Turkey’s last Armenian village faces expropriation threat
Vakıflı, known as Turkey’s last remaining Armenian village, is facing the threat of expropriation due to a public housing project.
Located in the Samandağ district of Hatay, the village is included in a large-scale development plan by the Housing Development Administration (TOKİ) as part of post-earthquake housing projects following the devastating quakes in Feb 2023.
The project, which involves the construction of 1,353 housing units, covers parts of Vakıflı, including residential areas, agricultural land, and treasury-owned property.
On TOKİ’s website, the project is listed under the title: “Hatay Province, Samandağ District, Hıdırbey and Vakıfköy Neighborhoods, Stage 6 and 7 Construction: 1,353 Housing Units, 14-Shop Commercial Center, Infrastructure, and Landscaping Work.”
Residents of Vakıflı are alarmed by the prospect of expropriation, fearing that the project will harm the village’s historical, cultural, and social fabric. Many worry that Vakıflı could lose its unique status as Turkey's last Armenian village.
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Speaking to bianet by phone, a local resident said, "Today, the headmen of Vakıfköy, Hıdırbey, and Mağaracık are meeting with the governor. We, as the people of the village, oppose the expropriation decision. We are a village that has existed for centuries.
"We fear not only for our cultural and historical heritage but also for the demographic makeup of our community. Almost half of our village is at risk of expropriation, and we are deeply concerned about losing our identity as Turkey’s last Armenian village."
The village's mukhtar, Berç Kartun, also commented on the situation, stating that the village's fate would become clearer after their meeting with Hatay Governor Mustafa Masatlı. Kartun noted that the villagers were anxious and upset about the potential impact of the project.
Disputed properties
Following the forced displacement of most Armenians from the Musa Dagh region in 1915, only a small number remained in Vakıflı and nearby villages such as Hıdırbey, Yoğunoluk, and Kapısuyu. After the annexation of the İskenderun Sanjak, the modern-day Hatay, by Turkey in 1939, the remaining Armenian population largely concentrated in Vakıflı.
According to Agos journalist İşhan Erdinç, the Vakıflı Armenian Church Foundation initiated legal proceedings to reclaim 36 properties identified as belonging to the Armenian community. These properties had been transferred to the state treasury or private individuals over time.
Despite a 2022 ruling by Turkey’s Constitutional Court, which found a violation of property rights, the disputed properties have not been returned to the foundation.
(VC/VK)
Managing Editor at bianet since April 2023. He worked full-time at sendika.org and T24, and as a freelance journalist for taz.gazete, Stern, and Inside Turkey between 2013 and 2023. He graduated from the Department of History at Istanbul University and completed his master’s degree in the Department of History at Kocaeli University with a thesis titled “The 1957 Turkey–Syria Crisis and Orientalist Discourse in the Turkish Press.”
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