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ANKARA: Turkish Court Stays Demolition Of Kars Statue

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  • ANKARA: Turkish Court Stays Demolition Of Kars Statue

    TURKISH COURT STAYS DEMOLITION OF KARS STATUE

    Hurriyet
    March 8 2011
    Turkey

    The Erzurum 1st Administrative Court has granted a stay of execution
    of the Kars Municipal Assembly's decision to demolish the 'Monument
    to Humanity.' DHA photo

    An administrative court in the eastern province of Erzurum has
    granted a stay of execution against the demolition of Kars' Monument
    to Humanity, a peace sculpture described as "freakish" by the prime
    minister in January.

    "The Erzurum 1st Administrative Court granted a motion for a stay of
    execution of the Kars Municipal Assembly's decision to demolish the
    'Monument to Humanity' in order to avoid any [possible] irrevocable
    damage that could be done to the statue," said lawyer Aslı Kazan,
    who is acting on behalf of the sculpture's creator, Mehmet Aksoy.

    The sculpture cannot be demolished until the court case is finalized,
    Kazan told Anatolia news agency on Monday.

    Aksoy brought court action against a decision by the eastern province
    of Kars to demolish the sculpture after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
    Erdogan said the monument looked "freakish" and vowed to take it down.

    The court decision came on the same day an auction was to be held
    in the eastern province to select the company that would demolish
    the statue. Six companies presented their proposals to the tendering
    authority Monday.

    If the Erzurum court eventually chooses to permit the demolition of
    the sculpture, the company that wins the auction will be given 60
    days by the local municipality to remove the Monument to Humanity. The
    sculpture will reportedly be dismantled before being carted away.

    Erdogan sparked controversy on the monument during his visit earlier
    this year when he said the monument, which is placed on a high
    hill overlooking the city, was both "freakish" and threatened to
    overshadow historical locations such as the Seyyid Hasal El Harakani
    tomb and mosque.

    After the prime minister ordered the sculpture's demolition, Kars'
    municipal assembly passed a motion to tear down the monument, saying
    it had been illegally erected in a protected area.

    The unfinished monument, which depicts two figures meeting, is 35
    meters tall, weighs 300 tons and is meant to represent efforts to
    foster friendship between the Turkish and Armenian peoples. Aksoy
    has planned for one of the figures to shed a tear in regret while
    the other extends its hand in reconciliation if permission is granted
    for the completion of the monument.




    From: A. Papazian
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