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ARAM I CALLS FOR RETURN OF STOLEN ARMENIAN CHURCHES
ARMRADIO.AM
25.02.2012 13:59
A two-day international conference titled "The Armenian Genocide:
from Recognition to Reparation" was held in Beirut in the presence
of experts from all over the world, ambassadors, current and former
government ministers and members of the Lebanese Parliament, heads
of Armenian religious communities and representatives of Armenian
political parties and other institutions, Asbarez reports.
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia welcomed
the guests and the participants and explained the background leading
to the conference. Discussing the issue of reparations, Aram I said,
"Turkey must return the church and community properties confiscated
by the Ottoman Turkish authorities to their legal owner, the Armenian
Catholicosate of Cilicia. As the Catholicosate of Cilicia, we claim the
ownership of our properties confiscated by the Turkish authorities."
The Catholicosate of Cilicia held jurisdiction over more than 200
Armenian churches in the Ottoman Empire before World War I. Other
Armenian churches, close to 2,000, were under the jurisdiction of
the Patriarchate in Istanbul, the Catholicosate in Aghtamar, the
Catholicosate in Etchmiadzin, and the Patriarchate in Jerusalem.
"The decision of US House of Representatives to urge Turkey to return
confiscated churches and church properties to their rightful owners,
and the approval of a bill by the French Parliament and the Senate
making it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide, along with the
Turkish government's aggressive reaction, have, once again, brought
the Armenian Genocide to the fore of international headlines. The
Armenian Genocide is no longer an exclusive concern of Armenian-Turkish
relations; it has become integral part of the global agenda," His
Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, said in
his introductory remarks.
"For decades we have focused on the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide by Turkey and the international community. In fact, the
recent Court cases against American, Turkish and French insurance
and private companies; the decision of US Congress to urge Turkey
to return churches and church-related properties to their owners,
and the Turkish government's decision on 27 August 2011decided to
return to the minorities the properties confiscated since 1936, came to
re-emphasize the crucial importance of reparation. Indeed, recognition
of truth implies reparation; these acts are intimately interconnected.
This is at the heart of international law," the Catholicos stated.
"On the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, should we accept
a symbolic formal apology and recognition by Turkey of the genocide?
Should we claim financial compensation for the victims of Genocide
and for the properties? Or, should we claim the return of church,
community and personal properties? Further, should we demand that
reparation include the damages that the Armenian people were subjected
to during the "white genocide," namely the constant threat to the
Armenian identity in a diaspora situation that was caused by the "red
genocide"? Should we, finally, consider land reparation within the
provisions of international law? The formal recognition of the Armenian
Genocide is a conditio sine qua non for any attempt or process aimed at
restoration of justice. And, as a first concrete step in the direction
of reparation, Turkey must return the church and community properties
confiscated by the Ottoman Turkish authorities to its legal owner, the
Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia. As the Catholicosate of Cilicia,
which was established in the 10th Century in Cilicia, south-western
part of present Turkey, and which was in 1915 forcefully uprooted
from its historical seat, we claim the ownership of our properties
confiscated by the Turkish authorities," His Holiness Aram I said.
ARMRADIO.AM
25.02.2012 13:59
A two-day international conference titled "The Armenian Genocide:
from Recognition to Reparation" was held in Beirut in the presence
of experts from all over the world, ambassadors, current and former
government ministers and members of the Lebanese Parliament, heads
of Armenian religious communities and representatives of Armenian
political parties and other institutions, Asbarez reports.
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia welcomed
the guests and the participants and explained the background leading
to the conference. Discussing the issue of reparations, Aram I said,
"Turkey must return the church and community properties confiscated
by the Ottoman Turkish authorities to their legal owner, the Armenian
Catholicosate of Cilicia. As the Catholicosate of Cilicia, we claim the
ownership of our properties confiscated by the Turkish authorities."
The Catholicosate of Cilicia held jurisdiction over more than 200
Armenian churches in the Ottoman Empire before World War I. Other
Armenian churches, close to 2,000, were under the jurisdiction of
the Patriarchate in Istanbul, the Catholicosate in Aghtamar, the
Catholicosate in Etchmiadzin, and the Patriarchate in Jerusalem.
"The decision of US House of Representatives to urge Turkey to return
confiscated churches and church properties to their rightful owners,
and the approval of a bill by the French Parliament and the Senate
making it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide, along with the
Turkish government's aggressive reaction, have, once again, brought
the Armenian Genocide to the fore of international headlines. The
Armenian Genocide is no longer an exclusive concern of Armenian-Turkish
relations; it has become integral part of the global agenda," His
Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, said in
his introductory remarks.
"For decades we have focused on the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide by Turkey and the international community. In fact, the
recent Court cases against American, Turkish and French insurance
and private companies; the decision of US Congress to urge Turkey
to return churches and church-related properties to their owners,
and the Turkish government's decision on 27 August 2011decided to
return to the minorities the properties confiscated since 1936, came to
re-emphasize the crucial importance of reparation. Indeed, recognition
of truth implies reparation; these acts are intimately interconnected.
This is at the heart of international law," the Catholicos stated.
"On the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, should we accept
a symbolic formal apology and recognition by Turkey of the genocide?
Should we claim financial compensation for the victims of Genocide
and for the properties? Or, should we claim the return of church,
community and personal properties? Further, should we demand that
reparation include the damages that the Armenian people were subjected
to during the "white genocide," namely the constant threat to the
Armenian identity in a diaspora situation that was caused by the "red
genocide"? Should we, finally, consider land reparation within the
provisions of international law? The formal recognition of the Armenian
Genocide is a conditio sine qua non for any attempt or process aimed at
restoration of justice. And, as a first concrete step in the direction
of reparation, Turkey must return the church and community properties
confiscated by the Ottoman Turkish authorities to its legal owner, the
Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia. As the Catholicosate of Cilicia,
which was established in the 10th Century in Cilicia, south-western
part of present Turkey, and which was in 1915 forcefully uprooted
from its historical seat, we claim the ownership of our properties
confiscated by the Turkish authorities," His Holiness Aram I said.