Military Tribunal Transcript

[DominO123]

The Turkish military tribunal trial(April 27, 1919) Transcript.

 

Takvim-i Vekayi April 27, 1919 N. 3540

Verbatim transcripts of the First Trial

 

President: Lieutenant-General Mustafa Nazim *****

 

Names of those present who are accused:

 

Said Halim *****

Halil Bey

Ahmet Nesimi Bey

Ibrahim Bey

Talat Bey

Midhat Sukru Bey

Ziya Gokalp

Kemal Bey

Cevat Bey

Atif Bey

 

Names of those too scared to show up::

 

Talat *****

Enver *****

Cemal *****

Doctor Nazim Efendi

Doctor Behaeddin Sakir Efendi

Doctor Ruzuhi Efendi

Aziz Efendi

 

 

INDICTMENT

 

We examined in great detail all documents relating to the Inquiry, as well as the above-mentioned verdict of the Procurer-General of the Courts-Martial regarding: Said Halim *****, President of the disbanded Ittihad ve Terakki; as well as into Talat, Cemal, Ibrahim, Sukru, Halil, and Ahmet Nesimi, members of the Supreme Council of the Parliament; and also into Midhat Sukru, Secretary-General of the Party; Kemal, Ziya Gokalp, Doctor Ruzuhi,and Kucuk Talat, Central Committee members; Behaeddin Sakir, Doctor Nazim, and Riza, members of the above-mentioned Committee and leaders of the Teskilati Mahsusa (Special Organization); Aziz Bey, member of the Executive Committee of the same Party and former Minister of Public Security; and Cevat Bey, former Military Governor of the Capital and member of the Executive Committee of the Party.

 

The documents at hand corroborate that the Central Committee of the Teskilati Mahsusa was at the same time made up of two distinct organizations, of which one operated in accordance with the inner rules and by laws of the Party, while the other operated underground, on the basis of secret orders. The evidence, which confirms the culpability of the above-mentioned influential leaders of the Committee, attests that the Committee, its true face, be charged with the crimes of violation of public order, profiteering and for the perpetration of a series of massacres. The evidence appended below fully verifies the magnitude of the crimes committed.

 

When war was declared, immediately following the July 1 1330 (1914) conference, which was attended by top Party leaders, Cemal, Talat and their colleagues--who are now dismissed from the military ranks and who have fled the country--, they endeavored to exploit Europe's preoccupation with the World War, and attempted, by the use terror and brute force, to solve issues and questions that could have otherwise been resolved peacefully, with fair and and sound judgment. Thus, by their fatal actions, they fermented an unending state of turmoil, critically worsening the situation for the general public.

 

Outwardly, they pretended to be struggling for national interests; in reality however, they were only pursuing their own personal interests, and by creating heavy, war-related burdens, were stifling the people. And in order to realize their nefarious intentions, they finally succeeded in dragging the country into the World War. To realize their secret objectives, they encouraged, during military operations, the activities of secret committees. Thus, by releasing criminals and convicts from prisons, they created Teskilati Mahsusa, which received its secret orders and instructions from a special committee created in Istanbul, whose members included the Director of Public Security Aziz Bey and Central Committee members Atif and Doctor Nazim Beys. Decisions reached by the Committee were approved and implemented by the Military Command or by Cevat Bey, the Military Governor of Istanbul.

 

Enormous sums of money were distributed to the agents of Teskilati Mahsusa and, generally, in the regions of their operations. Doctor Behaeddin Sakir transmitted the cipher keys to the leaders of Teskilati Mahsusa, and provided them with automobiles, large sums of monies and other necessary ammunition. By these means he was able to put into effect the secret plans of the Ittihad ve Terakki.

 

Armed with instructions from the higher-ups, a number of operatives of this organization were sent to the different regions; and together with the regional Responsible Secretaries of the Ittihad ve Terakki, and government officials, they began, under the pretext of carrying out the orders of the Party, or in response to the coercions of certain people, to indiscriminately massacre and rob the people, to raze their properties and to torture them to death, regardless of their race or religion. While the flash point of terror was aimed mainly at the Armenians, other peoples and a great number of Turks suffered also.

 

The key finding of this investigation shows that the criminal acts that took place at various times and in various places, during the deportations of the Armenians, were not isolated, local incidents, but were premeditated and realized by the oral instructions and secret orders of the "Special Center", which was composed of the united power of the above mentioned individuals.

 

The following is the conclusion reached after the examination of the documents, the affidavits, and the credible testimonies:

 

The nature of the Teskilati Mahsusa, which was initially created by the leaders of Ittihad ve Terakki for combat duty, was, as the evidence clearly shows, especially secretive; and its real aim was to commit criminal acts. This secret network was led by Central Committee Members Doctor Nazim, Behaeddin Sakir, Atif Riza, and former Director of Public Security Aziz Bey. The headquarters of Behaeddin Sakir were in Erzurum, from where he directed the forces of the Eastern vilayets. Aziz, Atif and Nazim Beys operated in Istanbul, and their decisions were approved and implemented by Cevat Bey, the Military Governor of Istanbul. The secret communication #150, addressed to Behaeddin Sakir, contains the following: ."The Committee demands that Halil of Galata be punished. The money deposited in the post office should be withdrawn and when the need arises, distributed to the populace. (See series 10, document #1).

 

This document is sighed by Aziz, Atif and Nazim Beys, and has been approved by Cevat's signature. At the bottom, it is written: "Motive: Fraud - to collect money". A cipher-telegram, signed "A. Cevat" was also sent along with this order, where it is written: "To Behaeddin Sakir--decode it personally."

 

Letter #59, addressed to Midhat Sukru Bey, and signed by Halil, Nazim, Atif and Aziz Beys, shows that Halil *****, the uncle of the fugitive Enver Bey, was involved with the Teskilati Mahsusa at the same time that he was Military Governor of Istanbul. It (letter #59) also shows that this organization had inside links with the Committee of Union and Progress. This fact is further confirmed by telegram #67, from Halil to the Mayor of Izmit, where the releasing of the prisoners, the appointing of leaders, and other plans are discussed- (see series 10, document #4).

 

From Halil Bey's letter (#68) of November 16, 1330 (1914) to the Military High Command, it becomes clear that destructive weapons were dispatched to the Teskilati Mahsusa. There are also other similar documents in the files pertaining to this organization.

 

The Inquiry revealed that important documents relating to the Central Committee of the Party and to the Teskilati Mahsusa were removed. Similarly, reliable witnesses certified that before the dismissal of Talat Bey, directives and other important correspondence sent from the Interior Ministry to Aziz Bey, former Director of the Ministry of Pubic Security, were not returned. (see series #31).

 

It is clear that the Central Committee of the Party, even before declaring war, already had the intention to do so. This circumstance is incontrovertibly confirmed by the August 17, 133O (1914) correspondence bearing the signature of Midhat Sukru Bey, Secretary-General of the Central Committee of the Party, which was delivered to Behaeddin Sakir via the Mayor of Erzurum.

 

The torturing and massacres in Diyarbakir took place at the instigation of the fugitive Talat Bey. This is confirmed by the contents of a cipher telegram sent to the above-mentioned Talat Bey from Ali Suad Bey, the Mutasarrif of Zor. Here the need to execute Commissioner Memtouh and his bodyguards is discussed. In the deciphered, reply-cipher-telegram there is the notation "destroy". (See series 8, document #1).

 

Ihsan Bey, Director of the Special Office of the Interior Ministry, confirms that Abulahad Nuri Bey, Kaymakam of Kilis, who had been sent from Istanbul to take office in Aleppo, had announced that: "The main reason for the deportations is annihilation"; and that he had been in touch with Talat Bey regarding this matter, and that he had received direct orders for the massacres from him, and that he (Talat) had persuaded him that this was the only way for the salvation of the country (See investigative loose paper, page 15).

 

In a September 11, 1331 (1915) cipher-telegram dispatched to the Interior Ministry, Mayor Mufid Bey of Palu informs that Midhat Bey, Ittihad Responsible Secretary of Brusa (or Bursa) notified, at the time he was the Responsible Secretary of Palu, in a telegram dispatched from Cankiri to the Mutasarrif of Palu, that the total number of the Armenians deported from the vilayet of Ankara had reached 61,000; and that these deportations were essential chiefly for the stabilization of the numbers of the Islamic populace, and, concurrently, for the future welfare of Palu (see series #8, document #2). This evidence proves that the deportations were not wartime, disciplinary measures, but took place at the discretion and initiative of the Committee from which Midhat Bey drew his inspiration.

 

This individual, having been in Cankiri for only a short time could not have had any real knowledge about the inhabitants of the Ankara vilayet. He was also poorly informed about the inhabitants of his own vilayet. Cankiri is in Kastamonu, and the Muslims there had been appalled by the events taking place in the their neighborhoods. In fact, one day the elders and leaders accompanied by their Mufti, put a request to Vali Resid ***** with the following words: "The Armenians and their children from the neighboring vilayets are being driven like cattle to the mountain for slaughter. We do not want these type of things to occur in our vilayets. We are afraid of the wrath of Allah. A country cannot be governed by brute force but with rationality. We request that slaughtering of this type not take place in our vilayet." These individuals had left with tears in their eyes, after securing the assurances of the Mayor that this type of act would not take place in their vilayet (Deposition, section two, page 15).

