Islam, Turkey, and Armenia, and How They Happened/Chapter XXVII

by Sadik Shahid Bey

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE ARMENIAN MASSACRES.

1. The Massacre of Sassoun, (1894), the First in the Series. Sassoun is a small, mountainous district in the Province of Bitlis, in the heart of Armenia. The inhabitants of this district, being impoverished by heavy taxes imposed upon them by the Turkish Government and by several tribes of the Kurds, and being oppressed by tortures and outrageous barbarities of these tax-gatherers, were obliged to raise their voices and implore the help of the local and central government. These appeals were responded to by severe Kurdish assaults and increased Turkish atrocities. The Armenians of that district, therefore, decided to oppose the Kurds when they came to collect taxes, upon which the barbarous race, being enraged, made a stronger attack for the purpose of murder and revenge. Among the Kurds whom the Armenians of Sassoun opposed, there were a few Hamidieh Kurdish soldiers, the authorized brigands of Kurdistan, several of whom were killed in the struggle. The exaggerated report sent by the Governor of Bitlis made the Sultan enraged, and accordingly he ordered: the suppression of this Armenian rebellion with the severest means." This was the opportunity which the Sultan was anxiously watching for many years, and for which end he was planning. Thus he ordered his troops to march to the Sassoun district and help the Kurds in their bloody work. This plan being hidden from the Armenians, and most probably from the European Powers, was carried on in a very systematic way. The various Kurdish tribes had received special invitation to take part in this great expedition, and the chiefs, with their men, arrived one after the other, and the total number of the Kurds who took part in the campaign was estimated at 30,000. The Armenians believed in the beginning that they had to do only with the Kurds, but they soon realized that a Turkish regular army, with provisions, rifles and cannons, was standing at the back of the Kurds. Sassoun was doomed whether she submitted or opposed. After two weeks' self-protection against the Kurds they saw that the regular army entered into active campaign. Mountain pieces began to thunder, and the Armenians, having nearly exhausted their ammunition, took to flight, when the Kurds and the Turks pursued them and ruthlessly massacred men, women and children (not less than 10,000), plundered the properties and burned seventy villages, and after many horrible outrages, carried many girls and women to Kurdish and Turkish harems. These things took place in August and September of 1894.

2. The Scheme of Reforms in The American Provinces. The news of the Sassoun massacre was concealed about four months, during which time the Turkish Government worked steadily to remove every sign and trace of these hellish deeds. But through the reports of the American missionaries and the European consuls and the impartial investigators, both from England and America, and even the information from the Turks and Kurds themselves, the awful news proved to be true, and public opinion was so aroused in England that the representatives of the Great Powers came together and prepared a scheme of reforms for the six provinces where the Armenians were greater in number, namely, Erzeroom, Van, Bitlis, Diarbekir, Harpoot and Sivas.

These reforms, which were mild and in the line of what the Turkish Government had frequently promised, and the execution of which was entrusted to the Sultan, involved civil offices, judgeships and public appointments of Moslems and non-Moslems in the six provinces proportionately. This, however, while simple justice, was a bitter pill to the Mohametans, who had ruled over the Christians with a rod of iron for five hundred years. The scheme was presented to the Sultan on May 11, 1895, but he obstinately refused to accept them. Spring and summer passed, the anniversary of the Sassoun massacre arrived, no redress had been secured, nor the punishment of a single official, while the greatest butchers were decorated by the Sultan. On the 30th day of September, some Armenians being indignant of this delay, which would mean the sleep of death for their race, made a demonstration to present a petition to the Grand Vizier in an orderly way, which led to a riot in Constantinople, and several hundred Armenians were brutally killed. The number of victims in two massacres in Constantinople is estimated at 6,000, mostly laboring men. On the 8th day of October the massacre at Trebizond occurred and about 1,000 were killed. These two unjust massacres obliged the diplomats to insist upon their demands of the signing of the "Scheme of Reforms," which the Sultan did October 16, 1895.

3. Subsequent Massacres. October 16th was a day of rejoicing in Constantinople and in the provinces, but it will be remembered as one of the blackest days in Armenian history. On that day the Sultan professed to accept the Scheme of Reforms, but what he really did, as subsequent events show beyond any doubt, was to sign the death-warrant of the Armenian nation. From this time on reform by massacre was the order of the day. About thirty-five large cities, with hundreds of villages, were given over to slaughter and spoliation, so that by a moderate estimate 100,000 Armenians, the most influential men, were massacred, a greater part of their property was lost, and business ruined. About 40,000 houses and shops, churches and schools were burned. Thousands were forced to accept Islam. Thousands of virgins and pure women, after beastly violation, were captured and carried to the Mohametan harems. About sixty Gregorian and fifteen Protestant and several Catholic ministers were most cruelly martyred, many churches were turned to mosques or stables, the holy utensils and scriptures defiled, and before the altars the most brutal outrages were committed. Many orphans were taken far away to Turkish houses to be trained in the Mohametan faith. About a quarter of a million widows and orphans and helpless aged people were left to the mercy of nature and their Moslem neighbors. The unspeakable Turk, with a single blow, made the ridiculous scheme of reforms inoperative by reducing the proportion of the Armenians in the mentioned six provinces and in the greater part of the Province of Aleppo, where Zeitoon, being the neuclus, the Silesian Armenians were expecting their share in the promised reform.

