PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT - Proposal and Suggestions For The Protection of Ancient Antioch (Antakya) Culture and Its Reconstruction as a Contemporary World City in Accordance With Its History
PROPOSALS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR THE PROTECTION OF ANCIENT ANTIOCH (ANTAKYA) CULTURE AND ITS RECONSTRUCTION AS A CONTEMPORARY WORLD CITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS HISTORY
What do we want? Why? How?
The Ancient Antioch Friends Platform 24.02.2023
The Ancient Antioch Friends Platform has witnessed once again that the actions taken before, during and after earthquakes and similar disasters have been insufficient and inadequate, and that structures built without scientific knowledge have caused loss of life as well as property of innocent people.
OUR ANTIOCH NEEDS TO BE RESTORED AND HEALED BY PRESERVING ALL THE ANCIENT CULTURE, HISTORY AND NATURAL ASSETS THAT BELONG TO ALL HUMANITY, TO BE REBUILT AS A MODEL CITY FOR THE WHOLE WORLD WITH A MODERN URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND A CONTEMPORARY UNDERSTANDING OF URBANIZATION. ANY OTHER APPROACH CAN'T HEAL THE IRREPARABLE WOUNDS OF THE ANCIENT ANTIOCH FRIENDS.
In fact, after World War II, European countries, which were destroyed, restored, and improved all their cities in accordance with their original forms and rebuilt them as a model for the world. After the earthquakes in California, Chile, and Japan, cities were also rebuilt in a modern way in accordance with their original forms. Nowadays, restoration and reconstruction are much easier with the advanced technological possibilities and scientific knowledge of the 21st century. We expect authorities to inform us with understanding and concrete explanations about these issues. We aim to share our views and suggestions about our city Antioch with credible individuals and organizations who can support, including authorities, UNESCO, the United Nations, the European Union, national and international organizations, funds, universities, personal friends, and ancient communities here. We plan to create awareness and cooperation by sending them our opinions and recommendations about what needs to be done to achieve the Antaioch we desire.
A careless and exploitative mindset that caused destruction and death in the earthquake cannot be a solution to the devastation and pain caused by the earthquake. "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." (Proverb)
A real and sincere restructuring process should be implemented as a participatory and democratic process "from bottom to top," free from political concerns, rather than a "top-down" process that creates the actual situation and results in a lack of informative explanations that can ease public opinion. For this, the expert opinions of the local community, universities, NGOs, and civil society on urban design and planning should be taken into consideration, and they should actively participate in the solution process within the commissions to be established, etc.
To have our voice to be heard, we must share with dignity and politeness with the national and international public, especially the most important issue to be highlighted is that Hatay and its surroundings are at risk of a major earthquake for a while longer. Therefore, it is necessary that construction in the region is not done in a rushed manner. First of all, measures should be taken to ensure that every procedure and stage of construction, including changes in construction law, is implemented in a way that will not cause such losses again. It is necessary to make serious efforts in all kinds of urban planning needs, such as transportation, infrastructure, logistics, local services, city economy, disaster planning, with international support. During the period until the reconstruction of Antakya, daily life will be maintained with container and temporary housing, support and aid, while the construction work should not be rushed. There is no urgent need for settlement construction in the region. A city consisting of a single type of earthquake houses will not make anyone happy!
It is essential that the location where Antakya will be rebuilt is determined transparently, and its situation against fault lines is scientifically evaluated and monitored. It is necessary to implement original, demographically-cultural-architectural structures, which protect the city's two thousand-year-old historical places, in a compatible-integral-reliable manner, taking into account the new and great earthquake risk in the region. It is also crucial that no construction or concrete pouring takes place in the historical places of the city, and that they are restored as open-air museums.
In this context, OUR PRIMARY and MOST IMPORTANT GOAL is to attract the attention and request support of local, national, and/or internationally recognized individuals and organizations, universities, academics, media members, and TV channels by informing them about protecting and revitalizing the ancient Antakya culture and its "soul." It is to communicate with civil society organizations through national and international reputable platforms, phone, and social media on these matters.
Officials need to pursue policies that allow the local people of Antioch to stay and return to the city, while immediately removing offenders who commit crimes in the area. Serious measures need to be taken immediately to prevent historic artifacts from being treated as debris and rubble and to prevent historic artifact smuggling.