 

Cited below is a cipher-telegram from Tehsin Bey, Vali of the Erzurum vilayet, dated July 15, 1331 (1915), where the atrocities and brutal acts committed against the Armenians by the Teskilati Maksusa and their cohorts the gendarmes is discussed: "A Lieutenant by the name of Fayik had come into the possession of Arabian's four daughters; while Lieutenant Kamil Efendi has appropriated 1863 liras: thirty five loads of goods and a large quantity of jewelry. Pilfering of money and violence perpetrated against women are phenomena that are extremely shameful and have no relation to bravery. It is essential to terminate these atrocities and the marauding brigands named Teskilati Mahsusa. The Vali of Harput informs that all the roads are so full of corpses of women and children that they can not even be buried. It would be better if we preserved our former brave character." (See series 8, document #4). This telegram, sent to the fugitive Talat Bey is kept in the 5th section of the Meclis files. This telegram (also) confirms the secret plans described in the cipher-telegram signed by the above-mentioned Ali Suad Bey, Mayor of Zor.

 

Cited below is the content of a cipher-telegram sent by Behaeddin Sakir Bey, the President of the Teskilati Mahsusa, to the Ittihad Responsible Secretary of Harput: "Are your area's deported Armenians being liquidated? Are they being destroyed? Or are they being merely deported and exiled? Clarify this point, my brother." (A copy of this cipher-telegram is in series 9).

 

This evidence confirms that the fugitive Resneli Nazim Bey, who at that time was the Ittihad Responsible Secretary of Harput, also had secret ties to Teskilati Mahsusa, and was involved in the annihilation of the Armenians.

 

The cipher-telegram sent to the Central Committee of the Ittihad ve Terakki by Samson Responsible Secretary Rusdi Bey; as well as the telegram: "Dispatch with motor launch the 55 cetes of the 5th group under the leadership of Tufan Agha", which was sent by Midhat Sukru Bey on December 16, 1330 (1914) to Teskilati Mahsusa Representative Doctor Nazim, fully prove that the (Ittihad) Party Committee was linked to the Teskilati Mahsusa, and that their branches had for a long time been engaged in various regions in the task of forming bands of brigands.

 

The contents of a cipher-telegram sent on November 20, 1330 (1914) by Musa, Ittihad Responsible Secretary of Balikesir, to Midhat Sukru Bey and Doctor Nazim, fully reveal that the Central Committee of the Party had cooperated with the Interior Ministry in the task of recruiting the bands of brigands.

 

A letter sent on December 14, 1330 (1914), by the Ittihad Representative of Brusa to the Central Committee, also confirms that the criminals and outlaws being released from the prisons were being absorbed into the Teskilati Mahsusa; and that great efforts had been made early to persuade these naive people that they were going to participate in military operations. Whereas, all the testimony and documents show that these bands of brigands were formed for the sole purpose of massacring and destroying the caravans of the deportees.

 

It is fully proven that these massacres were taking place on the immediate orders and full knowledge of Talat, Enver and Cemal (see series II). Talat Bey,in a cipher-telegram dated July 21, 1331 (1915), commands the Valis and Mutasarrifs of Diyarbakir, Harput, Urfa and Zor, to bury the corpses rotting at the roadsides, to burn the goods left behind, and generally, not to dump the corpses in the valleys, rivers and lakes.

 

In the contents of another cipher-telegram sent on July 1, 1331 (1915), by the Commander of IVth Army, Cemal Bey, to the Vali of Diyarbakir, the assumption is made that the corpses floating on the waters of the southern section of the Euphrates river, are those of the Armenian rebels. It is requested that they be collected and returned for burial to their own areas (see series 11,

document #3).

 

In the reply-cipher-telegram, dated July 3, 1331 (1915), sent to Cemal Bey, with the notation "Personal", it is written: "There is no connection between the Euphrates and our vilayet; those corpses are probably from Erzurum and Harput. Over here, the corpses of the rebels are either taken away to remote areas and then dumped in caves, or are burned. Burying is the exception to this method."

 

Ali Suad Bey, the former Mutasarrif of (Der) Zor, while giving information about the fate of the Armenians being deported to the mentioned "liva", has noted that Agyah Bey, a telegraph operator in Aleppo, and a former reporter to the Turkish newspaper Tavsiri Efkar, during a conversation with Salihzeki, the Mutasarrif of Zor, had asked him: "They say about you that you have exterminated 10,000 Armenians; is this true?". In his reply, Salihzeki Bey had proudly said: "I have pride; what is 10,000? Raise your figure." (see series 6 and 14, documents #4, as well as series #11, document #1).

