Hayk Demoyan: Reconstruction of Aghtamar Church is propaganda

23.03.2007 17:05
Marlena Hovsepyan
"Radiolur"

Did official Yerevan have to accept the invitation of the Turkish
Government to participate in the opening ceremony of the Church of the
Holy Cross? In response to the question Director of the Genocide
Museum-Institute Hayk Demoyan said: `Participating or not, we were to
have a clear stance on the fact of reopening.’

According to him, we should not be extremely inspired about the
reopening of the Church. `I never get inspired about actions the aim
of which is very simple: this way Turkey is trying to influence the
opinion of the international community, displaying a Turkey that cares
for the Christian heritage,’ he says. According to him, it is obvious
that although having the budget of $2 million, it is an initiative
pursuing propaganda aims.

Hundreds, if not thousands of Armenian monuments in Turkey have been
demolished just during the Turkish Republic, a country which
consistently demolishes Armenian traces. `This can only evidence that
in the current republic the human killings of Young Turks have turned
into monument killing or killing of memory,’ he said.

It’s worth mentioning that Turks call Aghtamar Island Agdamar, which
means ` white vein’ when translated from Turkish. According to Hayk
Demoyan, this is also a killing of memory: `It’s clear that they will
not say Aghtamar and the Church of the Holy Cross. They will call it
Agdamar Church, and the Armenian identity won’t be mentioned,
either. Therefore, the disputes about the cross are grounded.’

For Turkey reopening of Aghtamar Church will have not only political
but also economic dividends, Hayk Demoyan continues: Turkey will
rapidly return the $2 million spent due to tourism.

Recently we have been witnessing a dangerous process: merging of
Tirkish and Azerbaijani propaganda. If we lose the sense of time, we
shall pay a high price tomorrow, he says.

To counter the Turkish-Azerbaijani propaganda, the issue of creation
of a pan-Armenian structure should be on the agenda.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress