Turkish Legal Claims Against Syriac Monastery

Editor: so much about the Turkish President's claims.

On 27.01.2011, Turkish Supreme Court made decision against Mor Gabriel Monastery concerning lands dispute with the villages and Turkish Treasury.

One more time there is a try to seize values and assets of Syriac people by legal and juridical pressures with the example of Mor Gabriel Monastery. With unfair methods and ways, a lot of lands of Syriacs have been seized during cadastral survey works since 2007, and had been transferred to the state treasury. The most important and clear evidence is the Mor Gabriel Monastery trials. These actions take source from local villages and state institutions. The local court made decision about cases, but later on all parties decided to go to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court dealt with the cases and reversed even the case which was gained by the Monastery Foundation. Finally, on 27.01.2011 according to the recent decision made by the Supreme Court, the Mor Gabriel Monastery has to transfer most of its lands to the state treasury.

At the time when AKP (Justice and Development Party) government is trying to persuade the whole world with the democratic openings, taking actions against Mor Gabriel Monastery is completely contradictory to the reality. And thus the AKP government is seen insincere by the Syriacs. With this latest development, the AKP government becomes a source of disappointment in the process of reforms towards European Union.

These political decisions had always been reasons of discussion on the international arena and often Turkey had been condemned by the European Court of Human Rights. We also believe that Turkey will be condemned by the European Court of Human Rights concerning the Mor Gabriel Monastery case. We call to the Turkish government to restore this unfair decision and make relevant legal arrangements.

European Syriac Union (E.S.U.), on behalf of the Syriac people, is strongly condemning the decision of the Supreme Court and made its call to all Syriac people all over the world, to the world public opinion and to relevant institutions and governments to be responsive to this situation.

Best

regardsEuropean Syriac Union -

ESUwww.esu.ccwww.esu-youth.eu
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