File 36/1919 Pt 3 ‘KURDISTAN POLICY & SITUATION’ [‎169r] (352/608)

proposed in respect of Kurds within the Mosul Wilayat, and in a subsequent telegram he was
authorized to give any verbal assurances he thought necessary in conformity with these instructions,
with the proviso that the duty of insisting on the return of abducted persons and stolen property
would not be renounced. The High Commissioner in Constantinople had pointed out on May
1st that there were three courses open to us. We might disinterest ourselves in whatever
happened outside the limits of our occupation, leaving the Christians to their fate ; or we might
_Jk the Turkish Government to take action, which they were little likely to be able or even
willing to do ; or we might make use of such elements among the Kurds as were anxious to
stand well with us. The Acting Civil Commissioner in Baghdad thought that the third course
offered the best hope for the pacification of the country and proposed on May 12th that we
should give full assurances, as far as His Majesty’s Government was concerned, regarding amnesty
and freedom from Armenian domination in areas predominantly Kurdish. Before an answer could
be received in London, Saiyid Taha of Shamsdinan arrived at Baghdad, his visit coinciding,
very fortunately, with the outbreak of disturbances in Sulaimaniyah. Saiyid Taha is a man of
considerabe influence, political and spiritual, in north-east Kurdistan. His grandfather, Saiyid
‘Ubaidullahl, was famous for an attack which he led in 1876 against Urumiyah, in Persian
territory, w here the family owns large properties. ‘Ubaidullah was interned at Constantinople
with his son Abdul Qadir, who is the leader there of the Kurdish national party. Another son,
Sadiq, who, remained in Kfifdistan was a well-known oppressor of the Christians. His son,
Saiyid Taha, had been before the war the honoured guest of a Russian Consul and, there was
at one time an idea that he might be used as the figurehead of a nominally independent Kurdistan
under Russian auspices ; nevertheless he managed to keep in good odour with the Germans,
and the Russians, mistrusting him, destroyed his house at Neri when they crossed the frontier,
in 1916. He is related by marriage to Sim ko. chief of the Shikak and is on good terms with him.
Simko has fought in turn the Russians, the Turks and the Armenians and is notorious for having
murdered in cold blood the Assyrian Patriarch, Mar Shim'un. The two men, Saiyid Tah a and
Simko, ai'e opportunists of the kind which Kurdistan breeds in plenty, remorselessly pursuing their
own advantage. The Christian problem touches Saiyid Taha little but Simko is determined not to
yield up an iota of the gains which he has acquired at the expense of the Christians during the war
The geographical position of both among mountains where means or communication are non-
’.existent, makes it difficult to see who would be prepared to coerce them.
Saiyid Taha’s object in visiting Baghdad was to press for a united Kurdistan under 1 British
auspices, including the Kurds in Persian territory. When it was explained to him that he could
expect no help from us in realizing this project as far as the Persian Kurds were concerned, he
expressed great disappointment and observed that the separation of Persian Kurdistan from Persia
was certain to come, even if we withheld our consent. Nevertheless he accepted the position and
declared his willingness to help us in every way possible in order to establish in Kurdistan the
regime which he and his friends desired, but he asked to be satisfied on the following points : firstly,
that a general amnestv would be proclaimed ; secondly, that no attempt would be made to set up
-a single chief in Kurdistan, but that the country should be organized in large autonomous groups ;
thirdly, that the repatriation of Christians should be conditional to an undertaking on our part that
the Kurds should not be placed under Armenian or Nestorian domination ; and fourthly, that His
Majesty’s Government would be ready to provide the same material assistance as in the ‘Iraq.
As the Sulaimahiyah rebellion was threatening the peace of the whole Kurdish frontier, it was
advisable that we should make use of Saiyid Taha’s friendly sentiments and the Acting Civil Com
missioner gave him a letter in Persian of which the following is a translation :—
“ I have been authorized by His Majesty’s Government to assure you personally that His
Majesty’s Government have no intention of adopting a vindictive policy towards Kurds in regard
to acts committed during the war, but are prepared to gr ant them a general amnesty. This will
not prevent the representatives of the British Government from using their friendly endeavours to
make peace between Armenians and Kurds in regard to their personal affairs and they will also use
their best endeavours to settle between the two parties questions relating to land in a friendly
manner without resort to armed intervention. His Majesty’s Government wish me to assure you
that the interests of the Kurds are by no means being lost sight of at the Peace Conference.”
The purport of these assurances was communicated to Major Noel who on June 23rd issued
a notification in the Kurdish areas which were under his charge, saying : “ The future of the
-country variously known as Armenia or Kurdistan is a question which must be decided by the
Peace Conference. No one need doubt that the Peace Conference will decide in accordance
with its often expressed principle that nations have the right to determine their own government.
The British Government has given its assurance that the interests of the Kurds are not being
overlooked at the Peace Conference. Until the decision is made known it is the duty and the
/interest of all nationalities and classes in Kurdistan to preserve peace and order. With regard to
the massacres of Armenians which resulted from the orders of the Turkish Government, civiliza
tion demands that the officials guilty of issuing such orders should be severely punished.
Armenians responsible for the massacre of Moslems will be dealt with in the same way. Armenian
women and girls shut up in Moslem houses must be released and lands or houses forcibly taken
from Armenians must be restored to their lawful owners. On the other hand, the British Govern
ment, so far as it is concerned, has no intention of pursuing a vindictive policv towards Kurds in
respect of acts committed during the war and is prepared to grant them a general amnesty. It is
necessary that the two races occupying the same area should leave their wrongs in the hand of
‘Government, should relinquish private grudges and recriminations and prepare to live together in
mutual toleration and good will. The British authorities desire only this and will severely punish
any such unjust acts or false accusations as lead to prepetual hostility or promote unrest ”.
The notification had a good effect among the leaders of the Kurdish national movement,
while to the letter given to Saiyid Taha mav be attributed the fact that no disturbances have
occurred in his district. It would have been too much to expect that he should have broken off
relations with Turkish emissaries, nor is it probable that he did so, but he has been of use in