GOT CANCELS PLAN TO EXPROPRIATE BAHA'I PROPERTY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 007976

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE


E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/29/2008
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TU
SUBJECT: GOT CANCELS PLAN TO EXPROPRIATE BAHA'I PROPERTY


Classified by Charge Robert Deutsch; reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).



1. (SBU) Summary: Local officials in Edirne canceled an order
to expropriate a site sacred to followers of the Baha'i
faith, apparently ending a 10-year dispute over the property.
Baha'i contacts in Ankara and Istanbul said high-level GOT
officials asked for the cancellation. End Summary.


--------------
Baha'i Seek NSC Support
--------------



2. (C) Representatives of Turkey's Baha'i Community learned
in November that local authorities in Edirne were taking the
Community to court in order to seize the title of a property
sacred to the Baha'i, who claim about 10,000 adherents in
Turkey. The court case threatened to bring an end to the
Baha'i's long-running efforts to regain ownership of the
property, a former home of the Baha'i prophet Baha'u'llah.
The Culture Ministry granted cultural heritage status to the
site in 1993, but the Education Ministry in 2000 notified the
Baha'i Community that it intended to expropriate the property
for use by an adjacent primary school. The property had been
tied up in legal disputes ever since. Cuneyt Can, Baha'i
Community External Affairs Representative, told Embassy
Poloff that Community members contacted retired former
National Security Council (NSC) Secretary General Kilinc when
they learned of the latest court case, scheduled for December

11. Kilinc said he would line up support for the Baha'i
within the NSC, which has opposed the Baha'i at times in the
past, and promised to contact Justice Minister Cicek and
other top GOT officials.


--------------
Expropriation Canceled
--------------



3. (C) While it is not clear what role Kilinc may have
played, Baha'i leaders heard from various sources that FM Gul
discussed the property issue with Education Minister Celik
during a joint trip to Kayseri in November. Gul reportedly
told Celik he wanted the matter resolved. In early December
Baha'i Community representatives met with Celik, who called
the Edirne Governor on the spot and asked him if the Baha'i
property was needed for the adjacent school. When the
Governor said it wasn't, Celik asked him to rescind the
expropriation order.



4. (U) Can said it now appears that the Baha'i Community will
be able to complete its plans for improving the property,
essentially a small garden with some remains of the original
home. Lawyers for the Baha'i have a copy of the Edirne City
Council's unanimous decision to rescind the expropriation
order, and municipal officials have contacted the Community
to begin the process of retrieving the money the municipality
gave to the Community as compensation for the planned
expropriation. According to Baha'i attorneys, the prosecutor
in the expropriation case stated at the December 11 hearing
that the case should be dismissed -- the Baha'i are awaiting
a written record of a court decision to dismiss. Once the
Baha'i Community formally regains ownership of the site, it
plans to improve the garden and build a two-story visitors
center on the property.


--------------
Thanks for U.S. Support
--------------



5. (SBU) Speaking to Consulate Istanbul Poloff, Susan Merter,
Baha'i Community Secretary General, thanked the U.S. Mission
for its support throughout the 10-year impasse. Merter felt
strongly that visits to the Edirne site by USG officials had
demonstrated to the GOT the human rights aspect of the
expropriation. Merter said U.S. efforts had encouraged other
missions in Turkey to support the Baha'i. Can said one MFA
official said he hoped the resolution of the dispute would
help improve Turkey's image in the Department's International
Religious Freedom Report.


--------------
Comment
--------------



6. (C) The property dispute reflects the Turkish State's deep
suspicion of non-Muslim religions, as well as its
all-encompassing concept of national security. While Kilinc
may have played a positive role in this latest development,
at least one previous effort to resolve the issue was quashed
when, according to Baha'i contacts, the NSC ruled against it.
Meanwhile, the Baha'i continue to raise concerns on other
fronts, including efforts to regain expropriated property in
Istanbul and to have "Baha'i" included among the religions
listed on birth certificates.








EDELMAN