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'Mesopotamia. Preliminary Report on Causes of Unrest' [‎127v] (5/12)

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The record is made up of 1 file (5 folios). It was created in 14 Sep 1920. 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. .

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Appendix p.3. (a) By every possible means to discredit the Entente with eaeh other thus preventing
Appendix p. 9. (J) The Nationalists to organize their forces in Anatolia Peninsula that forms most of modern-day Turkey. ll "'' '' < ' bUin
Appendix p. 4. assistance in men, amis or money from the Bolshevists and Berlin.
Appendix p 8 (c) To prepare rebellion on a large scale in Syria and Mesopotamia.
Appendix p. s To organize all parties concerned so as to produce simultaneous action.
These could not be carried out until the following arrangements had been completed
(a) The careful organization of Nationalist elements in Turkey, Syiia, and Mesopotamia.
(b) The alliance of the pan-Arab movement with the Turkish Nationalist movement.
Appendix pj 10.
a pendix p 5 ( c ) The co-operatioQ of the Tribes.
Appendix p. n! (<*) The unification of the whole on a pan-Islamist basis.
When the unification was completed and all plans were ready the signal would be given,
and simultaneous action would be taken that would it was hoped, be of so wide spread a nature
as to force the withdrawal of the British in Mesopotamia, and the French in byna. Various
factors such as the Greek defeat of the Nationalists, French action in Syria, and the impatience
of the tribes, have interposed themselves and so prevented the realisation of the full results
hoped for, nevertheless, a large measure of success has been attained and still turthei efforts
(a) Organization will be made to bring yet other influences to bear in order to keep the agitation going and stultify
aKartie^of any efforts of conciliation In support of the foregoing we will trace the different results obtained
Turkey, Syria to, and in ('.hiding the outbreak of the disturbances in Mesopotamia.
tamia 16801 ' 0 The scattered partisans of the Turkish Nationalists and pan-Arabs having as we shall see
the^iwonaUsts been collected through the agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. of various societies, were by the autumn of 1919, so organized
and pan-Arabs. as make their influence felt not only on the Damascus Government but in Baghdad.
The Emie Feisal * (see note) found it increasingly difficult to maintain a moderating
influence. Until November, 1919, he was able to maintain partial control, matters however,
reached a climax when he w T as informed by His Majesty's Government that he should go to
Paris and negotiate direct with the French, from whom he obtained little or no satisfaction.
The result was, the extremists triumphed and Feisal himself bitterly disappointed lost his last
vestige of control of the situation. From this period (November, 1919) events moved rapidly
and it will be necessary to follow them as closely as the information at our disposal will allow.
Appendix p. n. Feisal expresses himself to Zaqlul Pashas as being now bitterly anti-British, whilst Fuad al
Katib his private secretary, ordinarily the most moderate of men, expresses similar feeling in
verses vilifying the British that find their way to Syria, Switzerland and Berlin.
i5.ii.i9. About the 15th November, 1919, a very important meeting was held at Montreux . This
meeting was presided over by Talaat who was specially summoned from Berlin but he did
Appendix p. ii. not show himself until Feisal's representative had arrived. The object of the meeting was to
discuss proposals (a) for a defensive alliance between the Damascus Government and Mustafa
Kemal (b) to unite all the Chiefs of Arabia on a pan-Islamic basis, (c) to ask the King of the
Hedjaz to head the movement and to forget all rivalry and personal jealousies for the good of
the common cause.
2.12 .19 ^ I1 01 " December, 1919, Zaki Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. Khersa arrived at the Belle Vue
Palace ITotel in Berne where he met Amir Shakib Arsalan and delivered to him a message
for Talaat Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. to the effect that Feisal entirely concurred in the arrangements agreed to
7.1.20. tfie meeting at Montreux . Another meeting was held at St. Mortiz ; Talaat Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. and
Amir Shakib Arsalan attended this meeting discussed the possibility of an alliance between
the Bolshevists, Enver, Mustafa Kemal and the Arabs . The result of this conference was
Appendix p. 11. evidently communicated to Amir Feisal , for in December (the exact date is doubtful) Amir
k hakib Arsalan receives a letter from him saying he has the greatest confidence in his work—
whilst evidently with reference to the above proposals he says he cannot agree to the above
alliance unless the complete independence of Syria and Mesopotamia is recognised bv Enver
Moscow, and Turkey . He further authorised Amir Shakib Arsalan to go to Moscow to sound
It 10 ae in anti-British oncWours.
ally. Secondly : His name fc0in i ^tion distasteful to him person-
of this is evidenced by the documents received bv B in S a rn— / rnay . a ^ eno co ? m8ance - a clear example
by Feisal himself and attached to it another letter in the h re ^ eiv ^. a friendl y fnd harmless letter signed
attack on the British. Thirdly ; It is natural ^ ^-writing unsigned and containing a violent
the Arab Government, it was necessary for the extfemkts to acWn Wa ** 0f ? f Sherifian Arm y and head of
quote it in order to convey the idea of official unity and strength to their Savons ^ pro P agandi8t,s to

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This printed memorandum, marked ’Very Secret', is the first part a preliminary report by Major Norman Napier Evelyn Bray, Special Intelligence Officer attached to the Political Department, 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. , dated 14 September 1920, concerning the causes of the Iraqi revolt against the British in 1920. There are details concerning pro-Turkish, pan-Islamist and nationalist elements in Iraq, as well as external influence from Germany and Bolshevik Russia. The report includes a 'Chart Showing Inter-Connection of the various Intriguing Elements' (folio 129). Marginal references are made to an appendix which is not present. The second part of the report is IOR/L/PS/18/B350.

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1 file (5 folios)
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Foliation: The foliation for this sequence commences at folio 126, and terminates at folio 130, as it is part of a larger physical volume; 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. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between folios 7-153; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence.

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'Mesopotamia. Preliminary Report on Causes of Unrest' [‎127v] (5/12), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B348, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023626983.0x000007> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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