Derelict churches dot the hills of Hakkari, a once-diverse province whose religious minorities were devastated in the 20th century. For years, the churches were treated as historical artefacts. Now, many citizens see them as a key to the city's multicultural aspirations. The [Assyrian] Nestorian Halil Church, nestled in the Zap river valley a short drive from downtown Hakkari, is one of the most famous. After years of looting, it faces ruin. Emine Ihtiyatoglu, 70, encouraged fellow citizens and officials to respect the city's past and do their part to preserve the church. "My father and grandfather used to talk about how there used to be Nestorians here and how they all lived together in the same village. My father said they had a strong humanist side. They lived their religion, and we lived ours," she told SES Turkiye. "They would frequently sacrifice animals and invite Muslims to eat. The Nestorians knew the Muslims wouldn't eat meat they cut, so they asked a Muslim to slaughter the animal." Ihtiyatoglu said relatives described the Nestorians' work ethic as exemplary. "They didn't harm anybody. It was said that diverse sounds would come together during prayer times. But they wouldn't bother anyone," she said. "They did the best in medicine, agriculture, and animal husbandry. There's a tree they planted in our village that still gives us fruit." The sizable Nestorian community that spread across Hakkari, Siirt and Nusaybin diminished after the 1920s. Today, the Halil church's inscriptions have faded with time and no one knows for sure when it was built. Some said it is 1,000 years old. Abulcebar Zengin, an elderly resident of Hakkari, said the church and others like it should be restored. "Muslims killed many Christians with swords, and exiled those they caught. This was a great tyranny. Yet our grandfathers always got along throughout the history," he told SES Turkiye. "Just as in the past, there is still no peace or comfort [for Christians]. They were killed and expelled but their churches are still vandalised. In other words, there's no respect. But their churches are a source of richness for us. We want the churches they left behind to be embraced," Zengin said. Officials at the Hakkari Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism told SES Turkiye the church has been registered but no projects for the church are under way. Ibrahim Akdag, a local resident, said society should do "whatever's necessary" to correct what he called "injustices." "For years we've stood against the repression we've faced, and we should also stand up for the nations or ethnicities that are in a comparable situation, because we're faced with the same injustices," he told SES Turkiye. "Not just living with them, defending their rights. Like everyone else, they have the right to live freely with their own religion as long as they are just." Ihtiyatoglu said there are many churches awaiting restoration. "There are scores of churches and historical sites in the villages of Hakkari, especially Depin hamlet, Cukurca's Kocanis village, and that area," she said. "In our village, Xenanis, there were many structures and churches, but the looters have dug up everything in sight. They still come with earth movers. Those who find treasure get rich."