'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia' [‎665r] (1331/1386)

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decide. Of course it is evident that my Government will not refuse clemenc Small
skirmishes and encounters between the tribes on both sides of 415 5 ? f V ' i al
of repeated occurrence, and it is not without precedent for my Government a"condone
such offences; and I have to inform von +1,4; L 1 1 • ‘ 11 w concone
send a Special Commission to the spot in order to invesrngatecidednontour side so to
Inclosure 8 in No. 71.
Note from the Persian Embassy to the Porte, dated Vlth Moharrem, 1298
{December 15, 1880).
(Translation.)
IT is manifest that, in accordance with the provisions of the law relating to the
press, newspapers printed and published in Constantinople lay themselves open to
punishment in employing improper language even against private individuals. We
have forborne time past noticed with regret-that the «Vakit," the. ce Terdi imani-
Hakikat, and. the Djerede-i-Havadis,’ in speaking of the Kurdish insurgents who
have made their appearance on the Persian frontier, have been publishing some very
injurious articles, inciting and encouraging the Kurdish tribes, and sowing discord
between the subjects of the two great Mahommedan States; but although we have
requested that some check should be placed upon them, the Bureau de la Presse has
taken no action whatever in the matter, and this inaction on the part of the authorities
has redoubled the audacity of the newspapers in question, and has given them courage
to employ extraordinarily violent language, insulting the religion of the Persian people,
disparaging their Government, and slandering their civil and military officials. These
papers penetrate through the post into every corner of the Imperial dominions, and it
is evident that the injurious articles which they contain will serve to encourage the
insurgent Kurds, being interpreted by them as a sign that their movements find favour
in the capital. In Persia, too, wherever these newspapers are read, the same
significance will be attributed to them.
Both the great Mahommedan States have long been anxious to remove these
sources of apprehension, for it is unnecessary to point out that the language employed
by these papers will be the cause of much bloodshed amongst the Kurdish tribes. The
people will regard each one of these journals as interpreting the thoughts and opinions
of some section of society, and therefore their conduct in insulting the action and
policy of a State which has long been friendly to Turkey, and in slandering its officials,
is an infringement of the law of nations, and obliges us to demand their punishment.
I therefore officially request the Foreign Office to take those measures which are
prescribed alike by their own laws, by the perfect harmony and concord existing
between the two Powers, and by the laws regarding conterminous States.
No. 75.
Mr. Thomson to Earl Granville—{Received January 6, 1881.)
My Lord Tehran, November 29, 1880.
MR. ABBOTT informs me that he has forwarded a copy of his Report on the
condition of the Nestorians of Oroontiah direct by post to your Lordship.
His visit to that district took place at an inopportune moment. The Kurdish
insurrection broke out immediately after his arrival, and before he could make
arrangements for leaving the place, the Kurds advanced and occupied the whole
of the surrounding country, and the town was then closely invested by Sheikh
Obeidullah. Mr. Abbott’s position at Oroomiah under these circumstances was a very
difficult one. But he appears to have conducted the inquiry upon which he was engaged
in a very satisfactory manner, and in his dealings with the Persian local authorities,
as well as with the insurgent Chiefs, with whom he had to place himself in commit
“is heshasrretninkedisplavsdasvestitattonsdshtodgsendt, even before the recant
mins and Christians but especially the former, suffered greatly from. Kurdish raids
and brigandage, and on that account he found that the condition of affairs in t at par
of Fmnd Nestorians, however, appeared to be, on the whole, well treated by the
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