 

In the first section of the cipher-telegram sent by the Vali of Harput to the Mutasarrif of Malatya, it is noted that there was such a great number of corpses strewn around the roads that unless dealt with they would create dangerous consequences. And advice is given to alert the Ministry of Internal Affairs, so that drastic measures be taken to punish the officials who were acting so irresponsibly in this matter. It is also noted that it was essential to assign an appropriate number of gendarmes under the leadership of key officials, so that all the corpses within the border are buried. In a September 15, 1331 (1915) cipher-telegram, sent by Resid to the Interior Ministry, it is mentioned that the number of Armenians being deported from Diyarbakir had reached 120,000 -- which demonstrates the scope and meaning of the operation that had taken place (see series 12, document #1).

 

In the cipher-telegram bearing the signature of IIIrd Army Commander Mahmud Kamil, it is indicated that the penalty to be paid by any Muslim for sheltering an Armenian was death on the spot, and the burning of his property. And if the shelterer was a government official, then he was to be dismissed and tried by a military tribunal; and if a soldier, he was to be tried as a criminal by the Highest Military Court (see series 13, document #1). These severe measures illustrate why Muslims and minor officials in the mentioned region were not able to prevent the monstrosities from taking place.

 

The testimony given by former Deputy of Trabzon, Hafez Mehmed, describes how the Armenians had been placed in boats on the Black Sea and drowned en masse. Even when he (Hafez Mehmed) had informed Talat Bey of this tragedy, the latter

had not taken any action against (Trabzon) Vali Cemal Azmi. This circumstance adds even more gravity to the crimes of Talat Bey (see series #15).

 

 

The cipher-telegram by Erzurum Vali Munir Bey, bearing the date 14 December 1331 (1915), shows that in spite of the efforts of ex-Vali Tahsin Bey, the caravans of the Erzurum Armenians being deported via the Kegi road were massacred by the brigands organized under the auspices of Central Committee member Behaeddin Sakir, and by the Kurds of Dersim (see series #16).

 

In the written affidavit by Cemal Asaf Bey, it is noted how the deportees had been massacred by the bands of Kurd Alo, which had been formed by Cemal Oguz Bey, formerly Ittihad Responsible Secretary of Cankiri, and presently a businessman. This circumstance further demonstrates in what manner the Central Committee had cooperated with the (regional) party representatives in this matter (see series #18).

 

The revelations in Colonel Halil Ricay Bey's comprehensive report deserve special attention. This was compiled with actual names and authenticated testimonies (see series #2, page 1). Thus during the deportations from Ankara the Central Committee, by sending a man named Tayib to the regional head of the Ittihad ve Terakki party, had instructed that all the Armenian health professionals working in the army be dismissed. Memtuh Sevket Bey and his brother Rafed Bey, being in Ankara at the time, had, by co-operating with the Central Committee, accumulated enormous power. The report clearly demonstrates in what manner Party Responsible secretary Necadi Bey had intervened in the Ankara deportations; and how Behaeddin Bey of Monastir, the former Police Chief of the mentioned vilayet, had also, with great enthusiasm, got involved in this same affair.

 

When the local Military Tribunal had pressed charges against Behaeddin Sakir, they (the Central Committee) had immediately recalled him to Istanbul. And despite the request from the Interior Ministry, (in Istanbul) the investigative documents related to this case had remained in Ankara. Subsequently, his case was reviewed by the War Ministry, and in this way he escaped prosecution.

 

According to the findings of the Inquiry, those who were critical of, or had refused to participate in this tragedy, were branded as traitors, to the faherland; while active operators like Behaeddin (of Monastir) were rewarded with excessive sponsorships. The ex-Minister of the Interior, Talat *****, had even, with a special decree sent the mentioned Behaeddin on mission to the Commander of the Eastern Forces, Vehib *****. At another time, he (Behaeddin) had worked at the Military Court of Samsun; subsequent to this, he had received another appointment and had departed in a yet unknown direction (Testimonies given about him are in the investigative loose papers related to Vehib *****).

 

The evidence shows that Resid *****, Vali of Kastamonu, received a cipher-telegram from Behaeddin Sakir Bey, where it is stated that the matter of Armenian deportations was of paramount necessity (see series #2, page 13). And

though Hasan Fehmi Efendi, Party Secretary of Kastamonu, had at that time alerted the Ministry (of Internal Affairs) about the deportations, the brutality and the massacres, his efforts had remained futile.

 

At one of the meetings of the Ittihad ve Terakki Party, the President presented Talat Bey with a Takrir which described the massacres and brutalities being perpetrated against the Armenians; and in this regard, demanded that certain regional Responsible Secretaries--Resid, Cemal Azmi, Sabid, Muammer, Atif and Ibrahim Bey, Director General of Penitentiaries, be tried. Whereas, Talat Bey has thrown the Takrir aside with the comment that it should be hidden.

