Resistance in the last Armenian village: Vakifli fights for survival!

Resistance in the last Armenian village: Vakifli fights for survival!

Vakifli, Türkei - The last village in Turkey, Vakifli, fully lived in by Armenians, faces an existential threat, according to reports from the "Pro Oriente" information service and Bianet. The approximately 150 inhabitants, who largely belong to the Armenian-Apostolic Church, live in the province of Hatay and have already felt the devastating consequences of the earthquake in February 2023, which severely damaged numerous buildings. Now there is a further danger from a planned large housing project of the Turkish housing association Toki. The authorities are planning a total of 1,353 new houses, which are also to be built in Vakifli. These developments could consider the historical and cultural structure of the small village considerably, as feared by the villagers. Almost half of the villagers are therefore offset.

demographic changes

The residents of Vakifli are descendants of the Armenians who survived in 1915 during massive displacements and killings. For many, the village is a symbol of survival and cultural identity, since they communicate in their unique dialect, the Musa Da-Armenian. However, the current plans of the Turkish government could not only threaten demography, but also the cultural identity of the last Armenian community in Turkey. A village spokesman expressed his concern: "We fear not only for our cultural heritage, but also for the demographic structure of our community." In addition, earlier conflicts with the Toki in other regions have shown that historical and social structures are often neglected in construction projects.

The Armenian parish of Vakifli has tried in the past to reclaim its property, including 36 properties that are assigned to the Armenian community and which have been expropriated over the years without a legal basis. Despite a judgment by the Turkish constitutional court, which recognized a violation of property rights, the return of these properties has so far failed to increase, which further increases the uncertainty among the villagers. The fate of Vakifli goes beyond the boundaries of a small village and reflects the challenges that the Armenian population in Turkey looks like today, as well as on Syriac Press is reported.