JINHA

ISTANBUL – 50 days in, a group of resisters are continuing to protect the historic Armenian children's camp of Camp Armen from demolition in Istanbul.

There has still been no formal legal development in the case of Camp Armen, located in the Tuzla district of Istanbul. The camp, now closed, provided a space for decades for Armenian children who had no other place to receive an education after the Armenian genocide. Slain Armenian journalist Hrant Dink and his wife were among the children who attended Camp Armen. Later, the camp was among the many Armenian properties seized from Armenian churches and foundations by the Turkish state through a legal change.

When demolition equipment moved in nearly two months ago to demolish the historic camp, the Armenian community and their allies rushed to the site to stop the bulldozers. Since then, the Camp Armen resistance has maintained an occupation there. The resistance has developed a collective way of life and organizes its basic needs over social media, reports Camp Armen resistance member Özgür Demirtaş. Nearly every day, the camp hosts communally organized ateliers, discussions and activities.

The Camp Armen resistance has called for a march through Istanbul's downtown Taksim district on Friday, June 26. The marchers will demand that title to Camp Armen be returned to the Armenian community. Fatih Ulusoy, a Turkish property owner, currently holds title to Camp Armen.

(en-mı/dk/zd/mg/cm)