Armenian Patriarch Resigns Due to Ill Treatment and Oppression of Armenians not by the Turks but the Kurds

Armenian Patriarch Resigns Due to Ill Treatment and Oppression of Armenians not by the Turks but the Kurds

As Dashnak (i.e. Nazi) Armenians over and over reiterated that Turks were oppressing Armenians for several centuries to support their allegations that Turks, living together with Armenians for almost a millennium without any sign of hatred or racial tension, staged a genocide on Armenians in 1915.

However, as anybody else who dare to challenge Dashnak allegations is labeled and libelled as a Turk, a Turkish Agent, a Georgian, a Self Hating (sic) Jew or a denialist who received blood money from Turks for denying the first genocide of 20^th century, British consular functionaries must also fit into this description, since strangely they never give any intelligence regarding any atrocities committed by Turks on Armenians, but Kurds.

The following correspondence, to our surprise denying allegations by Dashnak Armenians, and clearly state that Mussulmans (Moslems) as well as Christians were subject to lawlessness of Kurds alike.

So read yourself and let the truth be told.

No More Discrimination

No. 138

Sir A. H. Layard to the Marquis of Salisbury.

No. 25. (B.B.)

My Lord,

PERA, January 7, (Received January 17.)

I AM informed that the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, who is the head of the Armenian Church in the Turkish dominions, has sent his resignation to the Porte giving as his reason for doing so the want of attention paid to his constant complaints of the ill-treatment and oppression to which his community is subjected in Asia Minor, especially by the Kurds. His Beatitude has frequently threatened to resign, but I have advised him not to do so, as in the present state of anarchy in the east of Asia Minor, caused by the war, it is difficult for the Turkish authorities, however desirous they may be to protect the peaceable populations, Mussulman as well as Christian, to defend them from the lawlessness of the Kurds without troops or police. The Grand Vizier and other Ministers to whom I have spoken on this subject are, I believe, perfectly alive to this very unsatisfactory state of things, and sincerely desirous of putting an end to it as soon as they can find the means of doing so. It would have been better for the Patriarch to have continued in his office, as by keeping me informed of what was occurring in Asia Minor, he enabled me to make representations to the Porte which have frequently been attended, as your Lordship is aware, with favourable results, and could have exerted his influence for the protection of his people.

I have, &c.

(Signed) A. H. LAYARD.

F. 0. 424/79, p. 271, No. 285