Armenian cemetery demolition stopped after injunction
By Leo Leonidou

Cyprus Mail, Cyprus
April 22 2005

ALL demolition work at the Armenian Cemetery near the Ledra Palace
Hotel in Nicosia has been stopped after the Ministry of the Interior
took out an injunction to stop the work.

The Armenian Prelature last week started digging up graves, as part
of their plans to put remains together in a new communal pit in the
new Armenian Cemetery in Deftera, on the outskirts of the capital.

Bedros Kalaydjian, parliamentary representative of the Armenian
community in the House of Representatives, said “the demolition was
carried out by unprofessional people, which was hurtful to the memory
of the deceased.”

He went on to say that the cemetery “was declared a heritage site by
the Interior Ministry last June, meaning no work could be done without
their permission. But the Church committee started work without having
the required permit from the Ministry’s Town Planning Committee. The
Church were not aware of the cemetery’s status as a heritage site
and were not aware of the need to secure a permit. There was uproar
in the Armenian community because demolition started without their
knowledge. It is only fair and democratic that the community are kept
informed of what is going on.”

A meeting took place on Wednesday evening between the Prelature,
Kalaydjian and Green Party leader, George Perdikis, to discuss the
matter, where the Prelature agreed to stop the work. “I am very
satisfied that work has been stopped,” said Perdikis. “The Prelature
admitted that they were in the wrong and we will now keep a close
eye on future developments.

“At Wednesday’s meeting, the Church Council decided to send out
circulars to members of the Armenian community, inviting them to the
Prelature for an open discussion on the matter in a couple of weeks,”
Kalaydjian said. “Nothing further will happen until then.”

It is believed the Prelature was planning to make the land available
for redevelopment after work finished, but Kalaydjian said “there is
no clear future master plan. The cemetery’s future will be discussed
with the public.”

The cemetery contains the remains of Armenians who lived and worked
in Nicosia from the 18th century until 1931.

There are approximately 2,500 Armenians living in Cyprus, in addition
to the 500 non-Cypriot Armenians that work on the island.