File 36/1919 Pt 3 ‘KURDISTAN POLICY & SITUATION’ [‎185r] (386/608)

(P 2696)
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From Civil Commissioner, Baghdad, oth April 1920.
(Copy to General, Baghdad, who has seen before despatch.)
(Received 6th, 2 p.m.)
(R.) 4151. My telegram No. 3746, dated 25tli March. An unfortunate but
probable inevitable leakage of certain precautionary orders which I gave regarding
missionary families in Sullamaniyah division on receipt of your telegram of 21st March
has furnished a valuable indication as to real state of feeling of people in this division
as to which I understand His Majesty’s Government still requires information. The
rumour was circulated that we were about to abandon division. The report gained
credence the more readily owing to^ Prime Minister's recent reference to liberation of
Kurdistan which was ci£ great importance^ reproduced in local paper. There was
something approaching a general panic, the depth and extent of which took our
officers by surprise. The Persian Governor of Mariwa came to Sullamaniyah for first
time for two years to say but for our presence in the division he could not stay at his
ow n post on the Persia n - frontier fo r a day, much less maintain order there, and
begged the Political Officer to remain^unleoo it was-of importance from point of view
of Persia of our remaining.
Minor notables and headmen from every part of the division came in or sent
urgent messages begging that news might be (group omitted) at once, and declaring
that our withdrawal spelt ruin for them all.
I went by air to Sullamaniyah on Saturday to ascertain the state of affairs for
myself on the spot. No division in Mesopotamia is in better order and nowhere does
our administration now carry a greater degree of popular acquiescence.
The acreage under cereals this year has been doubled. One hundred thousand
trees have been planted, and area under tobacco is treble that of last year. Merchants
and headmen have sunk their money in commercial and agricultural development as
never before, and have induced 3,000 Jaffa nomads to settle in their (group omitted)s
and to cultivate. Five canals which have been closed for ten years have been
reopened.
The settled population in division has been ascertained by recent census to be
of 50 per cent, greater density than average elsewhere in Mesopotamia, and productive
capacity per head is three or four times as great owing to value of crops produced.
The budget for this year balances, and on financial grounds Kurdistan is not burden
to us.
The garrison in division, as already explained, is one battalion, two guns, and
half a squadron of cavalry, and I have informed the General Officer Commanding-in-
Chief that I am prepared to see this small force, if considered desirable on military
grounds, withdrawn to Chemchemal, and, if necessary, somewhat reduced in size. It
would, however, be unwise to withdraw it further until we have reached a settlement
with Turkey as tireless intrigues of Turks with Kurds on northern frontier of Mosul
division could not fail to have a serious effect in this division if w T e were to leave
valley entirely.
I discussed with Political Officer of division the possibility of evacuation being
finally ordered by His Majesty’s Government. We came to conclusion as there is nobody
to whom we can possibly hand over administration (unless indeed the Turks), evacuation
could only be effected under cover of a considerable military force which would have
to be sent to Sullamaniyah, Halebja, &c., to cover the withdrawal of the administration,
unless it were to take form of a hurried nocturnal flight of British officers and men,
leaving the levies and Kurdish officials, &c., to their fate, and abandoning the records,
cash, private property, &c.
The resentment of the people at large, and of those who are now our friends, at
what they would regard as our perfidy, would be so bitter that I should consider
ourselves very lucky if evacuation were to be carried out without serious loss of life.