Author: nina hovnanian

Ouest-France
mercredi 8 mai 2013

La mémoire des Arméniens: Roman

« Je suis vieux, et toi, tu es un enfant. Mais, regarde, le sang est
aussi vivant chez toi que chez moi. C’est ça, l’amour de la vie. »
Ainsi parle grand-père Garabet, figure tutélaire qui incarne toute la
sagesse et la mémoire des Arméniens de Varujan Vosganian.
Le Livre des chuchotements s’ouvre sur une rue arménienne de Focsani,
à l’est de la Roumanie. Dans l’odeur du café fraîchement torréfié, un
enfant écoute passionnément les récits des adultes réunis sous
l’abricotier. C’est une chronique pleine de couleurs, de senteurs, de
poésie, mais aussi qui rappelle la dure réalité qu’ont vécue plusieurs
générations d’Arméniens ballottés par les exils. Avec le talent d’un
conteur oriental, Varujan Vosganian reconstitue la vie de ses parents,
aïeux et voisins arméniens, dans ce qui constitue l’un des textes
roumains les plus forts publiés après la chute du communisme.

Agence France Presse
6 mai 2013 lundi 2:09 PM GMT

Turquie: inquiétude après des coups de feu devant une église arménienne

ISTANBUL 06 mai 2013

Des tirs d’arme à feu dimanche devant une église arménienne d’Istanbul
ont semé la panique parmi les fidèles venus fêter Pques et ravivé
chez les minorités chrétiennes les craintes d’une recrudescence des
violences les visant, a rapporté lundi la presse turque.

Vers 12H30 dimanche, une personne non identifiée, accompagnée de deux
comparses, a tiré sept cartouches à blanc devant l’église Surp
Hovhannes d’Istanbul, dans le quartier à forte population arménienne
de Kumkapi, provoquant des mouvements de panique dans la paroisse, ont
indiqué plusieurs quotidiens.

“Au moment de tirer, l’assaillant a crié +Vous êtes trop nombreux
désormais+”, a déclaré l’archevêque Aram Atesyan, adjoint du
patriarche arménien orthodoxe d’Istanbul, cité par le journal
Hürriyet.

A peu près au même moment, un jeune Arménien a été roué de coups par
un petit groupe d’individus devant une église d’un quartier voisin,
Samatya, a signalé Mgr Atesyan.

“Ces attaques ont pour but d’accroître l’angoisse des membres de notre
communauté et des autres communautés minoritaires”, a commenté le
prélat, annonçant qu’il allait demander aux responsables de sa
communauté d’accroître les mesures de sécurité.
Ces actes surviennent une semaine après deux autres incidents visant
des églises d’Istanbul.

Le 27 avril, un groupe de 30 à 40 personnes a attaqué l’église
évangélique Nouvel Espoir, qui venait d’ouvrir à Atasehir (ouest
d’Istanbul), selon un communiqué de l’Association des églises
protestantes de Turquie.

“Les assaillants ont brisé les vitres de l’église en jetant des
pierres et des oeufs et ont tenté d’y pénétrer”, sans succès, a
déclaré l’Association.

Le 28, l’église grecque orthodoxe Ayois Ionis, sur l’île stambouliote
de Burgaz Ada, a été vandalisée par un groupe d’une dizaine
d’adolescents, qui ont brisé quelque meubles et tenté de piller un
tronc, a rapporté le quotidien Radikal.

Plusieurs attaques de chrétiens ont eu lieu ces dernières années en
Turquie, pays à une écrasante majorité musulmane.
En 2006, un prêtre catholique italien, Andrea Santoro, 61 ans, avait
été assassiné par balles dans la ville de Trabzon (nord-est). Son
jeune meurtrier turc purge une peine de 19 ans de prison.

En avril 2007, trois protestants avaient été égorgés à Malatya (est).
Cinq suspects turcs sont passibles de la prison à vie.
En janvier dernier, La police turque a interpellé 13 personnes
soupçonnées de préparer un attentat contre le pasteur et des membres
d’une église protestante de la province d’Izmit (nord-ouest).