Political rhetoric and actions based on election boxes do not heal the wounds of the earthquake zone. For example, constructing permanent reinforced concrete housing while issues such as temporary shelter, heating, food, epidemic diseases, education, debris, and environmental health have not yet been solved in the region exacerbates the wounds. While the region is being shaken by aftershocks and new earthquakes, building new reinforced concrete buildings while risks persist will lead to irreversible new problems. Let's not invite new disasters! On the 100th anniversary of our republic, we need a comprehensive discourse and actions based on contemporary urbanism understanding, science and technology, competence, knowledge, culture, common sense, and expertise. "Antioch needs to be restructured as a contemporary city with an acceptable new vision that is environmentally friendly, green, safe, human-focused, identity-conscious, intelligent, resilient to disasters, and sustainably improves the quality of life for Antiochians without disconnecting them from their historical, authentic, and traditional texture - we call this "HISTORICAL-ECOLOGICAL-TECHNOLOGICAL-INTELLIGENT CITY ANTIOCH". To achieve this, BEFORE starting any constructions, it is necessary to make and share a 3D model of the NEW ANTIOCH
The preservation of the ancient Antioch culture, the process of rebuilding Antioch as a modern world city, and all the sub-processes must be carried out with complete transparency, including foreigners, by mobilizing universities, working with well-known regional practitioners and applied scientists, such as the urban planning, urban design and park-landscape group, architectural design group, smart city design group, environmental management group, construction, geology, geophysics and disaster management group, sociology and urban management group, and forming sub-groups. The findings of this main working group should be shared with the public."
"A 'time-action plan' should be prepared for the tasks to be done.
International project competitions should be set off to redesign our Antioch in the best way possible. Unplanned and unprogrammed irreversible works should not be undertaken. 'New Settlement Areas for Earthquake Victims' should be planned by finding geologically solid grounds around cities through regional planning.
The Southeastern Anatolia Region Development Plan, which will also cover the earthquake zone, should be prepared by updating the GAP Region Master Plan. A 'Strategic Structural Plan' (1/250,000 and 1/100,000) at the regional scale is needed in the earthquake zone. This plan should include critical issues such as where cities will be relocated, where cities and industries will be rebuilt, the technical infrastructure, roads, railways, airports, environmental and waste planning, demographic planning, historical, natural, and cultural assets, ecosystems, and their preservation.
"Before the site selection, new ground surveys should be conducted in the region, and existing surveys should be evaluated.
Alternative new settlement areas should be determined based on the results of the ground surveys. During site selection, all kinds of "profit-interest" relationships should be avoided.
A current urban design plan and projects should be prepared that includes the newly selected settlement areas in accordance with the ground surveys. This design should cover climate, wind, sun, water resources, topography, transportation, pedestrian axes and zones, streets, urban planning, and urban conservation. Priority should not be given to zoning plans and implementation while making this design. "Protection Plans" should be a priority. The Antioch Protection-Oriented Zoning Plan should be carefully reviewed and updated, and implemented in accordance with the 2863 Law on Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets.
In this context, inventory studies should be carried out urgently, and action should be taken urgently in accordance with the principles of restoration and repair of historical and monumental artifacts such as mosques, inns, baths, churches, synagogues, ancient houses and neighborhoods, etc., and the principles of the Venice Charter.
At every stage of the planning, policies that ensure the preservation and development of the spaces, assets and values that give Antioch its historical and cultural uniqueness and identity should be established and implemented, and the positive results of their implementation should be observed in the relevant places. It is essential that teams and universities that have worked on this issue in Antioch,work in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Ministries, municipalities, and special provincial administrations should prepare an "action plan" in Antakya for conservation plans and projects in cooperation, free from any concerns.
Conservation Framework Plan (1/5000 and 1/1000 scale) and Urban Design Projects (1/500-1/200 Scale) should be prepared for urban protected areas.
Antakya City 'Archaeological Master Plan' should be prepared, and important archaeological data should be determined, evaluated and should be protected.
The Archaeological Master Plan should be properly synthesized with the macro plan of the city. As we have stated since the first day, historical monuments should not be treated as debris and rubble, they should be seriously protected, and measures should be taken immediately to prevent historical artifact smuggling. Drawing a protective strip around the artifacts is an artifact is an insufficient way to protect the artifact and therefore our history.
