The Assyrian Democratic Organization
Turkey- ADO– Between April 23-24, 2007, the Turkish Historical Society and the Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation will initiate discussions about a possible investigation of a mass grave in the Mardin Province.
The proposed investigation will seek to clarify conflicting claims about the origins of the mass grave through a forensic and historical investigation that will continue until the autumn of 2007 when a joint expert opinion will be issued.
Background: In October 2006 villagers in Kuru village of Nusaybin district, in southeastern Turkey’s Mardin province disclosed that they had found a mass grave in a cave near their village. Some local reporters published articles including photographs of the site stating that the grave contained remains of Armenians, and was similar to other grave sites from this era.
The authorities of the Mardin province launched their own investigation and concluded that the remains were from Roman times. The new investigation by the Turkish Historical Society and the Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation will seek to clarify these conflicting claims through a collaborative investigation.
This proposed joint investigation of the Mardin mass grave will be led by Professor Yusuf Halaçoðlu, president of the Turkish Historical Society, and Professor David Gaunt of Södertörn University College in Sweden who is the project director for the Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation at the Salzburg Seminar. The initial meeting in Mardin on April 23-24, 2007 will include an inspection of the mass gravesite in Kuru village of Nusaybin district.
The aim of this visit is to make a preliminary survey to establish whether the site is suitable for a future interdisciplinary investigation by forensic medical experts, archaeologists, physical anthropologists and historians. If such a determination is made, forensic experts will be engaged to assist the Turkish Historical Society and the Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation in their work.
For more information contact:
Professor Yusuf Halaçoðlu, President, Turkish Historical Institute
Email: bilgi@ttk.org.tr
Professor David Gaunt, Professor of History, Södertörn University College
Email: david.gaunt@sh.se