The following are the names of 105 Armenian clergymen killed in massacres:

|

"A. OF THE GREGORIAN ARMENIAN CHURCH.

I.

"PROVINCE OF TREBIZOND.

1–6. Six priests, names not given.

II.

"PROVINCE OF ERZEROUM.

7. Der Kerekine, of Erzeroum.
8. Der Yeghia, of Tevnik.
9. Priest, of Kak.
10. Priest, of Oumdoun.
11. Abbot Timotheus, of Hassan-Kaleh.
12. Archimandrite Khorene Guroyan, of Baibourt.
13. Der Ohannes, of Ksanta.
14. Der Harutiun, of Ksanta.
15. Der Magar, of Plour.
16. Der Krikor, of Bushdi.
17. Priest, of Balakhor.
18. Der Khatt, of Hanksdoun.
19. Der Ghevont, of Monastery of the Illuminator.
20. Priest, of Khunzdrig.
21. Priest, of Karatash.
22. Der Hagop, of Large Armundan.
23. Der Krikoriss, of Little Armundan.

III.

"PROVINCE OF VAN.

24–7. Four priests, of the District of Lower Gargar.

28. Priest of Badagantz.
29. Abbot Bedross, of Sourp.

IV.

"PROVINCE OF BITLIS.

30. Priest, of Khoyt.
31. Der Mukhitar, of Khoyt.
32. Priest, of Vanik.
33. Abbot Isaac, of Holy Cross Monastery.
34. Priest, of Broshentz.
35. Abbot, of Monastery of St. Gamaliel

36–7. Priests of Yeghikiss.

38. Abbot Sarkiss, of Monastery of the Holy Mediator.

V.

"PROVINCE OF SIVAS.

39. Der Vosgui.
40. Der Gronites.
41. Der Asdvadzadour.
42. Der Reteos, of Istanos.
43. Der Yeghia, of the Church of the Holy Savior at Shaban-Kara-Hissan.
44. Der Krikor, of Tamzara.
45. Der Kude, of Tamzara.
46. Der Aharon, of Aghvaniss.
47. Priest, of Sis.
48. Priest, of Anarghi.
49. Der Matteos, of Bousseyid.
50. Der Sarkiss, of Gurassin.
51. Der Michail, of Gurassin.
52. Priest, of Armudan.
53. Bishop Isaac, of Derendeh.
54. Priest of Ashodi.
55. Der Arisdakes, of Zilleh.
56. Der Mgurdich, of Zilleh.
57. Der Vassil, of Vezir-Keupru.

VI.

"PROVINCE OF HARPOOT.

58. Archimandrite Ohannes, of Tadem.
59. Der Harutiun, of Hadousi.
61. Der Sarkiss, of Mouri.
63. Der Seth, of Komk.
65. Der Sarkiss, of Khoylou.
67. Der Hagop, of Tadem.
69. Der Aharom, of Tadem.
71. Der Hagop, of Kesserik.
73. Der Khazar, of Morenik.
75. Der Ohannes, of Husseynik.
77. Der Vahram, of Husseynik.
79. Der Nishan, of Miadoun.
81. Archimandrite Krikor Aprahamian.
83. Der Migerdich Shamlian.
85. Der Kegham Shamlian.
87. Der Nerses Baltayan.
89. Der Kurken Yazidjian.
91. Der Tonig Pakhigian.

VIII.

"PROVINCE OF DIARBEKIR.

76. Der Harutiun, of Diarbekir.
77. Der Sacristan, of Diarbekir.
78. Priest, of Ali Pounar.
79. Priest, of Arghani.
80. Der Krikor, of Hava.
81. Der Garabed, of Hava.
82. Der Kevork, of Marshmezra.
83. Der Harutiun, of Tzet.
84. Der Nerses, of Khozad.

"NOTES.

No. 8. Der Yeghia, of Tevnik, was killed while presenting a petition to the Government for protection.

No. 29. The Abbot Bedross, of Sourp, had his tongue torn out and limbs cut off one by one. He was then killed "with tortures."

Nos. 33-35. The Abbot Isaac of the Holy Cross, the priest of Broshentz and the Abbot of St. Gamaliel were impaled in the form of a cross and then burned.

No. 38. The Abbot Sarkiss, of the Monastery of the Holy Mediator, was first blinded.

No. 43. Shot while conducting funeral services.

No. 49. The body of Der Matteos was treated with the grossest indignity.

No. 56. The eyes of Der Mugurdich, of Zilleh, first destroyed.

No. 57. Der Vassil, of Vizir-Keupru, was burned alive.

"B. OF THE EVANGELICAL ARMENIAN CHURCH.

