Civilnet
Armen Camp, the Armenian orphanage in Istanbul’s Eastern suburb of Tuzla, is on the verge of collapse. Bulldozers demolished about a third of the complex on May 6, in accordance with plans to build luxury villas on the site.
The demolition has been reportedly halted due to public protest. According to Al-Monitor, since May 6, Armenians have been standing guard around the clock in front of the building.
Armen Camp is of huge significance to the Armenian community in Turkey. It served as a home and a place of education and recreation to about 1,500 children. Armenian orphans and underprivileged Armenian families at the time played an important role in the construction of the building, which adds to its significance.
The Gedikpaşa Armenian Protestant Church Foundation opened up the doors of Armen Camp in 1963. In 1974, a high court ruling was issued stating that “minority foundations cannot own property,” following this, in 1983, after two decades of housing orphans, the camp was shut down and the property was confiscated by the Turkish State.
The Gedikpaşa Armenian Protestant Church pastor Grigor Aghabaloghlu said in this regard, “Our church is in the hands of state-owned property. They have openly confiscated it. It is a shame, and the state should get rid of this shame.”
In 2011, Turkey passed a law to return church property confiscated after 1936 to minority groups. Armen Camp, however, was not included in the list of properties to be returned, and legal attempts by the Church to regain ownership of the property or seek compensation have been unsuccessful.
Hrant Dink and his widow Rakel spent their summers at Armen Camp. In an article written by Dink in Agos about his experience at camp and the camp’s future, he wrote: “they took away the building built with the sweat of 1,500 children. They took away our children’s work. To that I would say ‘good for you,’ and I would consider it acceptable only if they open a new orphanage for children, or if it became a camp for underprivileged children.”
Just like Dink, those who fight for Armen Camp have hope that they will be able to save the camp which was once a haven for hundreds of orphaned children.
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