Before World War I there were scores of Armenian churches within 20 km of Akhtamar

PanARMENIAN.Net - "Over the past two years, Turkish authorities made much of the restoration of a 10th century Armenian Church on Akhtamar island in Lake Van. Until recently, it was not clear whether this restoration project was a peaceful gesture to Armenians, or a crude gloss over the reality of the Armenian Genocide and the destruction of Armenian cultural properties in modern Turkey," says the statement issued by Komitas Institute, London, UK.



"The head of the Turkish Historical Society, Yusuf Halaçoğlu, commented on the opening of the restored Holy Cross church on Akhtamar Island on April 15th, 2007. We hope his words do not reflect official thinking in Ankara.



According to The New Anatolian, Halaçoğlu stated that "We [Turks] don't have anything to hide... Opening the Agdamar Church will be a gesture to Armenians and the whole world… After the conquering of Anatolia, the Turks didn't damage foreign assets… Nothing was destroyed. In this way, these assets have survived through to today."



Halaçoğlu's words will surely prove to be an embarrassment to Turkey. Should the guests invited to the opening of the church on April 15th decide to look around them, they will see that Akhtamar Island is an exception.



On the eve of World War I, there were scores of medieval Armenian churches within 20 km of Akhtamar Island alone, and practically none of them remain standing today. Most of them have been completely destroyed during the life of the Turkish Republic. Today gravediggers enjoy a free hand looting these localities while Turkish state authorities continue to turn a blind eye to these acts of desecration.



Halacoglu's words only add to Turkey's shame," the statement says.