The Diyarbakir Regional Directorate of Foundations has
decided to return seventeen properties in Turkey’s southeastern province
of Diyarbakir to the Armenian community as a result of an initiative
launched over the past year by the Diyarbakir Surp Giragos Armenian
Church Foundation.
The Sabah daily reported on Monday, July 15, that during a restoration project
for the historic Surp Giragos Armenian Church in 2009, the Diyarbakir
Surp Giragos Armenian Church Foundation discovered a document listing
the properties owned by Armenians before they left Diyarbakir between
1910 and 1921. The document reportedly lists 190 properties in twenty neighborhoods. After the
discovery of the document, the foundation filed a petition with the
Diyarbakir Regional Directorate of Foundations demanding the return of
these properties after it found the current real estate listings of the
properties.
According to Sabah, the Diyarbakir Regional Directorate of
Foundations recently decided to return seventeen properties, with a
total area of 15,000 square meters (161,459 square feet), within the
borders of Diyarbakir’s district of Şehitlik
Köskler. The Diyarbakir Regional
Directorate of Foundations reportedly refused to return the other 173
properties listed in the document on the grounds that the certificates
of ownership provided to the directorate are too old, belonging to the
Ottoman era or to the period prior to 1910. The directorate reportedly
told the Diyarbakir Surp Giragos Armenian Church Foundation that its
records are too old and insufficient for the return of the 173
properties, asking it to find newer records
Vartkes Ergün Ayik, the head of the Diyarbakir Surp Giragos Armenian
Church Foundation, told Sabah that they are happy with the
Diyarbakir Regional Directorate of Foundations’ initial decision, but
will continue their efforts until the remaining 173 properties are
returned to the foundation.
Regarding the seventeen properties that were returned, Ayik said:
“Some of the properties that were returned are currently occupied by
unlicensed buildings, some by public buildings,” and added: “The
Ottoman-era records of the 173 properties have caused difficulties as
the locations of the properties are defined using some vague expressions
such as ‘the house next to Krikor’s house’ or ‘the house behind the
field of Sarkisian and opposite the house of Ahmet.’ The Diyarbakir
Regional Directorate of Foundations has asked us to find more reliable
and contemporary records for the properties. We have applied to the
General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre to help us find
contemporary records. If we fail to obtain a favorable result, we will
go to court.”
The Surp Giragos Armenian Church was seized by the German army during
World War I and in 1918 was converted into a textiles warehouse for
Sümerbank. The Armenian population in the area applied for its return in
1952 and the church was subsequently returned to the community.
However, due to the lack of a congregation, it remained neglected since
1980. Renovation started at the end of 2009 after the Diyarbakir Surp
Giragos Armenian Church Foundation undertook the restoration project of
the 400-year-old church. The church was reopened on Oct. 23, 2011, for a
religious ceremony.
"Asbarez," July 15, 2013
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