 

In testimony given by Ihsan Onnig Efendi, Deputy for Izmir, it is noted that when in the Izmir "Sporting Club", he told Talat Bey that Doctor Nazim and his cohorts were the real perpetrators of the brutalities, Talat responded with: "I would have subjected the people here to the same fate also." (see series #3).

 

In Vehib *****'s affidavit (see series #7, page 3), it is noted that the brutalities and massacres perpetrated against the Armenians, as well as the pilfering and plundering of their properties, was masterminded by the Central Committee of Ittihad ve Terakki party. And Behaeddin Sakir Bey, in order to realize these massacres and savage acts, had recruited and trained special killer detachments in the zones that were under the military command of the IIIrd Army. Even government officials were coerced to follow Behaeddin Sakir's orders and instructions. All the acts of savagery, knavery and depravity committed by the lIIrd Army were also conceived by Behaeddin Sakir. The killer detachments that he had recruited consisted of criminals already sentenced to death and gendarmes with bloodstained hands and bloodshot eyes... All the attached written evidences are unimpeachable arguments brought against the Central Committee of Ittihad ve Terakki party and Members of the Parliament.

 

On page 6 of the investigative loose papers, it is noted that Suleyman Nazif Bey, while traveling from Baghdad to the neighboring areas of Diyarbakir, was forced to cover his nose the avoid the stench of the decomposing corpses. When Cemal ***** questioned Talat Bey about the banishment of former the Governor of Konya from Aleppo, the latter responded that his own opinion about the Armenian case concurred with the objectives of the Central Committee; and that

the matter of the appointment of Envoy Ali Riza, who was sent there by Doctor Nazim, was determined following extensive deliberations by the Central

Committee.

 

When, after receiving this explanation about the banishment (of Celal Bey) Cemal ***** in Istanbul, warned Talat and Nazim about the risks of this case, they answered that those actions were both necessary and useful. In fact, Nazim even stated that this undertaking would finally resolve the Eastern Question.

 

Hayri Efendi notes in his testimony that he had done everything in his power to thwart all those events; nevertheless, he too was dismissed from office for opposing the deportations and massacres. (Investigative loose papers, page 17).

 

The testimony given by Hamid Bey, former Director of the Civic Inquiry Commission, shows that Mazhar Bey, the former Vali of Ankara, was dismissed and that the Vali of Diyarbakir had liquidated his two Sub-District Commissioners, because these individuals had opposed the deportations (of the Armenians) as well as the brutal measures and assassinations perpetrated against the Arabs.

 

On pages 34, 38, and 43 of the investigative loose papers is the testimony of Lutfi Bey, the General Director of the Revenue Section of the Ministry of Finance, regarding the activities of the Party Responsible Secretary of Trabzon Nayil Bey, as well as the tragedy perpetrated in Trabzon and the people who were responsible for it.

 

In the cipher-telegram sent from Erzurum by Behaeddin Sakir to the District Commissioner of Antalya, it is stated: "There is not a single Armenian left in Erzurum, Van, Bitlis, Diyarbakir, Sivas, and Trabzon regions; they have all been driven to the Mosul and (Der) Zor regions. What are yon doing mean while

in Antalya?"

 

In his written testimony, former Antalya District Commissioner Sabur Sami Bey,(see investivative loose papers, page 44), states that he sent a copy of this cipher-telegram to Talat Bey but received no reply. And the information given by Radi Bey about the Ankara Deportations and Necadi Bey, Ittihad Responsible Secretary of the area, constitute sufficient evidence to confirm those accusations.

 

Behaeddin Sakir Bey sent, via Interior Minister Talat Bey, a cipher-telegram to the Central Committee. In the back of this cipher-telegram, which was discovered in the residues of the Special Organization papers, and which was decoded under number 69, the following is written: "Because there is nothing further for you to do there, urgently move from Artvin to Trabzon, in order to take up a more important post there. Hagup Jemil Bey, who will shortly depart from here, will bring to you the necessary instruction and offer."

 

This (cipher-telegram) fully verifies that they were collaborators and that there was an inner tie between them.

 

The accused ministers argued during the investigation that as a result of their status, their case should be heard not in a Military Court, but the High Court. It is redundant to explain here that Article 92 which is cited by them: "...Ministers, or with the rank of Member of the Council of Ministers" refers to civil crimes. According to Article 33 of the Constitution, no rights of exemption are extended to ministers who participate in or commit common law crimes. Investigation of such crimes falls under the jurisdiction of the regular courts. Wherever martial law is in force, civil and judicial laws are entirely muted and courts-martial become the sole penal recourse.

