Syriac monastery in Turkey court proceeding status

The Syriac Universal Alliance (SUA), the acknowledged voice of and the only NGO among the Syriac (or Aramean) people, reports that the three court proceedings held today on Wednesday, March 4 2009, in Midyat, Turkey, have once again been postponed.

The three trials held today involved the following:
 

1. Boundary Lines Case – The first court appeals proceeding has been initiated by the Monastery regarding its boundaries with the villages of Yayvantepe and Eglence and results from the redrafting of the Monastery Boundary Lines by Turkish authorities. This case has been postponed since 19 November 2008.
2. Forestry Land Case 1 – The second court appeals proceeding has also been initiated by the Monastery against the Forestry Department in order to restore its property which is within and outside the outer wall of the Monastery. In dispute in this case is the removal of approximately 276,000 square metres of land from the Monastery. This case has been postponed since 14 November 2008.
3. Forestry Land Case 2 – Besides a third trial, to be held on 6 May 2009, the Minister of Treasury has just recently initiated a fourth court proceeding against the Monastery, stating that there is more “Forestry Land” inside and outside the Monastery that it wishes to claim. Accordingly, in this case about 244,000 square metres of land might be confiscated from the indigenous Aramean people.

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Download Press Release: 

SUA_Press_Release_Saint_Gabriel_Monastery_040309.pdf