'Unrest in Northern Mesopotamia (Kurds)' [‎30r] (59/206)

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0168/61445 (14 • I«8 )
/aguat# 1919 •
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/ liith rafezHinc«i to your Xatti»r ko* iojL$77/• V44 Aatc o
Sifend July. i%t# to tnfr yiroctor of MlllUiry in^Uigonoo#
pQfrHr&lnr tho conti*ol of )urdlah aff»ira, X am oatrAndod by
thi Amy Counoll to lovito your attention to tho civil
Gom&loa ion«-r a * t«Xogm»i ^©•6066 clatoa tho U>tri ^un©» l^X^t
with particular regard to paragraph© 9 and 10> a,d »©4i6©6
dated the 31et July# 1919# cople© ©f which are attached for
convenience of rc;i©r©nce •
1 am to remliKi you t.i»t disturbance a in Kurdistan first
manifested themaclveB ataongBt the GOIAH ><nd reculted in the
mrder of a British officer near -akho on 4th April# the
perpetratora of which it ha® not been possible to punish*
izmimm and JAAlBArt irn UMAR were the local centres of
trouble but there 1© little doubt that it was engineered
from Constantinople*
About the middle of April, Major fcoel reported that the
antl-brltlsh movement in the SUsibln-Mardin area had little
foundation# except fear of Armenian rule and pointed out that
e definite British policy was required*
On lith Hay Admiral Calthorpe reported that unsatisfactory
reports were being received regarding tht? Milli and reiterated
his opinion that the main cause of agitation was the fear of
falling under Armnian rule*
«'' ; > *'' ■ : • ' _' ■■ * J f
On 18th May# Colonel Wilson wired that Shaikh Taha i:iad
asked to be satisfied that Kurdistan would not be placed under
Armenian or Assyrian rule*
0 16th Ma; # bir Percy ccx rttported t.^at great consternation
had been caused in Van by a report that the British and Persian
Oovermtmts would restore Armenians to the V*n district*
On 88nd May it was reported from Constantinople that the
inhabitants of Bardin had expressed their wish to the Grand
Vlsier to remain under lurkish rule* t
Shaikh Marmud*© rising wnioh started in the latter art
of umv had been s^pressed. sulaiiMmlyah hr! occupied and
the sltusiion In bouthem Ruraistsn Is nov, satisfactory.
The situation in the Urumiyah district however is still
very far fro® satisfactory and the Army Council consider -1
impossible to commit General Hllne*© force by evacuating a
portion t f our troops fro® the Caucasus via Tabrls* as has been
suggested*