'Kurdistan and the Kurds' [‎12v] (24/122)

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himself quite illiterate, he has a great belief in education and is very
eager that his sons should have the benefit of it.
In regard to the question of Kurdish independence, the principle is
regarded with favour by the leading men of the tribe, but no particular
scheme seems to have been thought out. The family of Bedr Khan* is
accepted without hesitation as the rightful ruling family of Kurdistan.
In a conversation with Captain C. L. Woolley, ‘Abd-ur-Rahman asserted
that Mahmud, chief of the Milli Kurds, would not receive sufficient
general support; he said that apart from the family of Bedr Khan, the
Kurdish chiefs are “ too like the teeth of a horse, all on a dead level; one
or the other may have the advantage in point of wealth or fighting power,
but not in name nor in historical antecedents.” He regarded the super
vision of a foreign power, either England or America for preference, as
necessary to the development of the country, politically and economically,
and he recognised that the Armenians must receive a just share in the
government.
The Dukurlu are a tribe living on both banks of the river Jullab, about
20 miles to the north-east of Urfah. They are tillers of the soil and
dwell in villages, of which there are about forty ; their families number
roughly 800, and they are said to possess 400 rifles and to be able to put
into the field 150 mounted men. Their paramount chief is Bekir Bey, who
resides in Urfah ; in the past he was an active member of the Committee
of Union and Progress. The only secondary chiefs whose names need be
mentioned are Mohammed Bozo Agha, ‘Osman Hajj^ Alo Agha, and Sino
‘Abdul Sinazil.
The tribe of the Badellil occupy about 80 small villages on the north
east of Urfah; of these the most important are Haramburji and Karajeuren;
settlements of this tribe are also found in Ras-el-‘Ain. The families are
400 in number, and they own about 250 rifles and a small force of 250
horsemen. Their chief, Sayyid Bey, lives in the town of Urfah ; he has
been in the past, like Bekir Bey, an active worker in the interests of the
Committee of Union and Progress.
These tw T o tribes are hereditary enemies, the Badelli counting on the
support of the Karakechili, and the Dukurlu on that of the Milli tribes.
All the tribes are willing, however, to sink their differences and take
advantage of the weakness of the Turkish authorities to raid caravans and
plunder the villagers. Their attitude towards the British is still uncertain;
but the leaders of the Committee of Union and Progress are instilling
them with the idea that the British Government is the enemy of their
religion and will deal with them severely.
The recent history of the struggle between the Badelli and Dukurlu
is obscure. On the 22nd of April a small encounter took place between
* ‘Abd-ur-Rizzaq is considered by them the most suitable candidate to the throne.
} Or Badenli, or Baderli.
\