YUSUF HALAJOGHLU: IF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIGGINGS FOUND BONES COLLECTED ONE ON ANOTHER IT CAN NOT BE CALLED MASS BURIAL PLACE

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 13 2007

"In Turkey archaeologists are in charge of carrying out diggings in
the mass burial places. But before the diggings archive materials
are researched, the eye- witnesses of the events, grandchildren of
massacred people are interviewed," director of Turkish History Agency
Yusuf Halajoghlu exclusively told APA. Yusuf Halajoghlu shared some
details of researching mass burial places.

"After researches archaeologists work in the burial places. The
archaeological research of mass burial places should be conducted
very cautiously. The most characteristic feature of mass graveyards is
that they scattered in dispersed form. If the archaeological diggings
found the bones collected one on another it can not be called mass
burial place".

Yusuf Halajoghlu said it is very important that bones found in
dispersed form. "If the bones are found row by row it can be thought
that dead bodies are buried immediately. When the bones are found
in that form it can not be called mass graveyard Arzurum and Van
Universities have scholars specialized in the researching of mass
burial places. If there is need, we engage them in the research
works. The diggings process should be approached very carefully
using special archaeological instruments". Yusuf Halajoghlu said
archaeological diggings will be carried out in Mardin in connection
with so-called ‘Armenian genocide’. "There are evidences that Mardin
has mass graveyards. As you know some Swedish MPs claimed that surianis
were massacred in Mardin. MP from Sweden David Lant accepted to join
diggings in that territory. We even agreed to send the archaeological
findings to be researched in international laboratory.

We are waiting for research results now," the historian underlined.