Caecus ducere Caecus
Blind Leading Blind
Here is another correspondence between British Consular Officers located in the regions. Again we have Major Trotter, who ruins the cause of Dashnak (Nazi) Armenians and their puppet masters blaming Turks for some dire events which were instigated by Western Powers and Russia and initiated by greedy Armenian revolutionaries who, despite representing a few percent of the population, tried to grab the land for themselves and cleanse other sedentary populations (i.e. Turks, since Kurds were nomadic tribes, who before deportation of Armenians, did not have their own land), causing a deportation decree by an Ottoman Cabinet consisting of entirely non-Turks (Judeo Moslem Sabbatians – Sabetayists, even Armenians), deportation performed by an army whose commanders are Germans, leading to some demise of Armenians during deportation by the Kurdish bandits who are preying on the unprotected population.
I believe Dashnak (Nazi) Armenians would love to firebomb this guy's home, if he were alive today, just like they did to the home of Bernard Shaw, an important genocide scholar.
The Major Trotter and Colleagues refer to southern Anatolia, as Kurdistan, as it befits to their imperialist agenda, despite there are a significant portion of Turkish population. This is normal because imperialist west always tries to dispense some property which does not belong to them. If you ask from them an inch of their land, they start screaming like someone driving a stake into their rectums.
Moreover the text talks about oppression by Turks, after first referring to Kurds, but all examples given involve Kurds. What a coincidence?
The imperialist west now supports a Kurdish Terrorist Organization, PKK, which use even child terrorists and is listed on UN's terrorist organizations list, which westerners, if inure to their benefit, ignores.
Anyway read yourself and let the truth be told.
No More Discrimination
No. 255
Major Trotter to the Marquis of Salisbury.
No. 27. Political.
My Lord, | ERZEROUM, August 16, 1879. (Received September 1.) |
I HAVE the honour to forward, for your Lordship’s information, copies of despatches No. 1, Political, of the 31st July, and No. 2, Political, of the 2nd August, received by me yesterday from Captain Clayton, Her Majesty’s Vice - Consul for Van. The first refers to the probable settlement in the Mush district of 1,200 families of Mahommedan refugees from the Kars, Ardahan, and Batoum districts.
Admitting the settlement of these refugees to be a necessary evil, which cannot well be avoided, I fully concur in Captain Clayton’s remarks, that the speedy organization of an effective gendarmerie, for the better protection of the Christian inhabitants, is most desirable. Your Lordship is, however, aware that the project of the Imperial Commissioners for the establishmet of an improved gendarmerie for the Vilayet of Erzeroum has been refused sanction by the Sublime Porte, on account of the proposed increased expenditure. The organization of a gendarmerie for the Mush Sandjak (which is in the Van Vilayet) has not yet been taken into consideration, and nothing can be done in the matter until the Imperial Commission proceeds to Van.
Captain Clayton’s second despatch affords a melancholy picture of the state of affairs in the Mush district, and confirms in many points the statements contained in a paper that was handed me a few days ago by the Archbishop of Mush, a traslation of which I hope to send to your Lordship by the next mail.
I learn that the Armenian demonstration at Mush, described by Captain Clayton, was organized in consequence of instructions set by the leading Armenians here. I also learn from a reliable source that it had been intended that the principal Turkish residents of Mush should have gone to meet Captain Clayton, with a whole battalion of soldiers, and that the troops were actually under arms for the purpose; but when the movements of the Armenians became known the order was countermanded, and the Colonel only, with a cavalry escort, went to meet the Vice-Consul.
I have, &c.
(Signed) HENRY TROTTER, Major,
Consul for Kurdistan
F. 0. 424/87, p. 1, No. 1
Inclosure 1 in No. 255
Captain Clayton to Major Trotter.
(No. 1)
Sir, | MUSH, July 31, 1879. |
IN accordance with your instructions I have the honour to report what I have been able to learn with respect to the proposed settlement of Mussulman refugees in this district.
This morning I received a visit from the Vekil of the Mutessarif of the district, and on inquiry he informed me that an official communication had been received from Constantinople to the effect that between 3,000 and 4,000 families of refugees from the neighbourhood of Kars and Batoum were to be located in the mutessariflik. On the receipt of this communication protests were sent to Constantinople and Erzeroum, urging that it would be impossible to receive so many refugees, but that 1,200 families might be accommodated. The Vekil believed that this number of families could be located in the district without serious inconvenience. Nothing was known of any intention of sending refugees from Europe.
After the Vekil had taken his leave the Bishop’s vicar, and other Armenian Notables who had been present during the conversation, expressed to me the great objection they had to the reception of even the reduced number of refugees, and said that they had sent a protest to Erzeroum on the subject. They stated that they had no objection to the settlement of refugees in the town of Mush, but that if they were located in the country villages great injury would certainly follow to the Armenian peasantry.
On my suggesting that if only a few refugees were settled in each village no harm could ensue, the reply was made that, as the Turkish officials invariably took the part of the Mussulman in any dispute between a Mussulman and a Christian, the presence of even one family of refugees in a village would cause injury and oppression to the Armenian inhabitants, as the refugees, poor and desperate, would be sure to levy contributions from the Christians, and the latter would not be able to obtain any redress from the authorities, and, in case of resistance to unlawful demands, would be sure to be considered in the wrong, and punished accordingly.
Even if this be an exaggerated picture of the condition of affairs in this part of the country, it shows clearly the general state of feeling of the Armenian population, and points to the necessity for the adoption of measures to give confidence in the impartial justice of the Administration, and for the organization of a gendarmerie that shall be effective to prevent the oppression of one part of the
I propose to address to you another despatc on the general condition of the mutessariflik when I have received certain information which has been promised me.
I have, &c.
(Signed) E. CLAYTON, Captain,
British Vice - Consul, Van.
F. 0.424/87, p.2, No. 1/1
Inclosure 2 in No. 255
Captain Clayton to Major Trotter.
(No. 2)
Sir, | MUSH, August 2, 1879. |
IN my despatch No. 1, Political, I mentioned that I was awaiting certain information. This information was to take the form of a Report from the Armenians of the grievances under which they have been suffering. I have not yet received this Report; but as an opportunity of sending letters by a traveller, who will start to - morrow for Erzeroum, offers itself, I think it desirable to inform you at once of what I have been able to learn respecting the condition of the mutessariflik without waiting for the Report, which I will forward as soon as another apportunity offers.
After parting with you on the 28th July I reached Chynys the same afternoon, and was hospitably received by Hajji Bey. The Kaimakam, Iskender Bey, was also very attentive, and accompanied me for an hour on my journey next morning. At Chynys there are between 300 and 400 Armenians, and I was informed by a deputation of Armenians that in the district there are twenty-five Armenian villages, with a population of 20,000 souls. The deputation made no complaint of their condition.
On the 29thJuly I reached Ischarbuhur, a prosperous Circassian village, and in the evening arrived an officer and five zaptiehs sent from Mush to meet me.
The next day I was met at a village, four hours from Mush, by a deputation of Armenians, with a formal invitation to stay at the Bishop’s house; such an invitation you are aware I had already accepted from the Bishop himself when I saw him at Erzeroum. About an hour from Mush I was met by the Bishop’s vicar and a considerable number of Armenian Notables, and a little further on by a Colonel with a mounted escort. On nearing the city the greater part of the Armenian population came out meet me, and accompanied me to the Bishop’s house, the children of the different schools forming a procession in their ecclesiastical garments. I was not at all aware that such a reception was contemplated, and regret it should have taken place, as being likely to embitter the bad feeling already existing between the Moslems and the Christians. Indeed, some of the latter have expressed great apprehension of what may happen after my departure. But they said they had been suffering so long and so severely that, on the prospect appearing to open to them of brighter days to come, their hearts were so full that they could not restrain their long pent-up feelings.
Indeed, there appears to be no room to doubt the exceeding misrule, oppression, and misery which the Armenians of this part of the country have had to undergo. Far from the capital and from centres like Erzeroum and Van, and with no regular postal communication, the evil - disposed have been able to act as they pleased without check or hindrance, and there is no European element to exert any influence for good. I have been already told of crimes and misdeeds enough to fill a book, and I have reason to believe in the truth of the greater part of what I have heard. Some of the worst cases were related to me by an European surgeon in the Turkish service as having come under his personal observation, and I have myself been able to notice the abject terror with which the Christian population regards the Kurds, the Turks, and the authorities.
