'Kurdistan and the Kurds' [‎41v] (82/122)

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upon to pay the taxes legally due under Turkish law, modified as might be
found necessary for any purpose connected with the maintenance of order
and the development of the country.
On his arrival Major Noel at once nominated Mahmud governor of the
district with a staff of Kurdish assistants, while Kurdish officials were
appointed to work in the various sub-divisions of the district under the
guidance of British officers, y All Turkish and Arab officials were removed
and replaced by native Kurds. | The system adopted was practically a
feudal one, each chief being held responsible for the correct government
of his own tribe.' Arrangements were also made to import food, seed, and
articles of merchandise, not only to cope with the pressing danger of
famine, but also to hasten the revival of trade. Nor were the religious
wants of the people neglected, for some of the principal mosques were
repaired at British expense and a grant was made to assist the carrying
out of religious observances.
|On the fst of December, the Civil Commissioner visited Suleimaniyah
and held a meeting, which was attended by about 60 of the leading chiefs
of Southern Kurdistan, to whom he explained the political situation. He
found that the national movement was strong, for they had suffered much
both from the Turks and Russians ;1 yet, though they were determined to
resist any endeavour to restore the Turkish regime, they were ready to
recognise the need of British protection. At last,{after considerable dis
cussion, they drew up a petition, in which they asked to be placed under the a
British and attached to ‘Iraq for administration. I The Civil Commissioner,
in return, signed a document, assuring the Kurds that whoever wished
should he allowed to come under the leadership of Sheikh Mahmud, but
that none should be forced to do so. The tribes and the townspeople of
Kifri and Kirkuk decided to stand out. It was also made clear to the
Persian Kurds that it was incumbent on them to remain loyal subjects of
Persia. Further, Sheikh Mahmud asked for British officers for all the
departments of the government and for the Kurdish levies, only requiring
that the subordinate staff should consist of Kurds and not of Arabs.
Meanwhile the government of the vildyah of Mosul was being organised
by Colonel Leachman. As soon as possible officers were sent to establish
communications with the Kurds at Akra and Zakho and on the frontier. i
Here, however, negotiations with the Kurds proved much more difficult
than further south. The trouble was caused by the presence in this
district of numerous Christian communities in the vilaydt of Bitlis, Van,
and Urmiyah, and by the acute nature of the Armenian question.\ A
number of Turkish officials also still remained at their posts, and were
only too glad to fan the flames of religious discord. \ A third difficulty lay
in the mixed nature of the population in the vildyah of Mosul, where there
is a large Arab element; malcontents were ever ready to play on the
Kurdish hatred of the Arabs. I Lastly, French propaganda, by insisting that
France had the reputation of protecting and supporting Christians, while
in the eyes of the British administration all religions were equal, roused