EBRD downgrades Armenia’s economy growth forecast in 2014

May 13, 2013 – 18:38 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Eastern Europe’s economic-growth prospects have
worsened as the region’s largest economies, Russia and Poland, are
slowing `significantly,’ the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development said.

The 30 eastern European and central Asian countries where the EBRD
invests will expand 2.1 percent this year, the London-based bank said,
cutting its January forecast of 3 percent. The economies expanded 2.5
percent last year and will grow 3.1 percent in 2014, the EBRD
predicted.

EBRD forecasted a 5% GDP growth for Armenia in 2013; the Bank also
predicted a 4,5% inflation rate and slower economic growth of 4% in
2014.
Armenia’s national budget envisages 6,2% economic activity growth, and
4±1,5% inflation.

Deno Gold: Mining Company Threatens the Residents and Environment of
Kapan
14:50, May 13, 2013

Canadian `Deno Gold Mining Company’ files a slander lawsuit against
Armenian environmental activist Yeghia Nersesian

The company claims that in December of 2012, during a meeting with the
Armenian community in the USA, Mr. Nersesian announced that Deno Gold
Mining Company applied electric shock to
miners[1].

However, the company denies the allegation and has gone to court seeking a
refutation of the slanderous charges which it claims tarnishes its `good’
reputation. The Armenian press has covered the Deno Gold Mining Company on
numerous occasions, thus allowing us to get an insight as to the company’s
activities and to gauge the extent as to how really `good’ that reputation
is.

Deno Gold Mining is one of the subsidiaries of Dundee Precious Metals Inc.,
a Canadian-based international mining company. The company was established
in 2004, in the Syunik Province town ofKapan. In the official web page of
Dundee Precious Metals the
company’s operating principles are clearly marked – transparency, respect
of human dignity, safe working conditions, environmental responsibility,
etc. Similar values are indicated in the web pages of almost all mining
companies. However, these values are not demonstrated in Armenia and other
countries like it, which have essentially become raw material sources for
other countries. Deno GoldMining is no exception to this rule, and has
repeatedly violated and continues to violate the above-mentioned values.
This is evidenced by numerous press publications, which we would like to
refer to in sequence.

Environmental issues

In its stated principles, Dundee Precious Metals mentions that it has
undertaken certain environmental obligations which stipulate
environmentally friendly operational activities. However, the facts
show that `Deno Gold Mining’ does not fulfill its environmental
obligations or either does so at an extreme minimum level. For
example, the company’s Geghanush tailings dump has experienced a
number of break downs[3]. According to studies, on November 15 and
December 1 of 2012[5] environmental damage was caused to the
surrounding land and water resources (the damage was estimated
respectively at 2.280 million AMD and 2,000,048 AMD).

In fact, residents of the community initially opposed the construction
of the tailings dump[6]. However it was built, thus violating the
right of residents to participate in a decision making process that
would affect them.

Moreover, the company initially claimed that the Geghanush tailings
dump project had been designed by incorporating the best of
international experience, and that therefore, the impact of the dump
on the environment had been reduced to a minimum. Two accidents that
occurred in the tailings dump prove the opposite. In 2013, according
to the report drafted by RA National Bureau of Expertise, SNCO, the
piping system of the Geghanush tailings dump was constructed on the
old dump, that violations were made, and that it doesn’t comply with
the original blueprints. Funding was made through a $4 million credit
instrument of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
(EBRD)[7]. If there are deviations in the design and construction,
and accidents are being recorded in the tailings dump, hence the
funding failed to achieve its objective. Last, but not least, the
environment and the residents of the community are not protected
against future accidents.

In a 2007 environmental audit of the `Deno Gold Mining’ CJSC, a number
of violations in the mining sector were uncovered. According to the
Syunik Regional Environmental Inspectorate, the fines for the
violations exceeded 300 million AMD; that’s to say that 550 kg of gold
were misappropriated[8].

In 2008, the company was subjected to a double audit by the RA Ministry of
Environmental Protection of RA double audit. As a result, the fines levied
in 2007 were reduced by almost 20 fold to 12 million AMD; that’s to say
that 50 kg of gold were misappropriated. Mining expert Samvel Gasparyan, a
member of the first inspection commission who detected the above mentioned
violations, was not included in the inspection commission during the double
audit in 2008 and the contract with him was
terminated[9].

Hence, reasonable doubts arise that there are corruption risks in the
activities of Armenian officials. And the irresponsible operations of
mining companies leads to the fact that the organization damages the
environment and then avoids full liability. Thus we rightly ask – Did the
Canadian company assume environmental responsibility with the intent to
only partially implement them, without compensating for the damage caused
to the environment and people, via a tacit agreement with corrupted
officials?

In addition, scientific studies of the RA National Academy of Sciences’
Center for Ecological Noosphere Studies also shows that as a result of the
activities of Deno Gold, the Kapan community and surrounding communities
have been polluted by heavy metals and toxic elements. However, the company
has not taken any steps to eliminate the
damage[10].

Moreover, due to the exploitation by the company of the Shahumyan
poly-metallic gold mine, it is being impossible to live and to be
engaged in agricultural activities in that area. But the complaints of
the residents remain unanswered[11].

Respect of a man’s labor

In its stated values, Dundee Precious Metals notes its respect of a
man’s labor and career development, the importance of honesty in
communication with partners, and finding solutions which will respect
the needs of the people and corporate interests. However, since 2009
Deno Gold has experienced periodic waves of protests and strikes
lasting days on end. The reasons for the unrest are unpaid salaries
for night shifts and dangerous work, employee layoffs and low
wages. Moreover, strikes and complaints are followed by unjustified
terminations which trigger new waves of protest[12]. Most of the
workers fired are those who have participated in the strikes and have
demanded the restoration of their violated rights[13].

As of 2011, according to the data, the company owes its employees 11
million AMD just for night shift payments per month. Hence, it has an
annual debt of 264 million AMD just for night shift payments, which
accumulated due to the incorrect application of the law[14].

Many of the workers were able to receive their salaries only by court
order [15].

It was only in the spring of 2011 that Deno Gold Mining fully paid its
former and current employees for their 2005-2007 unpaid night
shifts.[16] One court case vividly illustrates the extent to which
Deno Gold Mining takes care of the health and the protection of the
rights of its employees.

The company had fired one employee who fell sick due to working in the
mine, thus avoiding transferring him to another workplace more
appropriate to his state of health and refusing to cover medical
treatment costs. The employee was forced to file a lawsuit against the
company. Only then was he able to restore his right to work and
receive medical treatment[17].

Operational Transparency

The company indicates that it works transparently and openly with its
employees and partners. However, it mostly does not bring forward
legitimate arguments for dismissing its employees. Besides, a significant
violation of a transparent work-style is that Deno Gold Mining repeatedly
refuses or avoids providing information about its activities, which
directly relates to the health of the residents of the RA and environmental
problems. The media has repeatedly mentioned that they are not provided
with the results of the environmental audits of 2007-2009.

Environmental organizations have also applied to `Deno Gold Mining’ in
order to obtain the copies of environmental audit acts implemented to date
and inquiries have been sent to find out whether the employees have medical
insurance, what kind of medical examinations the workers undergo, what kind
of diseases were discovered, etc.

In fact, `hetq.am’ online newspaper notes that they have a document at
their disposal where the results of another audit conducted in 2010 are
marked. According to this audit the following amounts were not calculated
in the reports of the first quarter; Zn-152.20 t, Pb-22.7 t, Au – 38.81 kg,
Ag -100 kg. Deno Gold Mining was fined 250 million AMD for the uncovered
violations. Today, however, there is no such legal indictment and the
Ministry did not note this audit in its reply to Hetq Online. Where did
this indictment disappear and what kind of transparency and accountability
can we speak about?[18]

But many of the inquiries remain unanswered to this day. During a
recently organized conference, the company’s newly appointed director
Hrach Jabrayan publicly announced that he is not going to provide
environmental activists with any information about their activities
because `they have offended him’ [19]. This merely goes to prove that
the company is not working openly and transparently.

Safety at issue

The company also points out that the health and safety of their employees
is of paramount importance in their system of values and that there can be
no question about the safety of workers. But unfortunately, a number of
deaths have been recorded in the Deno Gold mine. There are at least 6
deaths recorded by the Armenian press that occurred in 2006, 2008, 2009 and
2011.[20]
We
are aware of the investigation results of only one of these deaths.
According to the results, a number of mandated working conditions have not
been met, which could lead to these accidents, although not being the
direct causes of
them[21].
The question is, which are the security guarantees which cannot be subject
to further discussion and which should protect the lives, health and safety
of the employees of the company. Do employees in fact have life insurance
contracts? By the way, on the official Dundee Precious Metals website, only
one death at Deno Gold Mining Company has been
listed[22].
What answer has Deno Gold Mining Company given concerning all the deaths
mentioned in the media? What are the causes of the deaths of these
employees? Why has the company failed to provide any public explanation to
date?

Community and social projects

It’s hard not to share the belief of Dundee Precious Metals Company that
companies must strive to create better living conditions for the residents
of the community where they operate and to make further investments in this
matter if needed. But as a result of Deno Mining Company’s operations, a
lot of people have either left their place of residence or have been
evacuated. But the question arises, how does the company envisage helping
the community and making it a better place for living? Is evacuating
residents from their homes the best solution they have got?

A lawsuit against an environmental activist and a new project on
exploitation of mines

Deno Gold Mining Company has repeatedly violated the rights of its
employees. Its operations have damaged the environment and caused injury to
people’s health. It has not ensured the safety of the tailings mine that
was being exploited. To date, no information requested by the public has
been provided. Despite all of this, the company still has plans to openly
exploit the Shahumyan gold mine, even when there are numerous professional
arguments against
it[23].
It’s true that the company denies the rumors of ever using electric shock
on its workers and is trying to regain its `good reputation’ through a
lawsuit. However, it must be pointed out that this information has appeared
in the media long before Yeghia Nersesian’s speech. According to the
periodical Syunyats Yerkir, former Deno Gold Mining Company General
Manager Robert Faletta was willing to subject disobedient miners to
electric shock. According to the periodical, `the owner of the company has
been informed about it a little bit late, which caused it to become a
subject of special
consideration'[24].
.

In April 2012, one of the environmental activists, Mariam Sukhudyan,
had pointed this out during an interview[25], but to date the company
has not presented a refutation demand. Incidentally, in an article
placed on 1in.am, it is noted that `Arajin Lratvakan has been
successful in verifying the fact that electric shock equipment had
been purchased. But it was not for disobedient workers and had to be
used in special cases'[26]. Now the company denies that they ever
purchased electric shock equipment. Probably the news site also had
to be summoned for questioning? So shouldn’t the news site be
questioned as well and asked to clarify the exact source of this
information? One notable fact is that the company general manager
Robert Faletta was fired in 2011, after continuous worker strikes and
court cases and rumors about the use of electric shock.

The question then arises, why was a lawsuit filed against Yeghia Nersesian
and why especially after the speech he had made in the United States?
Conclusion can be drawn that Yeghia Nersesian’s speech in the USA enjoyed
wider publicity, and Deno Gold Mining Company demands not to tarnish its
reputation to have better opportunities to get a 40-million-dollar loan for
exploiting a new mine. However, many citizens are skeptical about its
statements because they have already witnessed serious contradictions
between the values proclaimed by Deno Gold and its actual operating
procedure. The good reputation of the company is being tarnished due to its
own flaws, violations and lethal activities. Therefore, we have
substantial reason to believe that the pressure used against activists
seeks to silence the voice of the environmentalists and to implement the
company’s next project, which is to exploit an open mine situated only
1.5-2 km away from a residential area.

We demand that Deno Gold Mining Company, owned by Dundee Precious Metals,
remains committed to its declared values of not causing harm to the
environment. They must also adhere to their assumed obligations and respect
the rights of the workers and provide them with working conditions that
will not endanger their health and lives.

We would like to appeal to our compatriots the world over to give voice to
their complaints regarding the irresponsible and illegal functioning of
German, Canadian, American and Russian companies. We urge our compatriots
to follow the operations of all those companies which exploit mines
in Armeniaand fail to meet their obligations, thus causing harm to the
Armenian people and the nature ofArmenia. We make this appeal because your
direct participation and support in this matter is of crucial importance.

We urge you to join our struggle through any means accepted by the law –
appeals, claims, petitions, preparing and publishing complaints, interviews
with the media, protests in front of the administrative offices of these
companies and other major events. Any lawsuits filed against environmental
activists cannot stop us to fight against the eco-colonization
of Armenia and for the protection of Armenia’s Mother Nature and for
establishing social justice. Through concerted efforts we will be able to
put an end to the numerous environmental problems in Armenia much more
easily and quickly. Be informed, join, give your support and don’t forget
that the protection of the environment is also the protection of Armenia!

(For references, we have put those articles which are translated into
English in the Armenian media, the ones that have not been translated, you
can find in Armenian).

Pan-Armenian Environmental Front

Facebook group:
E-mail: [email protected]

Contact persons : Levon Galstyan, Anna Aghlamazyan, Mariam Sukhudyan

Skype: armecofront

——————————

[1] (22:28)

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9] See link 7

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]
1) , 2)
, 3)
, 4)

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26] See link 21

Syrian troops take full control of town near strategic highway

May 13, 2013 – 13:59 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – An activist group says Syrian troops have taken full
control of a town near a highway linking the capital Damascus with the
Jordanian border, a new advance in its campaign to drive rebels from
the country’s south, according to The Associated Press.

Rami Abdul-Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights, said Monday, May 13, that government forces retook all
off Khirbet Ghazaleh on Sunday, after days of heavy fighting. He says
rebel fighters withdrew.

Syrian state TV had reported late last week that troops secured the
highway between Damascus and the southern town of Daraa, near the
Jordanian border. Abdul-Rahman says the highway only reopened Sunday,
after troops took full control of the area.

The capture of Khirbet Ghazaleh is one of several recent battlefield
gains by the regime of President Bashar Assad.

Veteran of War Returns His Medal

A group of veterans of war in Karabakh went on a sit-in at Freedom
Square a few days ago. They demand more attention from the government,
a higher pension and dignified life.

Vardan Amirjanyan is not on Freedom Square, he is at Armenia Medical
Center, and his leg was amputated. Vardan Amirjanyan with his brother
and father fought till the last day of the war. They were in Hadrut
region. During the war he was injured but did not stay at the hospital
to get a treatment. He went to the post to join his soldiers. His foot
got frozen, and he started having problems with blood vessels in his
leg. Eventually he got gangrene, and his foot was amputated.

The ministry of defense refused to help him with 170,000 drams. In
addition, despite the promise to respond to his letter within 15 days
he got the refusal only three months later. They said assistance
should be provided by the ministry of labor and social affairs, not
the ministry of defense. Eventually the government of NKR covered his
expenses.

Now Vardan Amirjanyan needs 500-1000 dollars for prosthesis. The
authorities of Karabakh are ready to help him but there the quality
will not be satisfactory.

`There is total indifference. I went to the ministry of social
affairs, they said you live in Karabakh so you must apply here, I say
the quality is not good here, the German ones are good,’ he said.

Now the veteran returns his Garegin Nzhdeh medal which he received
from the minister of defense.

`I get a II degree disability benefit of 23,000 drams. Every year I
must be re-checked, my leg might grow,’ he jokes. Then he gets
serious. `How will they go to war again if they see that the veterans
are humiliated, receive no assistance, the minister does not take care
about them…’

11:41 13/05/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

FRANCE-VALENCE
« Arménia » organise une table-ronde sur les Arméniens de Syrie

L’association culturelle « Arménia » organise une table ronde sur le
thème « Quel avenir pour les Arméniens de Syrie ? » le vendredi 17 mai
à 20h30 à la salle Cheneviers de la MJC Jean Moulin de
Bourg-Lès-Valence (20 avenue Jean Moulin).

Lors de la soirée, « Arménia » laissera la parole au public pour
débattre sur la situation des Arméniens de Syrie victimes de la guerre
civile.

Krikor Amirzayan (président d’« Arménia ») « avec le Collectif Mémoire
et Avenir nous avions organisé en février dernier une conférence sur
la situation de la Syrie.

Le public était présent en nombre. Mais de très nombreuses questions
posées n’ont pas trouvé de réponse faute de temps d’une soirée
passionnante. Nous tenterons lors de ce débat avec le public, de faire
le tour des questions essentielles auxquelles est lié l’avenir même de
la communauté arménienne de Syrie qui souffre terriblement de cette
guerre civile et dont une partie a déjà émigré. Nous essaierons lors
de cette soirée d’apporter quelques réponses à nos inquiétudes et
interrogations ». Au terme de la soirée « Arménia » offrira une
réception.

Nous y reviendrons dans une prochaine édition dominicale.

« Quel avenir pour les Arméniens de Syrie ? » table-ronde, débat,
vendredi 17 mai à 20h30 à la salle Cheneviers de la MJC Jean Moulin
(Bourg-Lès-Valence).

Entrée Libre.

Contact : « Arménia », 130 rue Marcel Paul (Bourg-Lès-Valence). Tél 04
75 83 80 58. Krikor Amirzayan : 06 19 58 00 42, Georges Eretzian : 06
64 24 97 53. E-mail : [email protected]

lundi 13 mai 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

Atom Egoyan et Arsinée Khanjia
Bonne chance pour les 20 prochaines années

Nous félicitons Nouvelles d’Arménie pour ses magnifiques vingt ans .
Nous nous souvenons avec émotion d’avoir fait la couverture de l’une
des premières éditions (novembre 1993), ainsi que de tout ce qui a
changé depuis.
Bonne chance pour les 20 prochaines années !

lundi 13 mai 2013,
Spidermian ©armenews.com Ara ©armenews.com

HAUT KARABAGH
« Nous devions obliger l’Azerbaïdjan à capituler plutôt que de signer
un cessez-le-feu » affirme un député du Parlement de Stepanakert

Malgré la signature d’un cessez-le-feu entre l’Azerbaïdjan et les
troupes arméniennes d’autodéfense de la République du Haut Karabagh en
mai 1994, Bakou continue de violer chaque jour le régime du
cessez-le-feu pour maintenir une pression sur le conflit arméno-azéri.

Le député au Parlement de Stepanakert, Vahram Atanesyan vient
d’affirmer que la signature de l’accord du cessez-le-feu avec les
Azéris était une erreur et que les Arméniens devaient exiger la
capitulation de l’Azerbaïdjan. « L’Azerbaïdjan continue de nous
menacer de la reprise de la guerre. Une grande partie des habitants du
Haut Karabagh et les combattants de la libération de l’Artsakh se
posent des questions aujourd’hui sur l’utilité de la signature du
cessez-le-feu. Il aurait été plus juste de mettre la pression sur
l’adversaire et l’obliger à signer une capitulation » affirme le
député arménien. Dans le même temps, Vahram Atanesyan a noté que lors
des 19 dernières années, la République du Haut Karabagh a enregistré
des succès tels que la consolidation de l’Etat, l’économie et les
institutions. « Sous cet angle, bien évidemment, nous sommes heureux
d’avoir signé un traité de paix pour mettre fin à la guerre il y a 19
ans » dit Vahram Atanesyan. Il est vrai qu’après les nombreux succès à
Chouchi, Aghdam et tout au long du front de la guerre, les Arméniens
avaient -affirment les combattants et les stratèges militaires- la
possibilité de déplacer le front beaucoup plus à l’est en direction de
Bakou. Mais semble-t-il l’ordre fut donnée à l’armée arménienne
victorieuse -par une puissance étrangère dit-on- de cesser l’avancée
et de signer un cessez-le-feu avec les troupes azéries défaites.

Krikor Amirzayan

lundi 13 mai 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
May 12 2013

Diyanet supports Christian minorities’ efforts to have their places of worship
0

12 May 2013 /

Bilingual Turkish-Armenian newspaper Agos and the Cumhuriyet daily
reported recently that the Ankara Governor’s Office had rejected a
request from the Association of Protestant Churches in Turkey to
obtain a piece of land to build a church on but later approved a
request by Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) to build a
mosque on the same spot.
The reports were false, however. Religious Affairs Directorate head
Mehmet Görmez, who was shocked by these misleading reports when I
talked to him over the phone, said “It is our moral and humanitarian
duty to ensure that non-Muslim minorities in Turkey also enjoy the
same the religious rights and freedoms that the Muslim majority in
Turkey enjoys. I believe that the talks between the association and
Diyanet can accelerate the process and the Association of Protestant
Churches will immediately have a church.’

According to the news reports, a request from the Protestant community
in Ankara for the allocation of a piece of land for the construction
of a church had been refused by Ankara Governor’s Office. However,
that was not the end of the story. The governor’s office asked the
Religious Affairs Directorate to apply to them to build a mosque on
the same land, and then approved the directorate’s request for the
allocation of the same piece of land for the construction of a mosque.

Thus, everybody thought that preventing the building of a place of
worship of any community and applying for the construction of a mosque
on the same spot was great mistake and an injustice to the Protestant
community in Ankara.

When we spoke to the people affected by this debate the most, we were
relieved to find that the problem stemmed from a misunderstanding. The
Association of Protestant Churches in Turkey applied the Çankaya
Municipality in Ankara for the allocation of land for the construction
of a church. The municipality then gave a list of plots allocated for
the construction of places of worship, including information such as
parcel and plot numbers, to the association.

Let us hear the rest of the history from the association’s press
spokesperson, Soner Tufan: “We determined a suitable piece of land
from the list and made our request to the municipality for the
allocation of the land. The municipality rejected our request, saying
that according to the zoning plan, that piece of land was not
appropriate for the building of a place of worship. But then we were
hurt and upset to see that the construction of a mosque was under way
on the land that was previously deemed inappropriate for a place of
worship. Thus, our community reacted to this. First, we asked the
state authorities for support in order not to lose the land where we
want to build our church. Our efforts came to nothing since we could
not deal with the bureaucratic difficulties. Then, we informed a media
outlet about the situation. However, we later discovered that we
misread some numbers given by Ankara’s Çankaya Municipality, which
resulted in the confusion that the piece of land the organization was
seeking to obtain had been made available for the construction of a
mosque following the association’s request. The piece of land where
the mosque construction is under way is not the same piece of land
that we requested from the municipality. We apologize to all Muslims
who were offended by the remarks made by the association.”

Admitting the showed a harsh reaction without investigating the issue
properly, the Protestant community noted that their emotional reaction
was a result of the state and public officials’ negative attitude
toward Christian minorities.

We may understand their emotional reaction and psychology, but it is
hard to understand the behaviors of the journalist who prepared this
news item without conducting a little investigation. Unfortunately,
ignoring the basic principles of journalism, such as speaking with the
all sides involved in the incident and verifying the source of the
news, is a chronic disease in the Turkish media.

The Association of Protestant Churches in Turkey should immediately
have their place of worship.