It is barely three weeks since a noted Kurdish Chief, Mirza Bey, beat nearly to death the headman of an Armenian village because he had been recently elected without his sanction. Yet Mirza Bey walks freely about the town, and is an honoured visitor in the Serai and Medjliss.
But, unfortunately, it is not only the Kurds who misbehave; officers and men of the regular troops and zaptiehs continually make irregular demands on the villagers, and beat and maltreat them if they are unable to satisfy their demands.
Justice also, as a rule, miscarries. A caravan of Armenians returning to Van from Constantinople with their earnings were attacked last year by Kurds near Boulanik, and robbed of £.T. 6,ooo. They have endeavoured to obtain redress, the robbers being well known, and have been able to obtain an order from Van for the arrest and punishment of the offenders, but the latter, with so much money at their command, have hitherto escaped scot-free, though one of them has been recently rearrested, and is now in prison here.
Only a few days ago an Armenian set out for Erzeroum with letters for the bishop of Mush containing reports of grievances. His body was found murdered near Ischarbuhur; but when his son went to fetch it, it had in the meantime disappeared with the letters.
Even darker crimes of lust and brutality are also spoken of as of not unfrequent occurence.
The Vekil of the Mutessarif, and other officials with whom I have spoken, express the best sentiments and intentions, and I hope are sincere in their professions. The Vekil I believe to be a man of good intentions, but he is only here temporarily, and the Mussulman population is extremely fanatical, and corruption seems to reign supreme.
It would certainly be of the greatest advantage if some European influence could be permanently introduced here, and I therefore hear with satisfaction that there is some possibility of a Russian Consular officer being posted here.
I inclose an address which was read to me on my arrival; it is a curiosity, as exhibiting a remarkable confusion of person between Her Majesty herself and her Vice - Consul, but it gives an idea of the feelings of the Armenian people. I fully believe that the latter is suffering in this part of the country the most grievous oppression and wrong.
Their main causes of complaint are: that they have to pay taxes both to the Kurds and to the Government; abuses in the collection of the Government taxes; the maltreatment they suffer from Kurds, Turks, soldiery, and zaptiehs; and the impunity with which any Moslem can commit any sort of crime or wrong against them.
I have seen no symptom of foreign intrigue; but the Armenians have lately become much more acquainted than formerly with the condition of European nations, and with the idea of liberty and equality, and are beginning to find their present position insupportable.
I have, &c.
(Signed) E. CLAYTON, Captain,
Her Britannic Majesty’s Vice-Consul, Van
F. 0. 424/87, p. 2-4, .No. 1 / 2
Inclosure 3 in No. 255
Address at Mush.
Excellence, | Le 31 Juillet 1879. |
C’EST le coeur pénétré de douleur qui parle et celui de ce peuple vient avec l’assurance du profond respect, avec ma voix, saluer votre venue. C’est une fierté pour nous.
Depuis longtemps les scélératesses, les oppressions, les désastres ont étouffé notre nation; six siècles sont passes et encore ii mugit sous le joug de ce tyran. La félicité ne règne dans cette patrie; partout le sanglot, Ia larme et les misérables.
Mon arme danse sur mes lévres puisque les bienfaits que reçoivent chaque jour de votre Altesse Royale les maiheureux qui implorent votre bienfaisance, prouvent que vous êtes le protecteur des infortunés.
Combien ii m’est doux maintenant emprunter une langue céleste, oü je vois briller Ia lumière éclipsée de nos jours. Ce peuple ne verra plus les heures et les moments qui l’enfermaientjusqu’à present dans un tombeau triste et silencieux. Ii embrassera l’ombre de la liberté que les libres nations et votre Majesté vont lui offrir, comme j’espère. La mer, l’état était toute émue, mais elle sera calme et paisible désormais.
Que ces lieux sacrés oil vous vous promenez en déchirant leur voile triste de la misère chantent la venue de votre Majesté et la liberté, que comme nous espérons, vous allez répandre partout. Notre espoir est en vous.
Agréez, illustre MaItre, aimer cette nation qui vous adore, et Ia sauver de ses miséres.
(Signe) JEAN
F. O.424/87, p.4, No. 1/3
