property or compensate the former owners.
At the Iftar yesterday, Erdogan said: "Like everyone else, we also do
know about the injustices that different religious groups have been
subjected to because of their differences...Times that a citizen
of ours would be oppressed due to his religion, ethnic origin or
different way of life are over".