'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia' [‎633r] (1267/1386)

3
affairs at Bach Kale, which the Sublime Porte has een good enough to communicate
to it.
Her Majesty’s Embassy regrets to state, however, that the favourable view taken
by his Excellency of the present condition of that district is not borne out by the
Reports of Her Majesty’s Vice-Consul at Van.
That officer states that at the commencement of last month the entire population
of three villages in the neighbourhood of Bach Kale arrived at Van, being unable to
remain at home on account of the depredations of the Kurds, especially of the men of
Ali Khan, and that on the 18th May a large body of refugees came in from the same
district in a state of utter destitution, reporting that Ali Khan had made another raid
and entirely stripped their villages. He adds that a deputation had come in from
Argish and El Jivas, complaining of the conduct of the Kurds in that region. They
state that although the villagers in those parts have plenty of corn they are almost
reduced to famine, as they dare not send their corn to the mills to be ground lest it
should be carried off by the Kurds, and that the latter break into the houses and
plunder and are pasturing their flocks on the young corn. They add that if this
destruction of the young corn is not prevented there will be no harvest this year, and
as those districts are the granary of the region, serious consequences will ensue.
Another deputation subsequently came in from El Jivas, bringing a petition
signed both by Turks and Christians, and countersigned by the Kaimakam, begging
for aid, as the Kurds called Zozounli, a branch of the Haidaranli tribe, had come down,
encamped themselves in the fields of young corn, on which they were pasturing their
flocks, and were robbing houses, villages, and mills in all directions.
Captain Clayton states further that reports reach him daily from all sides of fresh
robberies and outrages on the part of the Kurds, and expresses his conviction that
there is great risk of large districts being absolutely laid waste by them.
At Akhtamar especially the danger appears great, the Kurds in that neighbour
hood having been greatly encouraged by the release of the Chiefs who had been
arrested by Abdine Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , and believing that they may now commit any outrage with
impunity.
He reports that the pressure of famine is increasing, and the price of com has
nearly doubled itself within a few days; that the Commissioners had received infor
mation that the Mutessarif of Musch had been giving corn from the Government stores
to the Mufti, Cadi, and other rich and influential persons, whilst not distributing
grain to the poor, and making difficulties about sending what has been asked for by
Van.
In view of this condition of affairs, Her Majesty’s Embassy cannot doubt that
the Sublime Porte will see the necessity of sending stringent orders to its authorities
at Van to take the necessary steps for the protection of the peaceful inhabitants
against the oppression of their Kurdish neighbours, and for the relief of the suffering
population.
Since writing the above, a telegram has been received from Her Majesty’s Consul
at Erzeroum, who has recently visited Van. He states that the Kurds have plundered
about twenty Kurdish and Christian villages in the Hakkiari district during the last
three months, their last incursion having taken place as recently as the 20th June last.
He represents the necessity of urging the Persian authorities to prevent their Kurds
crossing the frontier, the Turkish troops being quite insufficient to prevent raids.
Major Trotter adds that the appointment of Tribunals and the formation of a
gendarmerie in the new Vilayet of Bitlis has been deferred till next year owing to
want of money; that sixty prisoners accused of capital crimes are in gaol, and that no
Courts exist to try them, and that famine is still committing frightful ravages in the
districts of Bash Keii, Bargazid, and Hakkiari.
Her Majesty’s Government earnestly trust that the Sublime Porte may be able to
show that they possess sufficient strength and authority to deal at once with this
deplorable state of things, in which the most recent telegraphic information shows that
no improvement takes place.
(Signed) G. J. GOSCHEN.
Therapia, June 21, 1880.
[396]
B 2