 

The determination of the Articles related to murders and atrocities falls under the jurisdiction of the Military Court; and in view oft he contents of the Indictment, no objections on the question of "status" will be allowed. Thus the argument of mistrial advanced by counselors for the defense is overruled. Based on the evidences and depositions cited above, Doctor Behaeddin Sakir, Doctor Nazim, Atif, Cevat, Aziz, Enver, Cemal and Talat Beys are charged as direct participants in the crimes, by Part I of Article 45 of the Penal Code, and by Article 171. Said Halim *****, Midhat Sukru, Doctor Ruzuhi, Kucuk Talat, Ziya Gokalp, Kemal, Ahmed Nesimi, Sukru, Ibrahim and Halil Beys, though not directly involved in the crimes, by knowingly cooperating, indirectly participated in the crimes, and because of this, are charged under Part II of Article 45 of the Penal Code. The duty of Judging the accused is assigned to the Emperor's Istanbul Courts-Martial, while the detailed analysis of the testimonies appended is the responsibility of the

justiciary of the same Court.

 

...

 

"The Court Martial taking into consideration the above-named crimes declares, unanimously, the culpability as principle factors of these crimes the fugitives Talat *****, former Grand Vizir, Enver Efendi, former War Minister, struck off the register of the Imperial Army, Cemal Efendi, former Navy Minister, struck off too from the Imperial Army, and Dr. Nazim Efendi, former Minister of Education, members of the General Council of the Union & Progress, representing the moral person of that party;... the Court Martial pronounces, in accordance with said stipulations of the Law the death penalty against Talat, Enver, Cemal, and Dr. Nazim."

Edited December 15, 2003 by Fadix

[DominO123]

Yalpa, this post was in part for you, you can see from this indictment the differentiation of two different special organisations, one of those was the one refered by Suny, which I believe he mixed both and this was in my sense the reason why he questioned Dadrian about the other involvements of the organisation.

 

 

The documents at hand corroborate that the Central Committee of the Teskilati Mahsusa was at the same time made up of two distinct organizations, of which one operated in accordance with the inner rules and by laws of the Party, while the other operated underground, on the basis of secret orders.

[DominO123]

This is not the same indictment as ANI webiste.

 

http://www.armenian-genocide.org/Affirmati...ion_detail.html

 

Which even didn't forced itself to footnote from where the pages(refered) came from. (I do have them all, they are presented in Dadrian work from where it has been taken)

[DominO123]

Here, up and up! Now that the other thread is closed.

 

Leme see if I still have the documents(by refering them to #etc...) refered in the trial to post them on this thread.

[DominO123]

OK, here a telegrem used during the trials.

 

Takvim-i Vekayi, N. 3571

 

Trial of the secretaries of the Special Organization, the Teshkilati Mahsusi.

 

Certified copy of the orders given to governors-general under the jurisdiction under Mahmoud Kiamil *****, dated 10 July 1915.

 

Sublime Porte

Department of Internal Affairs

Directorate of Public Safety

 

We have learned that some Moslems are protecting Armenians in areas where the people are being exiled into the interior.

 

Being against the decision of the Government, the Moslem homeowners, who dare provide protection for them in their houses must be hanged in front of their homes and it will be necessary to burn the houses.

 

Communicate this order in a suitable manner and bring it to the attention of whomever it may concern, taking care that not a single Armenian be saved from exile.

 

Those who try to protect them, if in military service, will be stripped of their rank, brought to court immediately, and the commanders are to be informed; if they are civil officials, they must be immediately dismissed from office and tried by a court martial.

 

July 10, 1915

The commander of the Third Army; Mahmoud Kiamil

To be written secretly as usual, but exceptionally.

12 current [July 12, 1915] Written.

Certified copy conforms to original. February 23, 1919

 

(SEAL)

 

Special Office of the Superintendent of Public Security.

 

 

------------

 

This document reject the claim of Armenian revolt and massacres against Muslim. Since if in fact that was true, and that this was why the Armenians were relocated, why would Muslims try to protect those that were massacrating them and attacking them? Even more so, why the question of Muslim in the army trying to protect the Armenians was even mentioned? I mean, would those in the army not the first to be informed that the Armenians were commiting treason ?

 

More to that, one wonder, if those protecting the Armenians were killed by order, I imagine what was the destiny of the Armenians themselves, when even Muslim protecting them were killed.

 

More documents to come.

Edited November 30, 2003 by Fadix

[DominO123]

Another one from the same source sent by Dr. Behaeddine Shakir, president of the Special Organization, the Teshkilati Mahsusi to the governor- general Sabit Bey of Mamuret-ul-Aziz or Kharpert.

