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TURKISH COURT STAYS DEMOLITION OF KARS STATUE
Hurriyet
March 8 2011
Turkey
The Erzurum 1st Administrative Court has granted a stay of execution
of the Kars Municipal Assembly's decision to demolish the 'Monument
to Humanity.' DHA photo
An administrative court in the eastern province of Erzurum has
granted a stay of execution against the demolition of Kars' Monument
to Humanity, a peace sculpture described as "freakish" by the prime
minister in January.
"The Erzurum 1st Administrative Court granted a motion for a stay of
execution of the Kars Municipal Assembly's decision to demolish the
'Monument to Humanity' in order to avoid any [possible] irrevocable
damage that could be done to the statue," said lawyer Aslı Kazan,
who is acting on behalf of the sculpture's creator, Mehmet Aksoy.
The sculpture cannot be demolished until the court case is finalized,
Kazan told Anatolia news agency on Monday.
Aksoy brought court action against a decision by the eastern province
of Kars to demolish the sculpture after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan said the monument looked "freakish" and vowed to take it down.
The court decision came on the same day an auction was to be held
in the eastern province to select the company that would demolish
the statue. Six companies presented their proposals to the tendering
authority Monday.
If the Erzurum court eventually chooses to permit the demolition of
the sculpture, the company that wins the auction will be given 60
days by the local municipality to remove the Monument to Humanity. The
sculpture will reportedly be dismantled before being carted away.
Erdogan sparked controversy on the monument during his visit earlier
this year when he said the monument, which is placed on a high
hill overlooking the city, was both "freakish" and threatened to
overshadow historical locations such as the Seyyid Hasal El Harakani
tomb and mosque.
After the prime minister ordered the sculpture's demolition, Kars'
municipal assembly passed a motion to tear down the monument, saying
it had been illegally erected in a protected area.
The unfinished monument, which depicts two figures meeting, is 35
meters tall, weighs 300 tons and is meant to represent efforts to
foster friendship between the Turkish and Armenian peoples. Aksoy
has planned for one of the figures to shed a tear in regret while
the other extends its hand in reconciliation if permission is granted
for the completion of the monument.
From: A. Papazian
Hurriyet
March 8 2011
Turkey
The Erzurum 1st Administrative Court has granted a stay of execution
of the Kars Municipal Assembly's decision to demolish the 'Monument
to Humanity.' DHA photo
An administrative court in the eastern province of Erzurum has
granted a stay of execution against the demolition of Kars' Monument
to Humanity, a peace sculpture described as "freakish" by the prime
minister in January.
"The Erzurum 1st Administrative Court granted a motion for a stay of
execution of the Kars Municipal Assembly's decision to demolish the
'Monument to Humanity' in order to avoid any [possible] irrevocable
damage that could be done to the statue," said lawyer Aslı Kazan,
who is acting on behalf of the sculpture's creator, Mehmet Aksoy.
The sculpture cannot be demolished until the court case is finalized,
Kazan told Anatolia news agency on Monday.
Aksoy brought court action against a decision by the eastern province
of Kars to demolish the sculpture after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan said the monument looked "freakish" and vowed to take it down.
The court decision came on the same day an auction was to be held
in the eastern province to select the company that would demolish
the statue. Six companies presented their proposals to the tendering
authority Monday.
If the Erzurum court eventually chooses to permit the demolition of
the sculpture, the company that wins the auction will be given 60
days by the local municipality to remove the Monument to Humanity. The
sculpture will reportedly be dismantled before being carted away.
Erdogan sparked controversy on the monument during his visit earlier
this year when he said the monument, which is placed on a high
hill overlooking the city, was both "freakish" and threatened to
overshadow historical locations such as the Seyyid Hasal El Harakani
tomb and mosque.
After the prime minister ordered the sculpture's demolition, Kars'
municipal assembly passed a motion to tear down the monument, saying
it had been illegally erected in a protected area.
The unfinished monument, which depicts two figures meeting, is 35
meters tall, weighs 300 tons and is meant to represent efforts to
foster friendship between the Turkish and Armenian peoples. Aksoy
has planned for one of the figures to shed a tear in regret while
the other extends its hand in reconciliation if permission is granted
for the completion of the monument.
From: A. Papazian