File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎208v] (414/450)

APPENDIX (C).
The following- is the announcement which has been promulgated among- the Moslem
communities m the British colonies :— 6
“ For many years the Arabs, chafing under the misrule of Turkey, have looked
orward to the day when they could regain their former freedom, and revolts against
lurkisn domination m Arabia have been frequent in the past.
The misdeeds of the present Government in Constantinople and its complete
subservience to German influence have forced Turkey Into a disastrous war, and have
brought matters to a climax. The Sherif of Mecca and other ruling chiefs of Arabia
indTpendence ^ W ^ C ° me t0 thr ° W ° ff the Turkish T oke and asser t their
, , <dr ^ t B 1 n i ain ^as alway viewed Arab aspirations with sympathy, but in the past
hei traditional friendship with Turkey compelled her to stand aloof. ^ Now Turke/ by
throwing m her lot with the Central Powers, has left Great Britain free to give practical
the 7^ Pathy Wlth th ° Se Arabs who have ranged themselves on the side of
the Allies against the common enemy.
religious mlTwf ^ P ° liey of Great Britain to abstain from all interference in
Sal ag^LL t0 Spai ' e n ° ^ t0 SeeUre the Holy places of Islam from all
under Me^ndTtS that theSe H ° ly P laCes 8hould remain
+h The present state of war has placed many difficulties and dangers in the wav of*
Sz r. ,■? £, cr a.S' p “ sTi "‘ s ‘i b “ ‘‘t*' 11 ” >.r s"!."* ^ mj;
*— wh " bj »
APPENDIX (D.)
Enemy Propaganda*
The following paragraph is taken from an article bv Mr E
"JSiS* -* “ f ir,b “'" %£ S3f%3r. 51
Chief STM ^» i-™. . Mohammedau
which is almost exclusively populated by Moslems she addressed to^b^r 1 ^f
Mecca a letter requesting him to give his approval to the e f Sherlf of
as head of Islam throughout the world The letter oko 1 . n capacity
Great Britain was readv to i,; • let t® r .also contained an intimation that
despotism, of all that portion of Arabia in wlTh'hhe'l'iofv ^. anol P a ^ r on from Turkish
are situated, to assure the revenues of these two cities and hkewi and ^ edina
to the Grand Sherifate, and to guarantee the latter from • ,7 their sovereignty,
or bv any other foreign Power ” “ aU lnterfer “^ by the Turks
M hether this is dMibsratsIy
enemy propaganda or not, the effect is the same.