 

 

Ministry of Internal Affairs Superintendent of the Imperial Possessions No. 33. Director of Office, date of dispatch: April 21 (1915), hour: 3, minute 43, Director of Information: Mehmed Fakhri, Place of dispatch: Erzerum, No. 2597, number of words: 20, charge 36.

 

To His Excellency Sabit Bey, Governor-General of El-Aziz. No. 5, to be delivered to Nazim Bey.

 

Are the Armenians deported from there wiped out? Inform me of their massacre and extermination. Are the dangerous persons massacred or only expelled from the town and deported. Let me know clearly, my brother.

 

 

April 21, 1915 at Erzerum.

Behaeddine Shakir.

Edited November 30, 2003 by Fadix

[joseph parikian]

God bless you Domino

And where is .......nasty to read those documents written by muslem turks

Edited December 1, 2003 by joseph parikian

[DominO123]

God bless you Domino

And where is .......nasty    to read those documents  written by muslem turks

Nasty already has probably read those documents on another forum where I posted, and he as well has probably read other bunch of documents from Turkish sources that I was posting at that place.

 

And he was probably as well one of the crybabies asking the administration of the forum in question to delete those documents I was posting, which they did.

Edited December 1, 2003 by Fadix

[nasty]

<<<<<>>>>>>

 

nasty is sleeping.........

 

Domino you made good "copy and past"

 

I do not care too much your retarded brainless writings.

especially if we look at that sentence

 

<<<<<<

had not taken any action against (Trabzon) Vali Cemal Azmi. This circumstance adds even more gravity to the crimes of Talat Bey (see series #15).

>>>>>>>>>

 

oh my god

do you believe this?????????

 

regards

[DominO123]

Nasty, if you have nothing to say of content, please don,t answer in my threads, because I Will ask mods to delete your posts, not because of your positions regarding the genocide, but because their aims are only to slander other people.

 

As for copy-pasting, if you and your brothers do that, it doesn'T mean that I copy past from the web, I rarly do this. I scan them, OCD(that word is not meant to refer of what you are suffering of.(Obsessive compulsive disorder)) them, and post them... you could take a look by yourself by opening the threads in this section, where I posted materials, and use the sentences to do a search on google, you won't find them anywhere else, if you do, you'll find me having posted them.

 

 

As for believing it or not. Are you questioning the Turkish military tribunal? I already presented the documents about that at you know where, about drowning the Armenians in mass. IF need be, I will just post those references again here. But it is you that will be embarassed not me.

 

THe next time you will start attacking me, don't cry if your posts get deleted by the Mods. I started this thread as a documentation one and not to hear your barks.

Edited December 2, 2003 by Fadix

[bellthecat]

As for believing it or not. Are you questioning the Turkish military tribunal? I already presented the documents about that at you know where, about drowning the Armenians in mass. IF need be, I will just post those references again here. But it is you that will be embarassed not me.

Actually, Domino, the accuracy of these drownings stories have been questioned. Not that they didn't occur at all, but that their scale has been vastly exagerated. Most of the Trebizond Armenians who died, died in the same way as their compatriots elsewhere - the usual "deportations" ending in massacres.

 

Steve

[DominO123]

I do not believe the scale has been exagerated, since no much importances has been given to them. This method was not practicle to kill thousands at once, the deportation was the best way. The reason this was refered in the trial was to show that people did not just died of starvation in the desert without an intend. People being taken by boats and drown into the sea is an indication of premedition.

[bellthecat]

I do not believe the scale has been exagerated, since no much importances has been given to them.

Did you mean "not much" or "so much"?

 

There was some stuff about the scale of these methods of killing on an online article I saw about that ANI reprinting of the 1920s "routes of deportations" map. I think it was on armenianforum maggazine. I'll try and find it.

[DominO123]

Oh, OK that one... yeh! That map contain many errors, they apparently corrected it, but they added more mistake than the orginal one.

 

I meant not much BTW.

[America-Hye]

I know of an American woman, a thoroughly assimilated Anglo-Saxon woman, with one late Armenian grandparent, the sole survivor of a large group of Armenians from Trebizond, who said that her grandfather clung to a price of wooden wreckage after his family and the others were all drowned in the Black Sea. This woman has NO involvement whatsoever with the Armenian community and knows little about Armenians PERIOD. Her grandfather had "disapeared" into the Anglo-Saxon community after he was found floating alone as a young child.

[bellthecat]

Here is that armenainforum article. it is an adobe acrobat file.

