File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎534r] (715/1080)

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(vn) A Russian arrived here on the 6 th from Gumesh Teppe. He was
interrogated in the Customs Office but returned to Russian territory as permis
sion for him to remain in Persia was not given. It is believed he was an
agent of Nariman Narimanov, the Chief Komissar of Baku, and had been sent
'x for the purchase of grain through the Turkmen.
(viii) The ship “ Teheran ” left for Baku on the 6th with a cargo of
1,300 poods of meat and 5,000 poods of charcoal. Several Russians whtf
belonged to the Co-operative Bank and had come from Tehran left on board
of her for Baku.
Bujnurd. —A newsletter, dated 9th July, states that the attack on
travellers and seizure of furgons which occurred lately on the Shahrud-Meshed
road was carried out by a band of about 15 Persian Turkmen who traversed the
Bujnurd and Nardin districts. They returned with their booty to their haunts
at Meli Shira Karishmar in Gurgan. They were pursued by Khawanin
sowars of Nardin but without result.,
A force of 100 Turkmen cavalry was sent to the frontier from Askhabad
to work along from Gairabad westwards in the pursuit of Turkmen robbers
and smugglers. Seventy remained at Robat for a time and returned to Piruza.
The remaining 30 under the command of the well-known Sergei Sherbakov
proceeded in the direction of Kohna (old) Kesar and from there westwards
to Chingir and Jelgeran which is 15 versts from Qara Qala.- There this
leader was supposed to have made an inroad on Russian Turkmen who have
migrated to Persia and live in the Jelgeran defile, taking from them three
rifles and violating the Persian frontier.
There is noting unusual happening in the Qara Qala region though the
^ornuds have again raided in that direction. Practically all the Russians in
Qara Qala have migrated. Two Turkmen officials, one of whom was Alla
Yar Khan of the Goklans, arrived in Qara Qala from Kizil Arvat for, it is
said, a personal reconnaissance, but the Yomuds hearing of their presence beat
up their quarters and forced them to flight. Further developments of this
question of the migration of Russian subjects to Persia are expected.
Espionage among the Russian settlements across the frontier is intense, every
body reporting against everybody. The requisition of food commodities has
commenced again throughout all districts but especially of meet, butter and
eggs.
Robat .—The “ 100 Russian troops ” of the Persian report quoted in last
week’s Summary, page 4, are in all probability the Turkmen sowars referred to
pbove.
Nothing has been heard from this report- writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. during the
week. A rumour that he has been seized by the Bolsheviks lacks confirma
tion.
Quchan .—A letter, dated 12th July, quotes the following narrative of two
Armenian arrivals from Tashkent:—
“ Economic conditions in Turkestan are deplorable. Owing to the scarcity
of water the crop yield is 35 per cent, below normal. The necessities of life
are practically not obtainable and prices are rising. A pood—36 pounds—
of flour costs 75,000 roubles, a pound of meat between two and three thousand
roubles. Officials and Jews are the only sections of the community which
are well off. It is anticipated that the working classes will soon go on
strike and that the troops will follow suit. The latter declare openly that
they are serving with reluctance and that should a foreign Power declare
war against the Bolsheviks, they and the workmen of factories and railways
Would° support the invaders. They are looking forward to the day when
Russia is invaded from without. The people are realising that the Jews who
were once the indigent class in Russia have grown rich under the Bolshevik
regime and that it is they who have brought ruin on Russia. Nobody dares
speak openly against them for such means immediate arrest and execution.
There are forty to fifty people shot daily in Tashkent alone. (A Russian
refugee recently gave the same testimony.) Buildings in Tashkent, formerly
used as stores, have been converted into prisons.. A man sentenced to be shot
is conveyed to a place about 8 miles from the city where he is given a spade
and made to dig his own grave.