ملف ٤٧٢٢\١٩١٨ الجزء ١ "بلاد الرافدين: إدارة السياسة والوضع" [و‎‎٧‎١] (٦٨٧/١٥٠)

BAGHDAD.
, ,^ I n accordance with rhp
leading- notables of Baghdad to express their *3 ^ G °™^ ment to th «
the future of ‘Iraq, and with the declaration m-i A ? m3 ^ ns re 8’ard to
of Great Britain and hrance in tlip Q < e by the two Governments
1918, we state that our wishes £e t dated Novembe"
the PeLhn Gu“r d “ natiT6 Arat> Go ™ ra “»®t from the north of Mosul to
running its adminirtraHonliS’dirllting its Iff,', 1 ;"''' 1 of , help and 8' u '' d ance in
and security and the attainment of progressIlnd mnH 6 a f U t\ nCe justice
British Government is indispensable. ° 1 pros P erit y 5 the aid of the
duct her affairs andldvan^ heTloncCTiis^or Tlert - tlllS < d 0 T ernmeIlt . ‘-On-
en?L eV™! riJht/belwSn ^ 0 ^° T aTplTed"^
be complete liberty in internal and financial'alaira. ° bserTed - and ihat
this is what we find agreeable for the future of ‘Iraq.
[Signal by eight of the most prominent Sunnis in Baghdad.]
€
Great Britain and FraniTlnTlmEoX^ri'th* pf ob b ot oi t,le Gowernments of
constitution of local Goleramenb all ls % liberation of the people and the
basis, according to the wishes of tbp iift 1 ^ lst , ratl0ns funded on a practical
Arab nation and representing the* MnsulmlnTof the Shrift 0 * t f e „ Ml, ™ Iman
munities inhabiting Baghdad aud t s 0± t ^ a h and Sunni corn-
tending from northern Mosul as.far as thp^Pr? 801 ^ tlle countr y ex-
headed by a Muhammadan King, one of the sons oJGmr^h Slate
by a local Legislative Council s^a^Ba^ b °- d
[Signed by about 45 persons.]
countrv from Fan to Mn * 1 C °^ nt 1 ry of 1 Ira( l’ . we Propose that the whole
Government • and 1 Sl \ 01 r ld )6 Under Britls b rule and under no other
Government.’ d f ^ Cann0t be ’ WG request to be tb e subjects of the British
[Signed by 11 Musulmans 'of Baghdad—most of them merchants.]
nf tbpMSii We b ^r 6 unde 1 rsi 8 n ed, heads of tribes, notables and inhabitants
Gpp fJr n J °L Iraq i w bose < seals are inserted in this document, which is
and tb ? VI d ° Ub aad sus P lcl0I b used to hear of the renown of the justice
and the righteousness of the Government of Great Britain, her non-interference
religions and her endeavours to improve her towns and colonies, though we
weie then in the clutches of the oppression of the Turks, experiencing their
eglect and inability to deal with the matters connected with the prosperity
yronf 6 !- t0W ^ S ‘ i W , e , struggled with horrible anguish, but were unable to give
° a single utterance save to beseech God to remove our misfortunes and
tHose of our beloved country. At last the fires of war were kindled and that
happened which happened m the last four years, which resulted in the victory
of our Great Government. May God preserve her from all decline! We
have observed how she has made efforts to liberate the people of ‘Iraq, striving
a\i i men and with money, have noticed how the Government, after the occu-
pation ot our towns and our deliverance from the slavery of the Turks, in
spi e o ler emg engaged in the gigantic war, has brought about tranquillity,
spread education hastened towards the digging of the canals, assisted the
armers, constructed and treated holy places with esteem and facilitated the
passage of pilgrims to an_extent unequalled and totally unheard of throughout
ur Life under the lurkish regime. At the termination of the war and on
tbe declaration of the general peace the Government of Great Britain has
proposed to us the election of an Amir. Is it possible for us that after
a aming what we had yearned for and after realising the excellent deeds
accomplished by this just Government, whose statements are always genuine,
we s ould forsake her even at her own choice? God forbid! Consequently
we beg of the generous Government of Great Britain to be herself our ruler.
Iraq should be one territory from Mosul down to Basrah, and we solicit that