By Gayaneh Arakelyan

It appears that a group of Kurds are in the process of demolishing the centuries old Armenian Divabuyn Monastery several kilometers away from the recently restored Holy Cross Church.

When our group from Yerevan visited the site, approximately ten kilometers along the Lake Van shoreline from the island of Aghtamar, we noticed a large pile of dirt next to the church and the Kurds using a flat stone cross as a picnic table. A few tents had been pitched next to one of the walls.

The five Kurds said they were from the town of Gevash and that the local government had sent them to protect the ruined church from treasure seeking Kurds from the village of Hingeghits, now called Inkyoy.

From the fresh dirt piled up nearby and their work clothes, we suspected that they were the real culprits.

We requested that they move the dirt and stones back to where they belong, given that they presented themselves as guardians of the site.

From the smirk on their faces, we realized that our request would go unheeded.

Although the original date of the church is not known, we do know that it was renovated in 1447 by Catholicos Zakarya 3^rd of Aghtamar.

To the south of the church, which was operational up until the Hamidian massacres of 1894-1896, there is a cemetery with stone crosses dating to the 13^th century.

It would be a stretch to believe that the local authorities are not aware of the vandalism taking place close to Aghtamar Island.