مجموعة ١١١/٢٨ "بلاد فارس. كرمانشاه - يوميّات سياسية." [و‎‎٤] (٧٥١/٨)

(No. 15.)
HIS Majesty's Consul at Kermanshah presents his compliments to His
Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and has the honour to
transmit to him a copy of Kermanshah Diary for the month of October 1941.
Kermanshah, November 1, 1941.
Enclosure.
Kermanshah Diary for the month of October 1941.
(A) General Observations.
THE general situation within this district during the month of October
gradually deteriorated in every respect. Insecurity and brigandage increased,
the local food situation became worse and prices of many of the most generally
needed food-stuffs rose to record levels. In addition, the Persian military forces
suffered defeat at the hands of the Kurds and were unable to check the depreda
tions of armed tribesmen or lawless villagers, even in the outskirts of Kermanshah
itself; bribery and corruption continued here on as large a scale as before—one
of the chief culprits being no other than General Moghaddam, the Persian
Military Commander, who left here—in disgraces—on the 14th October.
2. It is not surprising, therefore, that local feeling (always inclined, even
before our entry into Persia, to be predominantly pro-German), which had shown
some sign of veering slightly in our favour soon after British forces entered
Persia and the ex-Shah was deposed, gradually became more hostile. Britain was
blamed for all the troubles which descended one after the other upon Persia. The
promises of drastic reforms in Persia and of better times for the oppressed masses,
made by means of British radio broadcasts, seem (to Persians) to be receding
instead of being fulfilled, and the hopes which were then raised have been so
completely dashed to the ground that anti-British feeling has developed in
strength.
3. If the British military forces had, at least, made some effort to assist
in restoring order and security in the districts around Kermanshah which have
been ravaged by brigands, the Persian public might, with oriental fatalism,
have accepted the other misfortunes which the invasion of Persia had let loose
upon them. But the indifferent attitude adopted by the British military
authorities—while chaos and disorder have reigned in scores of villages situated
just off the main roads —has thoroughly bewildered, disappointed and disgusted
the majority of the population. It has, moreover, fostered the idea—which
pro-German Persians were not slow to propagate from the outset—that the
British Government’s protestations of friendship for Persia and its declared
policy of assisting Persia are sheer hypocrisy, and that Britain’s aim is to hasten
the collapse of Persia and the time for its dismemberment.
4. From the foregoing review of the general situation it will be gathered
that conditions here are most unsatisfactory. Indeed, unless General Shahbakhti
achieves unexpectedly rapid success in restoring order within the next few weeks,
the outlook for the future is serious, and all the elements are present for producing
a dangerous situation very soon—next spring at the latest—especially if
insecurity continues to be so general that villagers cannot do their autumn
pleughtwg and sowing. £otfijjpt within a few miles of their homes.
ENCLOSE IN V£§4K4 3 ]
No. 59 27 T'-C 1941
FROM SECRETARY, EXTERNAL DEP
INDIA OFFICE
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HEe.-rou dept
21 0 EC ’.941
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