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U.S. PUBLISHER LAUDS ISTANBUL'S ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE SUIT AGAINST TURKISH GOVERNMENT
PanARMENIAN.Net
March 21, 2012 - 12:22 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Harut Sassounian, the Publisher of U.S.-based
California Courier, issued an article on the bold move of the Armenian
Patriarchate in Istanbul, which sued the Turkish government for the
return of Armenian properties.
"We must commend Acting Patriarch Aram Ateshian and the Armenian
Patriarchate of Istanbul for making the bold move of suing the
Turkish government for the return of historically significant Armenian
properties. Turkish officials normally view such legal actions with
hostility and exert great pressure on judges to reject property claims
filed by minorities, making it extremely difficult if not impossible
to win similar lawsuits. Nevertheless, this is a necessary first step
in order to be able to appeal the Turkish court's expected negative
ruling to the European Court of Human Rights, where a plaintiff has
a much better chance of a fair hearing," the article says.
It goes on to say: "The lawsuit filed by the Patriarchate on March 14
seeks the return of Armenian properties belonging to Sanasarian College
in Garin (Erzeroum) which were confiscated by the Turkish authorities
following the Genocide of 1915. The College's extensive properties,
now worth tens of millions of dollars, include nine plots of land in
Garin, a garden house and vast farmland in the village of Aghveren,
two plots in the village of Gez, and a large commercial property
(khan) in the center of Constantinople (Istanbul).
Sanasarian College was founded in 1881 by a major endowment from
Mgrdich Sanasarian, a wealthy businessman from Georgia, who had
settled in St. Petersburg, Russia. The generous benefactor donated
additional properties to the College in the late 1800's.
Prior to 1915, Sanasarian College played a prominent role as a
modernizing force during the Armenian national awakening. It was
a European-style liberal arts school with the specific purpose of
preparing teachers and professionals in various fields to assist
the rapid development of Western Armenia's economy. During its brief
existence, the College produced hundreds of graduates, including many
who rose to prominent positions. Armen Garo, the Armenian Republic's
first ambassador to the United States in 1918, was an alumnus of
Sanasarian College.
Garin was an important base of operations for the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (Dashnagtsoutyoun) and its leaders who had
taken residence there before 1915. One of ARF's founders, Rostom, was
appointed as superintendent of Garin's school system, which included
Sanasarian College.
Some meetings of the momentous ARF 8th World Congress were held in
1914 at Sanasarian College buildings. The Congress was interrupted
by the start of the First World War. The Young Turk government had
dispatched to Garin a high level delegation headed by Behaeddin Shakir,
one of the masterminds of the Armenian Genocide, to pressure ARF into
collaborating with the Turkish government's wartime efforts.
The ARF Congress turned down the request. The College closed down in
early 1915 and its entire faculty and many of its students were killed
during the Genocide. Shakir was assassinated by Armenian avengers in
1922 in Berlin.
Ironically, a few years later, Garin was converted from a hotbed
of Armenian activism to a center of Turkish nationalism with the
convening of the historic Erzeroum Congress by Kemal Ataturk in 1919.
Currently, the Sanasarian College complex is a Turkish museum.
Commenting on the lawsuit, Ali Elbeyoglu, the Armenian Patriarchate's
lawyer, told Hurriyet newspaper: "The Sanasarian Foundation was
granted to the Patriarchate by philanthropist Mgrdich Sanasarian
in the 1800's. The administration and management of the Sanasarian
Foundation legally belongs to the Patriarchate.... We are not going
to content ourselves with the mere return of historical buildings. We
are also going to demand compensation from the government's General
Directorate of Foundations for all material losses incurred by the
Patriarchate since 1936."
Earlier this year, the Armenian Patriarchate filed a separate lawsuit
against the Directorate General of Foundations seeking the return
of the Sanasarian Shopping Center (khan) in Istanbul. Even though
the court imposed a temporary injunction, freezing all transactions
involving the building's disposition, the Directorate General of
Foundations declared that it will not abide by the court's order. The
Patriarchate's lawyer Elbeyoglu reacted by declaring: "This runs
counter to all international legal [norms] as well as the Treaty of
Lausanne. The Patriarchate is still in possession of the title deed,"
Hurriyet said.
In the past, when I criticized the Patriarchate for making public
statements against Armenian national interests, I was accused of not
fully appreciating the special circumstances under which Armenians
live in Turkey, and was told to show more sensitivity to the fact that
they are basically hostages in the hands of the Turkish government.