The scale in which urban planning and urban conservation will be best expressed; It is the scale of 'URBAN DESIGN'. Urban Design in the triangle of Urban Planning-Urban Design-Urban Conservation; It is an indispensable tool for urban planning and urban conservation to achieve their goals. All three must be reviewed and updated.
An effective and permanent unit that can plan and implement should be established in Antioch Municipality with the support of the relevant Ministries. This unit, which should stay away from partisanship, should receive the necessary support, and carry out planning, project design and implementation organization studies for the whole city and protection areas. In this framework, all public institutions and organizations, private sector and non-governmental organizations should be encouraged, and be an “example” city which should be created together.
Governmental offices for preservation and control should be reestablished in Hatay. These offices should be responsible for critical duties like monitoring the renovation and modifications in preserved archeological and historical sites; ensuring that renovation is done by licensed professionals and by using original and relevant materials; stopping the renovation when necessary and informing the related urban authorities; controlling the execution of master zoning plans and ensuring its relevance and accuracy; preparing the related permits for projects that are completed in accordance with the plans and legal requirements; reporting the unlicensed and unauthorized constructions in preserved areas to the related governmental authorities and to the chief public prosecutor; informing the related urban authorities about cases that threaten the safety of life and property in preserved areas; applying the legal codes 5216 and 5272 that authorize the municipalities on the protection of cultural and natural assets and historical places and their functioning, and providing financial support to those who cannot fund the renovation of historical assets that they own.
The following historical places that were destructed in the disastrous earthquake should be renovated with utmost care and through a project that would focus primarily on preserving their originality: The Old Parliament Building of Hatay, Habib-i Neccar Mosque, Ulu Mosque, Aziz Petrus and Pavlus East Orthodox Church, The Surroundings of Town Hall, Protestant Church; Saray Street; Hürriyet Street; Hükümet Street, Çakmak Street, Kurtuluş Street, Kantara Mosque, Yeni Mosque, Nakip Mosque, Civelek Mosque, Şeyh Ali Mosque, Mahremiye Mosque, Sermaye Mosque, Meydan Mosque, Kurşunlu Inn, Sidikli Inn, Sokullu Inn, Sokullu Covered Bazaar, Cindi Hammam, Saka Hammam, Meydan Hammam, Yeni Hammam, Uzun Bazaar, Meydan Bazaar, the traditional ancient houses of Antioch, the Zenginler Neighbourhood, Kantara and Gazipaşa Neighbourhood.
The nature does not tolerate what the governmental actions (like zoning amnesties) do. The laws and regulations regarding the urban zoning and construction (requirements for disaster resistant structures, regulations of zoning, construction and building; definition and use of relevant construction materials, protection of urban architecture and historical landscape; application of civil engineering techniques, the responsibilities of the landowner and the contractor) should be thoroughly reviewed and reformed, so that similar disasters are not re-experienced. All parties that fail to fulfill responsibilities and violate related laws and regulations should be fined and punished.
It is also necessary to protect, encourage and support local farmers and livestock enterprises and to establish local producer cooperatives, because these producers and enterprises play a vital role in meeting the country’s agricultural and livestock needs.
Similarly, all the craft and related trade workers (packsaddle producers, coppersmiths, Leatherman, lamp glass producers, cutters,tinsmiths, hammersmiths, tinman, stonecutters, mother of pearl artists, silkman, yarn producers, tray producers, kunafah producers, patty producers, olive oil producers, soap producers, rush mat producers, spice sellers, glassware shops, ıtır producers) that make up an important part of the cultural heritage should be preserved, protected and a museum which presents these historical professions should be established.
While the people of Hatay expect the above-mentioned actions, a disappointing presidential decree (24.02.2023, number 126) assigned the duty of determining the final residential areas to the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. It suspends the proprietary rights and certain provisions in the forest law, pasture law, land and cadaster law, construction zoning laws that are included in the constitution. It declares expropriation for residential areas. It zones forages and forests for construction. The related decrees about announcement and objections to zoning decisions are not implemented. This increases the challenges and extends the post-disaster chaos.
We believe that the above-mentioned presidential decree should be cancelled, the related construction and zoning laws and regulations should be implemented without compromises and the ideas and expectations of the public should be taken into account, so that we can spare our country from similar disasters in the future.
Regards,
KADOP
Friends of Ancient Antioch Platform