YEREVAN. – Turkish Armenians are fighting for already 94 days now to prevent the demolition of Camp Armen Armenian orphanage in Istanbul.
Co-chairman of the Nor Zartonk movement of Istanbul Armenians, Sayat Tekir, stated the aforementioned at a press conference on Friday in Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia.
In his words, the Turkish state has seized the orphanage building from the local Armenian community, privatized it, and now Camp Armen is changing its seventh proprietor.
“One-third of Camp Armen orphanage is already demolished,” said Tekir. “Our [i.e. the Istanbul Armenians’] demands are addressed to the [Turkish] state, since it seized the territory of the orphanage from us.
“The state proposes to take the entire territory of the orphanage under its control, and allocate us a small part of it; with the right of no more than a 40-year lease.”
He also noted that the local Armenian community needs a document that will legally specify the community’s right to this land.
“We expect public support from the residents of Armenia,” added Sayat Tekir. “All the injustices by the [Turkish] state have become known in Turkey, too.
“Turks, Kurds, Alevis support us. We are expressed support not solely from Istanbul, but other cities [in Turkey].”
Camp Armen Armenian orphanage was confiscated by the Turkish authorities back in 1987. Subsequently, it was sold to a Turkish businessman who, in turn, decided to demolish the orphanage and build luxury homes in the premises. As a result of public pressure, however, the demolition of the orphanage has been temporarily halted.
The camp was once home to around 1,500 Armenian children, including the late Hrant Dink—the founder and chief editor of Agos Armenian bilingual weekly of Istanbul, and who was shot dead on January 19, 2007 outside the office of his weekly—, and his wife Rakel.
The orphanage sought to help underprivileged Armenian children and orphans, who had moved to Istanbul from other parts of Turkey, get an education.