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Hurriyet, Turkey
July 6 2013
Armenian houses in MuÅ? succumb to urban renewal
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
by Vercihan ZiflioÄ?lu
Historic Armenian houses in the Kale neighborhood of the eastern
province of MuÅ? are to be demolished within the framework of `urban
renewal.' As part of the project, the Housing Development
Administration (TOKÄ°) is preparing to demolish around 300 houses.
Armenians living in Germany and Istanbul have sent a letter to the MuÅ?
mayor on the subject. In the letter, penned by former Istanbul
resident and current German citizen, Dr. Sarkis Adam, the preservation
of at least one of the houses for transformation into a museum where
the Armenian presence in the city could be commemorated is requested.
Mayor confirms demolition decision
Speaking to the Hürriyet Daily News, MuÅ? Mayor Necmettin Dede
confirmed the decision to demolish the houses at Kale, but added that
the demolition had not yet started.
Some of the houses at Kale belong to the Treasury while others are
occupied by individuals without proper documents, Dede said. `Yes,
Armenians lived here in this city, but this city has been invaded at
least 20 times,' he said.
`The residents of Kale, hoping to find gold or other Armenian
valuables hidden or buried in these houses, destroyed the wooden parts
of the structures and removed old doors. We have learned that there
were some people digging up the foundations of houses,' Dede added.
Adam's letter states that a museum in the city would be of historic
significance.
`To transform at least one of the houses into a museum will not only
be significant in terms of tourism, but will also no doubt be
effective regarding the view of Armenians in the diaspora to Turkey,'
it says.
`A museum built in MuÅ? would display the rooted history and
civilization in MuÅ?.' Dede said Adam's letter has not yet reached
them, but such a proposal would be evaluated in due course.
July/06/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/armenian-houses-in-mus-succumb-to-urban-renewal.aspx?pageID=238&nID=50132&NewsCatID=339
From: Baghdasarian
July 6 2013
Armenian houses in MuÅ? succumb to urban renewal
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
by Vercihan ZiflioÄ?lu
Historic Armenian houses in the Kale neighborhood of the eastern
province of MuÅ? are to be demolished within the framework of `urban
renewal.' As part of the project, the Housing Development
Administration (TOKÄ°) is preparing to demolish around 300 houses.
Armenians living in Germany and Istanbul have sent a letter to the MuÅ?
mayor on the subject. In the letter, penned by former Istanbul
resident and current German citizen, Dr. Sarkis Adam, the preservation
of at least one of the houses for transformation into a museum where
the Armenian presence in the city could be commemorated is requested.
Mayor confirms demolition decision
Speaking to the Hürriyet Daily News, MuÅ? Mayor Necmettin Dede
confirmed the decision to demolish the houses at Kale, but added that
the demolition had not yet started.
Some of the houses at Kale belong to the Treasury while others are
occupied by individuals without proper documents, Dede said. `Yes,
Armenians lived here in this city, but this city has been invaded at
least 20 times,' he said.
`The residents of Kale, hoping to find gold or other Armenian
valuables hidden or buried in these houses, destroyed the wooden parts
of the structures and removed old doors. We have learned that there
were some people digging up the foundations of houses,' Dede added.
Adam's letter states that a museum in the city would be of historic
significance.
`To transform at least one of the houses into a museum will not only
be significant in terms of tourism, but will also no doubt be
effective regarding the view of Armenians in the diaspora to Turkey,'
it says.
`A museum built in MuÅ? would display the rooted history and
civilization in MuÅ?.' Dede said Adam's letter has not yet reached
them, but such a proposal would be evaluated in due course.
July/06/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/armenian-houses-in-mus-succumb-to-urban-renewal.aspx?pageID=238&nID=50132&NewsCatID=339
From: Baghdasarian