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File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS' [64r] (138/586)
The record is made up of 1 volume (289 folios). It was created in 15 Nov 1920-31 Oct 1921. 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
Local News.
2. (a) Inhabitants of Najaf swear allegiance to H.H. Amir Faisal Kins
of Iraq. &
A wire received by Rais Baladiyah of Baghdad from Rais Baladiyah of
Najat to say: ‘ We are glad to inform you that the inhabitants of Najaf have
sworn allegiance to H.H. Amir Faisal, King of ‘Iraq ”
{b) Alludes to the high reception which H.H. Amir Faisal received at
Fallujah.
(c) The Armenian community are preparing for a splendid entertainment
m honour of H.H. Amir Faisal on his return from Dulaim.
War in
Anatolia
Peninsula that forms most of modern-day Turkey.
.
3. The Greeks are advancing and have captured 30,000 Turkish prisoners.
4. Explanatory article about religious toleration as referred to in the issue
of last Saturday in Connection with H.H. Amir Faisal, saying that toleration
does not mean that Faisal is an indifferent Moslem.
Al ‘Iraq No. 355, July 27.
Speech of H.H. Amir Faisal at Ramadi.
Brothers, my word is yours and 1 deal with you as a brother towards his
brother, and a friend towards his friend and a ruler towards his subjects. I am
not a foreigner to you. You may accept my word in all confidence. I came to
you knowing you to be Arabs and Beduin and for the last four years I have not
been in similar surroundings. All Moslems should be brothers. I have no doubt
that you approach me with requests as subjects approach their ruler. I, in my
turn, ask you, tribesmen, to keep the peace. I have found among the tribesmen
like Fahad Beg and Ali al Sulaiman each of whom is equal to a thousand and
those who are present to act on behalf of those absent. The past has passed away.
In future you and I will demand certain things from each other just as I now
ask the Arabs to guard themselves and to be done with past evils and troubles.
We have had enough of pillage and robbery. Now that God has granted us our
wish, we should give our thoughts rest and devote ourselves to the promotion of
our best interests and the building up of our country, which things are in the
interests of both the ruler and of the ruled. Such things are attainable only by
peace and loyalty. I, therefore, ask all tribes to keep the peace and give up raid
ing as from to-day; all territories under ‘ Iraq should put an end to pillage and
lobbery. He who does not obey shall not find security, while he who gives
security and shelter to the disobedient will be considered as an enemy to the
Government. I entertain the hope that in the future the tribes will not desert
me.
In the future when the tribes have gathered together we shall look into
any differences existing between them. I shall call the tribal chiefs and speak
to them regarding the past. Moslems are brothers. They look up to no one
but to me and the Government. Those present shall inform those who are
absent. No one may raid another. This is what I want to tell you.
Then Fahad Beg rose up and addressed the Shaikhs saying:—
“ Do you want other than this? ” They all answered “ No Then
H.H. said: “ Will you be responsible to me for those who disobey? They
replied: ‘ ‘ Your orders shall be obeyed and God shall bear witness to this ’ ’.
Then ‘Ali al Sulaiman said: “ What you order shall be done,” and Fahad Beg-
added: “ We shall obey your orders because the British Government is your
ally The Amir replied: “ We are in agreement with them (the British)
and we must settle our affairs amongst ourselves ”. To this Fahad Beg replied:
“ As to the Arabs we shall be responsible to you that ‘Anizah and Dulaim will
be under your orders . To this ‘Ali al Sulaiman said: I undertake the same
responsibility The Amir said: “ There is another matter. Under a proper
settlement Arab traditions and the word of Arab rulers will be respected. I
will be present among them and will call together tribal chiefs and settle theii
disputes. ’ ’
Fakhr al Din Effendi said: “ Your Highness’s advice will do them imme
diate as well as future good, provided that they act up to it. It will afford them
benefit and peace.” Then the Amir laid his hand in the hand of all tribal
chiefs in token of their allegiance.
Rashid Beg al ‘Umari, Mutasarrif, swore allegiance to H.H. on behalf of
all ‘Umarii famite"-
In reply to this speech, the Amir said: “ The Prophet said: “ O God
grant victory to religion through one of the two ‘Umars and you (pointing to the
speaker) are a descendent of Umar al Faiuqi.
* He really said “ because you are acceptable to the British Government.
About this item
- Content
This volume contains the Intelligence Reports of Sir Percy Cox, High Commissioner for Mesopotamia [also written as Iraq in this volume], based in Baghdad, covering the period 15 November 1920 to 15 September 1921. They largely relate to: the political situation in Mesopotamia and the surrounding region; the formation and proceedings of the provisional government; the events leading up to the creation of Mandatory Iraq [also known as the Kingdom of Iraq under British Administration] and the election and appointment of Faisal [Fayṣal bin Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī] as the first King of Iraq [Fayṣal I].
The Intelligence Reports are numbered and appear to have been issued at two-week intervals. This volume contains the reports numbered 1-3, 9-19 and 21. There is no explanation in the volume regarding the reason for the absent reports. The format of the reports is a mixture of printed and copy typescript. Each report is preceded by a covering circular issued by the office of the High Commissioner indicating the British Government departments and the officers and departments in the Middle East to which the report was copied.
Report Nos. 1-3 are preceded by an assessment of the political situation described in the Intelligence Report, written by Major R Marrs.
The reports generally comprise the following sections:
- A summary of the report (from report No. 14 onwards only)
- An account of the proceedings of the Council of Ministers
- Analysis of current public opinion and allegiances, (notably an analysis of public opinion on the Amir [Emir] Faisal and his arrival in Mesopotamia, including a reference to his 'personal magnetism', f 88), in report Nos 16-19
- Notes on provincial affairs
- Notes on the situation at the frontiers
- Extracts of 'Iraq Police Abstracts of Intelligence' (reports No. 9-14 only).
Other subjects notably covered in various reports include:
- Assyrian, Armenian and Urumiyan [Urmian] refugees (report Nos. 2 and 19)
- Perceived foreign influences in Iraq (report Nos. 2 and 3)
- The withdrawal of Saiyid [Sayyid] Talib Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. [Sayyid Ṭālib bin Rajab al-Naqīb] from the Government and Baghdad (report No. 12)
- Kurdistan (report Nos. 12-14)
- Turkish and Kurdish Frontiers (report No. 12)
- Dair al Zor [Deir ez-Zor] (report Nos. 1 and 12)
- Notes on 'Internal Affairs' (Nos. 18 and 19)
- Analysis of the referendum result which confirmed the election of Faisal as Iraq's first monarch (report No. 19)
- The formation of King Faisal's first cabinet (report No. 21).
Appendices are included with some reports, usually comprising copies of the High Commissioner's proclamations or communications 'to the people of Iraq' or documents relevant to the particular report (notably 'Provisional scheme for the re-organisation of the law courts' and 'Report of the committee constituted for studying the irrigation problem in Mesopotamia' in report No. 9).
Each report is concluded with a Supplement or Press Bureau Report, comprising extensive summaries and extracts of newspaper articles published in the local and 'foreign' (local region mainly) press. Notable publications cited are: Al 'Iraq , Al Fallah Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour. , Al Dijlah , and (Syrian publication) Lissan al 'Arab.
The volume includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the end of the correspondence (front of the volume).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (289 folios)
- Arrangement
The reports are arranged mostly in numerical/chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume. Report No. 18 is followed by Report No. 21 and then Report No. 19 which is the last report in the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 284; 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. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the two leading and two ending flyleaves. The sequence contains one foliation anomaly: f 267a.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/962
- Title
- File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS'
- Pages
- 191r:192r, 174r:176r, 172r:174r, 151r:154r, 126r:127r, 112v:113r, 104r:104v, 95r:97r, 84r:85r, 62v:64v, 50r:50v, 16r:17r
- Author
- al-Iraq xx Al-'Iraq
- Usage terms
- Public Domain