"The following are the names of twenty-one martyred Protestant pastors in Armenia, compiled by a correspondent of the Independent:

1. The Rev. Krikor, pastor at Ichme, killed November 6, 1885.
2. The Rev. Krikor Tamzarian.
3. The Rev. Boghos Atlasian, killed November 13.
4. The Rev. Mardiros Siraganian, of Arabkir, killed November 13.
5. The Rev. Garabed Kilijjian, of Sivas, killed November 12.
6. The Rev. Mr. Stepan, of the Anglican Church, at Marash, killed November 18.
7. The preacher of a village of Hajin, killed at Marash, November 18.
8. The Rev. Krikor Baghdasarian, retired preacher at Harput, November 18.
9. Retired preacher at Divrik, killed November 8.
10. The Rev. Garabed Hosepian, pastor at Chermuk, November 5.
11. The Rev. Melcon Minasian, pastor at Shepik, November.
12. The Rev. Aboshe Jacob, pastor at Kutterbul, November 6.
13. The Rev. Jurjis Khudherdhaw, Anteshalian, preacher at Kutterbul, November 6.
14. The Rev. Sarkis Narkashjian, pastor at Chunkush, November 14.
15. The pastor of the church at Severek, November.
16. The pastor of the church at Adiaman.
17. The Rev. Hohannes Hachadorian, pastor at Kilisse, November 7.
18. The Rev. Hanoosh Melki, pastor at Karabash, near Diarbekir, November 7.
19. The Rev. Mardiros Terzian, pastor at Keserik, near Harpoot, November.
20. The Rev. Hagop Abu Hayatian, pastor at Urfa, graduate of Leipzig, December 29.
21. The Rev. Hannah Sehda, preacher at Sert.

"How many more there are we do not know."

4. Some Touching Events Reported by Missionaries. "The Kurds being not satisfied by massacre, rapine and plunder of the living at that time, disinterred the body of a minister who died before the troubles, and fired into it volleys of bullets and treated it with almost fiendish indignities."

In another place, very far from the above mentioned, "the Turks broke the marble stones of the grave of a wealthy Armenian who died ten years before the massacres, and taking out the bones crushed them into pieces and scattered all around, making diabolic indignities."

"Children were placed in a row, one behind another, and bullets fired through the line to see how many could be dispatched with one bullet." "Infants and small children were piled one on the other, and their heads struck off. In one instance a little boy ran out ot the flames, but was caught on a bayonet and thrown back into the flames." Children were held up by their hair, and cut in two or had their jaws torn apart."

"At Galigozan many young men were tied hand and foot, laid in a row, covered with brush-wood and burned alive. On the last day of August (1894), the anniversary of the Sultan's accession to the throne, the soldiers were especially urged to distinguish themselves, and they made it a day of the greatest slaughter."

"At another village a priest and several leading men were captured, and all but the priest were killed. A chain was put around the priest's neck and pulled until he was choked, after which several bayonets were planted upright, and he was raised in the air and let fall upon them."

"A man who protested against the degradation of his household was taken to a lonely place in the mountains, and buried up to his neck in the ground. He was left there until wolves came and tore his head to pieces. Four bride-grooms were murdered at one time while vainly attempting to protect their brides against a party of Kurds."

"A missionary and a British vice-consul stayed at the house of an Armenian priest for a few hours. After they had left the village Turks seized the priest, skinned him alive, and stuffed his skin with hay, and hung it in the village street as a warning of worse things to come if the Christians dared to complain of persecution and oppression; and many others."

5. That the Last Armenian Massacres were Premeditated, planned and ordered by the Sultan, is evident from the fact that almost all of them took place in the six provinces where the scheme of reforms were to be practiced, and the manner, the duration, etc., were all alike; for example, in each place Kurds and Turkish irregulars and the regular soldiers were sent together; in each place the Christians were disarmed by full promise of protection; in each place the massacres and plunder had a certain limit of time; also began and ended with military bugle-sound; in each place the Turks were told they were obeying the Sultan's order; in each place only Armenians suffered, while other Christian people and foreigners were specially protected; in each place the most influential and young men were selected.

These atrocities were composed of murder, plunder, rape, torture, imprisonment and forcing to Islam. It was very evident that local Turkish authorities in each place had a detailed list in their hands as whom they were to plunder, which house to burn after plundering, which persons to be killed and which to be imprisoned. Those who attempted to protect themselves were horribly dealt with, and those who were destined for death could not find safety even in their Moslem neighbor's houses or in the government houses. Enforcement to Islam was more eagerly practiced in villages and small towns. Rape and outrage was left to the will of the mob; but as a rule the women and children were not sought for murder in the later massacres. Almost all the slaughtered bodies were destroyed by the Turks themselves. Very few aggressors among Mohametans lost their lives, probably not more than 1,000 in all, besides those who were killed in the Zeitoon and Sassoun struggles.

For the sake of truth and humanity it must be said that some influential Turks defended their neighborhood and personal friends, and gave them shelter and provision for days; and some of them dared to express their disgust against this unjustifiable bloodshed. Some of the murderers are reported to have felt "pain in their brains" and suffered much in their imagination if not in their conscience; but the great majority were very much pleased, yet not satisfied, and waiting eagerly for other orders of exterminating "giaours," and cleansing the country from the filthiness of "infidel hogs," and plainly expressed their sorrow that they did not use the first chance as they should.