Adoption of H. Res. 306 inspires Armenians for continued struggle

December 21, 2011 - 17:52 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Adoption of U.S. House Resolution 306 urging the Republic of Turkey to safeguard its Christian heritage and to return confiscated church properties inspires the Armenian Diaspora for continued struggle, according to The California Courier editor Harut Sasunyan.

According to him, the resolution may give fresh impetus to other countries and international organizations to follow the suit and demand restoration of Armenia’s right to property in Turkey.

“Turkish authority should acknowledge that international community closely follows continuing violations,” Sasunyan writes.

On December 14, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a landmark religious freedom measure, H.Res.306, calling upon Turkey to return the Christian church properties it stole through genocide, and to end its repression of the surviving members of the vast Christian civilizations that once represented a majority in the territory of the present-day Republic of Turkey.

On August 28, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree on the return of Christian and Jewish religious property confiscated after the 1930s. The properties involved include hospitals, orphanage and school buildings, burial grounds.

The Turkish government also intends to pay compensation for the property sold away. The property subject to return includes the former hospital, orphanage, school buildings, cemeteries, shops, ground area, as well as all assets of the Fund “Surb Harutiun” (Holly Resurrection).