Hüda-Par party representative argues against return of Assyrian church building
A leading figure from an Islamist party, largely composed of Kurds, is the latest to voice criticism of returning the old patriarchal seat of the Syriac Catholic Church in Mardin to its rightful owners.
Şehzade Demir, Secretary General of the Hüda-Par political party and an MP representing Gaziantep, has spoken out against the restitution of the ancient Syriac Catholic Church’s patriarchal seat building in Mardin to the Syriac Catholic Church’s foundation.
Demir was quoted earlier this month in a local newspaper, saying: “The ‘Mardin Museum Building’ should serve as a museum. Otherwise, the ‘Mardin Spirit,’ the experience of living together in peace, will be compromised and may cause unwanted outrages.”
His remarks, including veiled threats of “unwanted outrages”, echo those of other groups opposing a potential decision by President Erdoğan to return the building.
In his comments, Demir also invoked historical issues, implying that Syriac Catholics had betrayed the Ottoman state by aligning with European powers:“Since the century, some of our Orthodox Assyrian citizens have been Catholicized in line with the suggestion and interests of French and German Catholic missionaries,” he said.
The Assyria Post
The Kurdish Nature of the Opposition
As objections to the return of the Assyrian church building grow louder, it is becoming increasingly evident that most of those opposed to restitution are ethnic Kurds and Kurdish groups leaning toward Islamism, according to Assyrian political commentators.
Hüda-Par, short for Hür Dava Partisi (“Free Cause Party”), is an Islamist political party in Turkey founded in 2012. It is widely regarded as the political arm of the Kurdish Hezbollah movement (not related to Lebanon’s Hezbollah), which emerged in the 1980s in southeastern Turkey. The party advocates conservative Islamic values and Kurdish rights, positioning itself as an alternative to both Kurdish nationalist and secular parties. While relatively small, it has gained influence through alliances, including cooperation with President Erdoğan’s AKP in elections.
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