 

http://www.gomidas.org/forum/af8-adal.pdf

[bellthecat]

Text from it reads:

 

The ANI map, as I noted in my review,

reproduces many of the errors and ambiguities

in the original work. A specific issue

that I use as an example—and I could

have chosen others—is whether several

thousand Armenians were drowned in the

Black Sea during the Armenian Genocide

of 1915. I argue that while there were

rumors of such mass drownings in 1915,

the stories were soon dismissed by contemporaries

such as James Bryce, who had

originally engaged the mass drowning

theory. I also cite a dissertation on the

manifestation of the Armenian Genocide

at Trebizond, by Kevork Suakjian, who

uses American consular records and does

not support the mass-drownings thesis. Instead

he gives a detailed chronology of

deportations (see my review).

Rouben Adalian, on the other hand, insists

that the ANI map was carefully produced

and argues that the United States

consul at Trebizond, Oscar Heizer, and the

encyclopedia of the Armenian Question

(Yerevan, 1996) support his position on

mass drownings. He categorically rejects

my suggestion that the ANI map was simply

lifted from the 1920 work without adequate

checks of the actual data.

As Suakjian demonstrated in his thesis,

Oscar Heizer accounted for the disappearance

of the vast majority of Armenians

from Trebizond through mass deportations,

while many Armenian children were

kept in orphanages and farmed out to

Muslim families. While Heizer noted that

there were cases where some Armenians

were taken to sea in caïques (rowboats)

and probably drowned, he did not report

any mass drownings as the Khanzadian

and ANI maps suggest. Drowning was

uncharacteristic of the fate of Armenians

in Trebizond.

[DominO123]

I'vr read this in the past, but I was surprised that nowhere Cavalry Lieutenant Fadil Harun or others testimony during the trials was refered.

 

"bahra ilka etmekle bogdurup mahv ettikleri"

 

The male and female infants were taken to barges and boats in batches [to be] drowned.

 

While Safarian writes.

 

While Heizer noted that there were cases where some Armenians were taken to sea in caïques(rowboats) and probably drowned, he did not report any mass drownings as the Khanzadian and ANI maps suggest.

 

The testimony specifically stats "boats." And this did not only happened in Trebizon, but elswhere as well. Of course most of the people died during the deportation, still the drowing of children was not restricted to "some." And I was surprised when I have first read the article by Safarian, when those method of killings were so considered that 2 of Saibs colleges made a report of what happened at Trabzon’s Red Crescent hospital.

Edited December 3, 2003 by Fadix

[bellthecat]

There is a book by the Italian consul at Trebizond in 1915, in which he gives his memories of the events. I wonder what it has to say about it?

[DominO123]

There is a book by the Italian consul at Trebizond in 1915, in which he gives his memories of the events. I wonder what it has to say about it?

Give me all the infos needed I will track and have a copy of it.

[nasty]

FROM bellthecat

 

<>>

 

it is TRABZON NOT TREBIZOND this name is GREEK PONTOS IMAGINARY??

 

are you greek???

 

I am sure that there are innocent armenians in his memories.

if we look at history(from armenian`view), always everywhere in every condition armenians are innocent...... (even in karabagh)

 

besides I know "gomidas" better than you.(so does history)

 

<<<<

Most of the Trebizond Armenians who died, died in the same way as their compatriots elsewhere - the usual "deportations" ending in massacres.

 

>>>>>

 

yes armenians deported fom ottoman emperor.but why??????

if you know reals, you will search why armenians were sent from ottoman emperor

instead of deads.

if you didn`t rebel (together russians)you would live in those lands until for ever.

but you lost your chance until forever.

 

regards

[gamavor]

We all hope that all circumsized turkish pigs will leave forever and ever in these stolen lands as in prison. The best turk is the death turk. No matter in or outside turkey!

[Stormig]

Nasty (enough said!),

 

Gümülcine is imaginary Turkish name, it is KOMOTINI. Selanik is THESSALONIKI. Iskece is XANTHI. Get lost!

[yalpa]

Domino,

 

"bahra ilka etmekle bogdurup mahv ettikleri"

 

The male and female infants were taken to barges and boats in batches [to be] drowned.

 

Is the second one supposed to be the translation of the first one? If so, then there is a problem either with the translation or your Ottoman quote has some missing parts. The above quote is a fragment, not a complete sentence. It simply says "to get rid of by leaving in the sea to be drown". Not that I disagree with the claim that people were taken in boats to be drown in the sea in Trabzon, but the above quote does not tell us that male and female infants were taken to barges and boats in batches.

 

By the way, thanks for this thread, as I had requested this information some time ago. Right now I am a bit busy, but as soon as I am available, I will get back to our discussion about Suny vs Dadrian.

[DominO123]

Yalpa, you are right, the text in Turkish is not the full quote. I will be providing you this, if you wonder why I ignored you that long, some knows here. I had lost a HD with many materials.

 

 

 

Gamavor and Nasty, please don't sabotate my thread.

Edited December 3, 2003 by Fadix