A plot of land in Turkey’s southeastern Mardin province containing Assyrian and Armenian graves has been transformed into a park, Ahval Turkish news outlet reported, citing left-wing news site Duvar.
Park in southeastern Turkey built atop Assyrian, Armenian graves
STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 12, ARTSAKHPRESS: The newly-landscaped park in Mardin’s town of Dargeçit, part of the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) ‘’nation parks’’ project, hosts a recreational facility and a wedding hall, Duvar said.
The project in the neighbourhood known to locals as “Tirbik,’’ had been launched by the town’s state-appointed official in 2016, despite repeated warnings from residents on the sanctity of the land.
The Turkish interior ministry in March of 2016 replaced the mayor of Dargecit with a state-appointed official.
"It is neither ethical nor conscientious to build a recreational centre and park atop a cemetery,’’ Duvar quoted Dargecit resident Abdulmesih Ergun as saying.
"This was once a Christian cemetery. There were once Assyrians and Armenians here,’’ Ergun said.
In the beginning of the 20th century Mardin was home to over 12,000 Assyrians and over 7,500 Armenians.
