Coll 28/112A ‘Persia. Tabriz – Monthly despatches of internal situation in Azerbaijan & misc. reports.’ [‎204r] (410/1237)

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According to Amir Asad s son,ibranim Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. Zadeh,the Kurdish
atiDualist "J.K.* Society is growing stronger every da,/ in. ^lahaoad.
All applications lor membersnip,however,must be submitted for approval
to tne Russian authorities in *lianduao or Kszaieh. The so.ig of Mahmud
Agha and Bayazid Agha ol the Deboukri tribe are said by the same
Anformant to have joined the society. Ibrahim Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. Zadeh also
remarked that all copy for tne Kurdish magazine ’Rishtman 0 is sent to
the Boviet Gonsulate-General in Tabriz,translated and edited before
being taken to the Armenian Archbianop’s press to be printed. In
assessing the accuracy of this information,allowance should be made
for Ibrahim’s jealousy 0 f his cousins.
A report has been received from Amir Asad that about December 23th
or 29th.,the officer commanding Russiaxi troops at Mlanduab visited the
village of Armani Bulagh,situated to the ^ast of the road between
.mia?iduab and Bukan, and enquired of the Headman whether he kn.w anything
of the arrival there a few days previously of a car with three British
ofxice.s. The headman disclaimed any knowledge of it,out,according to
Amir Asad’s son,subsequently disclosed that three British officers had
visited not Araaai bulagh,but a village in the vicinity,the name of
which was reported as Uchkota (possibly Chichakatu). Tne Headman said
that he had feigned ignorance in orde to avoid troublesome enquiries,
as the Russian commandant seemed keenly interested in the doings of
these offleers,who,he said,had been re orted to have been "asking about
Russian plans in that district".
Two thousand of Bartip Hushmand's troops from Baneh under the
command of Sargund Kushishi are reported to oe quartered in Sard sht
for the winter.
10. rublic Security . About the new Year,there were one ot two
incidents in Tabrizjwhicn seamed to presage a recurrence of the robberies
and molestations by Soviet troops which have caused some alarm to the
citizens of Tabriz during: the last two-, winters. On January 2nd.,
Barhang Varahram,the uncle of the Chief of Btaff of the Tabriz Division,
was held up by two or three xvussian soldiers in one of the main streets
of the town at 8 o’clock wx in the evening and relieved of his watch
and 2,5 0 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. . A niuht or tw before,© mullah in humble
circumstances was stopped at the door of a mosque by Red Army men
who collected from him a watch and some thirty rials in cash.
It is not an uncommon thing lor private^ of the Red Arsay to beg
money of Rersiana and foreigners,but on Raw Year's ,ve,the Munahi of^
the American Consulate and a friend from the Finance Department were
accosted on the street oj a Boviet officer,wno appealed to their
cnarity,sayingA'Tomorrow is a holiday,and I have no money". The official
of the Finance Department,fully expecting to be robbed if he refused,
settled for two tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. .
There nave been no further reports of highway robbery from the
countjrjr districts. The season is not propitious- According to the new
Commandant of Crendsmerie. a reorganization of gendarmerie posts is in
progress. The smaller isolated posts are being closed and a system
of operation by sections is being instituted. It will resuit,he hopes,
in better discipline and greater energy in the force.
11* bULjply department . There is a good deal of dissatisfaction with
the way in which Government cotton piece goods are being distributed.
The ordinary citixen on going to claim his rati m is usually met with:
"Sorry,we sold out yesterday". The reason appears to be that many of
the poorer people are selling their clothing coupons to speculators,
who are willing to pay 20 rials each for them, ith the co-operation of
the Supply Department officials,the speculators then are able to take
up most of the available stock from tne Government shops and resell it
in the bazaar at a handsome profit. The controlled price of Indian
cotton piece goods in the Government shops is ab ;ut 24 rials per metre,
but the same stuff sells at 50 - 55 rials a metre in the bazaar.
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