Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Oct 5 2012

Habertürk Editor-in-Chief Altaylı to return Armenian church

5 October 2012 / TODAY’S ZAMAN, Ä°STANBUL

Journalist and Habertürk daily Editor-in-Chief Fatih Altaylı has said
he will hand back ownership of a historic church, known as `Seven
Churches,’ in the village of Yukarı Bakraçlı in Van province, that he
inherited from his grandfather.

Members of the Armenian community in Turkey have called on Altaylı to
give the church he inherited back to its real owners, the Armenians.

Altaylı, who spoke to bilingual Armenian weekly Agos, has said that
the Armenian church is located on land belonging to his family and
that he is ready to hand over ownership of the historic church either
to the Culture and Tourism Ministry or the Armenian community without
asking for a penny.

This issue came into the spotlight after a news report about the
church was published in the Taraf daily. While Altaylı says no
official has approached him regarding the giving back of the church,
either before or after the item was published, the Van Governor’s
Office, which has already prepared a restoration project for the
damaged church, is waiting to start the necessary work after the
ownership status of the church is settled.

Altaylı’s ownership of the ruined Armenian church has sparked a debate
in social media, particularly among Armenians and liberals. Armenian
activists started a campaign through social media calling on Altaylı
to give back the church and also staged a protest in front of the
offices of Habertürk.

Responding to the call from the Armenians, Altaylı said: `I am really
ready to give back the church, but the officials should say what
procedures I should follow to do this. I am ready to give the church
to the ministry or the Armenian Patriarchate in Ä°stanbul, whenever
they want. I don’t expect any financial reward for this at all. What
am I going to do with a church?’

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress