Coll 17/16(1) 'Iraq. The Assyrian Crisis' [89v] (189/1036)
The record is made up of 1 volume (514 folios). It was created in 17 Jun 1933-31 Aug 1933. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
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((/) Some rifles taken from dead Assyrians had papers affixed bearing n ain
of owner. This is sufficient proof not that any more is necessary—
that the French did return the rifles. | J |3
(e) A report has been received that a fight occurred on the right bank of th
Khabur between the Assyrians and a Turkish post in which a Turkish
officer and three men were killed. ^
4. As noted above, the locations of the Assyrians remain uncertain. \[
appears that they have split into small bands. They lie hidden by day and move
at night. A few of such bands have been rounded out. Their general intention
is also uncertain. It is, however, probable that they intend to move up towards
Dohuk and possibly towards Amadiyah. This last is confirmed by the statement
of an Assyrian who surrendered himself to the police south of the Jebel Bekhair
and who has been brought into Mosul. I am submitting a separate report
regarding his statements. He said among other things that (1) the rank and
file had been completely deceived by the lying stories of the leaders; (2) that these
leaders would never surrender alive.
5. The attitude of the Kurds gives cause for anxiety. The employment of
Kurdish patrols under their own leaders is dangerous. I have not yet been able
to ascertain the true facts of the encounter which took place near Majal Makht
on the 5th August and which resulted in two Assyrians being killed and two
wounded. Two things, however, are clear : (1) That these Assyrians could not
possibly have belonged to those who crossed into Syria. It was quite impossible
for them to have recrossed into Iraq on the evening of the 4th August and to
have reached Majal Makht twenty-four hours afterwards.
Later .—It appears that they belonged to a party which had originally
intended to go over to Syria, but who had changed their minds and were
going back to their villages. They ought not to have been fired on.
(2) Ibrahim Agha of Karamarg is not a fit man to be in charge of independent
patrols. He has a stormy past.
6. Reports were received on the 6th August that a number of Assyrians
from Diana and Batas were going to leave their villages and move westward.
They actually appeared to have done so, but returned almost at once. Steps had
been taken to prevent them getting through, but these appear to have included
bringing in Kurdish bands. The commandant of police was taking measures to
control these bands. But the employment of such bands is somewhat dangerous.
It is not difficult to imagine the Kurds getting out of hand. Nothing could
damage the good name of Iraq more than this.
7. Owing to intensive propaganda on the part of certain agitators, for
instance. Tunis Bahri (the Iraq globe-trotter) and an ex-army officer, Ismail Sabri,
there has been much excitement in Mosul. The atrocity stories have been
circulated. A meeting which was planned to be held yesterday was forbidden.
I he local authorities fully realise the danger of the situation, and have taken
every possible step to prevent trouble. Nevertheless, the Christians of the town
express considerable nervousness. It is to be noted that much of the agitation
is of a violently anti-British character.
8. In consequence, it was not considered advisable to carry out the
deportation order as far as it concerned Surma Khanum and Daoud Effendi. It
was feared that they—or their supporters—might resist. One shot fired might
bring in the town mob, and if this happened it was feared that the levies, who
are confined to camp, might brfeak out fearing for the safetv of their families
If this happened, a catastrophe would have followed. As it was, seven persons
were deported, of whom Malik Andrews was the onlv one of note. Perhaps it
would have been better not to deport anyone at all, if it was not considered
desirable to deport Mar Shimun. For it may now be thought either (1) the
Government is afraid to take action against Mar Shimun's family, or (2) that
the Government made a mistake in deporting some persons and leaving the prm ie
cause of all the trouble. For it is undoubted that Surma Khanum is this. The
question of her deportation, which must be carried out if possible, will be further
discussed on the arrival in Mosul of the Minister of Defence and the Director
General of Police.
9. I must here point out that the difficulties, already very great, of the civil
authorities have been greatly increased by the almost entire absence of news fro®
the army. Not only are the movements, in fact, even the position of the head-
About this item
- Content
The volume contains papers regarding the Assyrian Crisis in Iraq during 1933. It primarily consists of correspondence between HM Ambassador to Iraq (Sir Francis Humphrys), HM Chargé d’Affaires to Iraq (George Ogilvie-Forbes), and the Foreign Office.
The papers document the negotiations between Mar Shimun XXIII Eshai – the Patriarch of the Church of the East – and the Government of Iraq, regarding: the spiritual and temporal authority claimed by the Mar Shimun; the Assyrian Settlement Scheme; areas designated for settlement; and clashes between Assyrians, Iraqis and Kurds.
Ogilvie-Forbes and Humphrys reported on the movement of Assyrians into Syria, requests to the Syrian and French authorities that they be allowed to remain, proposals to disarm the group, and clashes with Iraqi troops when numbers of Assyrians returned to Iraq. The papers also document the proposed arrest or exile of the Mar Shimun by the Government of Iraq, and the volume also contains copies of letters exchanged by the Mar Shimun, the Iraqi Interior Ministry, and King Faisal.
The papers document the worsening crisis, including reports of looting and village burning at Dohuk [Dahūk], the murder of Assyrian prisoners by Iraqi armed forces led by Bakr Sidqi, and the Simele Massacre of August 1933. These papers include reports submitted by the Head of the British Military Mission in Iraq (Major General Rowan Robinson), the Administrative Inspector at Mosul (Colonel R S Stafford), and Major D B Thomson of the Assyrian Settlement Office. The file concludes with reports on the Simele Massacre, arrangements for the arrival of Mar Shimun and his family in Cyprus, the work of the Refugee Relief Commission in Mosul and Dohuk, and the establishment by the League of Nations of a Small Minorities Commission to investigate the crisis.
The volume includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. This is placed at the end of the correspondence (folio 1).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (514 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in rough chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 510; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 1-510; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
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- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2872
- Title
- Coll 17/16(1) 'Iraq. The Assyrian Crisis'
- Pages
- 32r:32v, 84r:86v, 88v:90v, 241r:242v, 344r:347v, 421r:421v, 504r:505v
- Author
- Government of Iraq
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