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OFFICIALS PROMISE ARMENIANS DEMOLISHED PLACES WILL BE REBUILT
Today's Zaman
Feb 6 2012
Turkey
Officials from the Malatya Municipality and governor's office have
promised the Armenian community that they will rebuild recently
demolished buildings, including a place of worship that was under
renovation, located inside an Armenian cemetery.
Garo Paylan, a member of the board of directors of HAYDER, an
İstanbul-based foundation of Malatyan Armenian philanthropists, said
after having talks with the Malatya Municipality and governor's offices
in the city over the weekend and on Monday, they are convinced that the
demolished buildings will be rebuilt by the municipality. "We found
out that the prime minister had called the city officials and asked
them to do whatever necessary to compensate for the action," he said.
A residence for the watchman, a room to bathe the bodies of the dead
and a place of worship were pulled down when nobody in charge of the
cemetery was around on Thursday. Municipality officials said at first
that the place of worship was being built without official permission,
and argued that there was nothing illegal about the demolition, but
later claimed there had been a mistake. Malatya Mayor Ahmet Cakır was
quoted on the website of the Turkish-Armenian Agos weekly as saying
he is sorry for what happened and that the demolition occurred due to
miscommunication among officials and that they will compensate for it.
Citing intolerance towards Armenians as the reason behind the
municipality's move, Turkish media outlets reported on Friday that
the municipality had the facilities pulled down because of hundreds
of petitions submitted by locals who opposed the construction of a
place of worship for Armenians, thinking that a church was being built.
Mayor Cakır gave verbal permission for the place of worship to
be built on orders by Malatya Governor Ulvi Saran. The cost of the
building was met by HAYDER. The blueprint of the place of worship
was drawn up by renowned Turkish-Armenian architect Kevork Ozkaragöz.
Paylan said in a written statement on Friday that both the governor
and the municipality were fairly warm to the idea of renovating the
demolished buildings at the cemetery four months ago. "Now the Malatya
Municipality has told us they will pay for the cost of the rebuilding,"
Paylan told Today's Zaman on Monday. "And we will provide technical
support," he said.
Today's Zaman
Feb 6 2012
Turkey
Officials from the Malatya Municipality and governor's office have
promised the Armenian community that they will rebuild recently
demolished buildings, including a place of worship that was under
renovation, located inside an Armenian cemetery.
Garo Paylan, a member of the board of directors of HAYDER, an
İstanbul-based foundation of Malatyan Armenian philanthropists, said
after having talks with the Malatya Municipality and governor's offices
in the city over the weekend and on Monday, they are convinced that the
demolished buildings will be rebuilt by the municipality. "We found
out that the prime minister had called the city officials and asked
them to do whatever necessary to compensate for the action," he said.
A residence for the watchman, a room to bathe the bodies of the dead
and a place of worship were pulled down when nobody in charge of the
cemetery was around on Thursday. Municipality officials said at first
that the place of worship was being built without official permission,
and argued that there was nothing illegal about the demolition, but
later claimed there had been a mistake. Malatya Mayor Ahmet Cakır was
quoted on the website of the Turkish-Armenian Agos weekly as saying
he is sorry for what happened and that the demolition occurred due to
miscommunication among officials and that they will compensate for it.
Citing intolerance towards Armenians as the reason behind the
municipality's move, Turkish media outlets reported on Friday that
the municipality had the facilities pulled down because of hundreds
of petitions submitted by locals who opposed the construction of a
place of worship for Armenians, thinking that a church was being built.
Mayor Cakır gave verbal permission for the place of worship to
be built on orders by Malatya Governor Ulvi Saran. The cost of the
building was met by HAYDER. The blueprint of the place of worship
was drawn up by renowned Turkish-Armenian architect Kevork Ozkaragöz.
Paylan said in a written statement on Friday that both the governor
and the municipality were fairly warm to the idea of renovating the
demolished buildings at the cemetery four months ago. "Now the Malatya
Municipality has told us they will pay for the cost of the rebuilding,"
Paylan told Today's Zaman on Monday. "And we will provide technical
support," he said.