Since this article commends the Patriarchate's bold legal action,
I am concerned that my words of praise might make some Armenians
in Turkey just as uncomfortable. I am simply trying to be fair and
even-handed, offering criticism or praise, as the occasion merits."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
PanARMENIAN.Net
March 21, 2012 - 12:22 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Harut Sassounian, the Publisher of U.S.-based
California Courier, issued an article on the bold move of the Armenian
Patriarchate in Istanbul, which sued the Turkish government for the
return of Armenian properties.
"We must commend Acting Patriarch Aram Ateshian and the Armenian
Patriarchate of Istanbul for making the bold move of suing the
Turkish government for the return of historically significant Armenian
properties. Turkish officials normally view such legal actions with
hostility and exert great pressure on judges to reject property claims
filed by minorities, making it extremely difficult if not impossible
to win similar lawsuits. Nevertheless, this is a necessary first step
in order to be able to appeal the Turkish court's expected negative
ruling to the European Court of Human Rights, where a plaintiff has
a much better chance of a fair hearing," the article says.
It goes on to say: "The lawsuit filed by the Patriarchate on March 14
seeks the return of Armenian properties belonging to Sanasarian College
in Garin (Erzeroum) which were confiscated by the Turkish authorities
following the Genocide of 1915. The College's extensive properties,
now worth tens of millions of dollars, include nine plots of land in
Garin, a garden house and vast farmland in the village of Aghveren,
two plots in the village of Gez, and a large commercial property
(khan) in the center of Constantinople (Istanbul).
Sanasarian College was founded in 1881 by a major endowment from
Mgrdich Sanasarian, a wealthy businessman from Georgia, who had
settled in St. Petersburg, Russia. The generous benefactor donated
additional properties to the College in the late 1800's.
Prior to 1915, Sanasarian College played a prominent role as a
modernizing force during the Armenian national awakening. It was
a European-style liberal arts school with the specific purpose of
preparing teachers and professionals in various fields to assist
the rapid development of Western Armenia's economy. During its brief
existence, the College produced hundreds of graduates, including many
who rose to prominent positions. Armen Garo, the Armenian Republic's
first ambassador to the United States in 1918, was an alumnus of
Sanasarian College.
Garin was an important base of operations for the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (Dashnagtsoutyoun) and its leaders who had
taken residence there before 1915. One of ARF's founders, Rostom, was
appointed as superintendent of Garin's school system, which included
Sanasarian College.
Some meetings of the momentous ARF 8th World Congress were held in
1914 at Sanasarian College buildings. The Congress was interrupted
by the start of the First World War. The Young Turk government had
dispatched to Garin a high level delegation headed by Behaeddin Shakir,
one of the masterminds of the Armenian Genocide, to pressure ARF into
collaborating with the Turkish government's wartime efforts.
The ARF Congress turned down the request. The College closed down in
early 1915 and its entire faculty and many of its students were killed
during the Genocide. Shakir was assassinated by Armenian avengers in
1922 in Berlin.
Ironically, a few years later, Garin was converted from a hotbed
of Armenian activism to a center of Turkish nationalism with the
convening of the historic Erzeroum Congress by Kemal Ataturk in 1919.
Currently, the Sanasarian College complex is a Turkish museum.
Commenting on the lawsuit, Ali Elbeyoglu, the Armenian Patriarchate's
lawyer, told Hurriyet newspaper: "The Sanasarian Foundation was
granted to the Patriarchate by philanthropist Mgrdich Sanasarian
in the 1800's. The administration and management of the Sanasarian
Foundation legally belongs to the Patriarchate.... We are not going
to content ourselves with the mere return of historical buildings. We
are also going to demand compensation from the government's General
Directorate of Foundations for all material losses incurred by the
Patriarchate since 1936."
Earlier this year, the Armenian Patriarchate filed a separate lawsuit
against the Directorate General of Foundations seeking the return
of the Sanasarian Shopping Center (khan) in Istanbul. Even though
the court imposed a temporary injunction, freezing all transactions
involving the building's disposition, the Directorate General of
Foundations declared that it will not abide by the court's order. The
Patriarchate's lawyer Elbeyoglu reacted by declaring: "This runs
counter to all international legal [norms] as well as the Treaty of
Lausanne. The Patriarchate is still in possession of the title deed,"
Hurriyet said.
In the past, when I criticized the Patriarchate for making public
statements against Armenian national interests, I was accused of not
fully appreciating the special circumstances under which Armenians
live in Turkey, and was told to show more sensitivity to the fact that
they are basically hostages in the hands of the Turkish government.
Since this article commends the Patriarchate's bold legal action,
I am concerned that my words of praise might make some Armenians
in Turkey just as uncomfortable. I am simply trying to be fair and
even-handed, offering criticism or praise, as the occasion merits."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress