Turkey Should not Deny the Truth if it Wants to be Believed

Revised Dec., 29, 2006

The New Anatolian / Ankara a Turkish web site under the title: 'Assyrian Genocide Claims 'Bogus,' writes: 'Turkey is now being haunted by claims of an Assyrian genocide in 1915 during the country's relocations.'

Evidentially Bulent Ozdemir, head of the 'Turkish Historical Society's (TTK) Assyrian Studies Section' after "meticulous research" in the British and the American achieves has concluded that 'the Ottoman Empire nor today's Turkish Republic can be accused of genocide during World War One.'

One has to wornder if this historian has bothered to read thousands of newspaper reports about Turkeys genocide of the Assyrians and the Armenians, as it unfolded, hundreds of books written about it, the thousands of eyewitness accounts attesting to what happened. The Turkish government seems to want to fool the world in believing that it is being wrongly blamed. Genocide of the Assyrians also: The last Assyrians in Urmia,

Here are few reports by the Western media about the Assyrian Genocide in the region of Urmia by the Turks during World War One. It is important to note that Urmia in Northwest Persia was not Turkey's territory. Its army invaded the region in the beginning of January 1915 after the Russians withdrew to the Caucasus, this invasion ushered the massacre of the Assyrians and Armenians living in the Urmia which continued until July 1918. Assyrians of the Kurdistan mountains were brutalized and survivors had no choice but to flee to Urmia. . Meanwhile other massacres of the Assyrians, Armenians, and Greek continued in the cities and villages of Turkey. Here are some News Paper reports in the US about the events at that time.

Newspaper Accounts of the Assyrian massacres in Urmia, Northwest Iran

With rifle in hand, like hunters, proudly they stand above the corpses of the unarmed Assyrians they have murdered simply because they were Christians.

The New York Times - April 29, 1915

TURKS AIDED RECENT MASSACRES Troops Allowed Kurds to Kill Hundreds, American Missionary Reports.

"About ten days ago the Kurds in Salmas, with the permission of the Turkish troops, gathered all the Nestorian [Assyrians] and Armenian men remaining there, it is reported about 800. Four hundred were sent to Khosrova and 400 to Haft Dewan under the pretense of giving them bread. They were held a few days and then all of them tortured and massacred. Many of the women and children were taken away and maltreated. This happened a day or two before the advancing Russian Army took Salmas.

"We are very anxious about Urumiah. A letter dated March 1, from Dr. Shedd (the Rev. Dr. W. A. Shedd of Marietta, Ohio) came through by messenger two days ago. He said things were getting worse. Gulpashan, [an Assyrian village] which hitherto had not been disturbed by the Kurds as it had not fought against them, had been plundered and ruined. I think this was the only village which remained. Fifty-one of the most prominent men of this village were taken out at night to the cemetery and shot. The women and girls who could not escape were violated. This was done by the Turkish soldiers.

"Forty men had been taken from the Roman Catholic Mission, in Urumiah City, kept prisoners a few days, then were taken at night two miles from the city and shot.

"Dr. Shedd asked the American Consul at Tabriz to come to Urumiah, but after consulting, with three other Consuls here it was decided it would be impossible to get through. Mr. Paddock has telegraphed every possible place for assistance. We can do nothing more.

"We hear, but do not know if it is true that the mission in Urumiah has been forced to pay $40,000 as a ransom for the refugees, and we fear it is true. Dr. Shedd writes that not less than 800 had been murdered in Urumiah and not less than 2,000 had died of disease. This applies to Christians only. This is a very large per cent., as more than half of the Christians fled to Russia."

"We are more anxious than ever about Urumiah. On the 17th Turkish troops attacked our mission and the Roman Catholic Mission and took five native Russian priests from our compound and treated them badly. We do not know yet if they were killed. Mr. Allen was also treated badly because he had sent out three messengers. The gates of the Catholic Mission were burned and they were all in great danger. We received word from Ambassador Morgenthau that orders had been sent to Urumiah to protect Christians, but the order was just too late. We are working to get all the remaining Christians away from Urumiah.

"Some of the native Christian preachers have been crucified and some burned, but these were of other denominations.

"If the Russian troops should be withdrawn again, every Christian would have to leave Tabriz. We have received $6,000 for relief and have spent at least $15,000. If the people have to be moved from Urumiah and then fed, You can imagine what an expense it will be.

"I do not believe the real condition of affairs is comprehended in America. It is practically the extermination of the [A]Syrians (Nestorians) and very bad for the Armenians also. The only hope is occupation by Russia."

The New York Times - October 11, 1915

TURKISH HORRORS IN PERSIA, American Educated Native Asks Aid for Thousands of Victims.

Shleeman Malek Yonan, a well-to-do Persian [Assyrian] who was graduated from Washington and Leo University in' 1918 and returned to his native City of Urumiah, has sent an appeal to the country that gave him his education to help the thousands of sufferers about him.

Mr. Yonan, whose nickname in college was Prince and who as a track athlete established the Washington and Lee record for the broad jump, makes his appeal in a letter written to a classmate on July 25, 1915, in which he describes as much of his terrible experience as the censors would pass. The letter is addressed to F. W. McWaine and has been printed in The Ring-Tum Phi, the Washington and Lee college weekly. It says in part:

"It would take volumes, as big as the Encyclopaedia Britannica to give to the world a picture so horrible. No such thing has happened since Creation.

"When Turkey declared war against the Allies, the Russians, had a small army in Urumiah. A couple of months later the army was withdrawn from Urumiah. Now the sought chance had come to the Mussulmans. Oh, they did what they had contemplated, and a hundred per cent more.

"From that day commenced our tortures and evil days. Honestly, as I am writing, the tears are running down my cheeks. I can't help crying. Thousands and thousands of our people-men, women, and children. have been butchered in cold blood. Thousands of girls from seven years up have been destroyed by the Moslems.

Thousands have been forced against their will to become Mohammedans. Our churches are converted into stables-three-fourths of them burned. More than a hundred and twenty villages of Christians have been turned into ashes. Today there is no habitation left for us. Our own houses have been burned-property taken away-absolutely nothing left. Not being satisfied with this, the cruel Moslems imposed a heavy fine upon certain persons. There was a heavy fine on me. I couldn't find the money. Then I was warned, to hide myself; if not I would mount the scaffold. I had to borrow the money to pay the fine.

"Well, I suppose you would think perhaps that was enough for me. But this was merely an introduction to the greater horrors. My folks had fled to Russia when they had a chance. My little brother and myself were left behind-found it impossible to go, so we had to stay.

"For exactly four months I hid myself. A Moslem friend of mine hid me. Imagine four months in a dark room, not being able to see even sunlight. Three times I escaped the capture. God himself saved me. The authorities were hunting me hard. Why they were so diligently hunting for me I do not know.

"The Christianity has absolutely perished here. About twelve thousand have perished by famine, murder and typhoid. Thanks to the American missionaries; they did a heroic work. It was their efforts which saved the remaining Christians.

"As a friend, college mate, and classmate, I appeal to you for help. We are making appeals everywhere. The people are starving to death."

In submitting the letter for publication, Mr. McWaine accompanied it with an appeal in Yonan's behalf, saying that contributions might be sent to him, at Lexington, Va., or direct to Shleeman Malek Yonan, Urumiah, Persia.

Rosie Malek Yonan, Shleeman's grand daughter recently has published a book titled "The Crimson Field" a story about the Assyrian massacres by the Turks and the Kurds at that time.

Because Armenians were better known in the West most of the reports mention them, not the Assyrians. In most reports Assyrians are identified as Nestorians and Syrians further adding to the confusion. The following New York Times account is an example. The majority of christians living in the Urmia area of northwest Persia were Assyrians with a smaller population of the Armenians. For example the inhabitants of the villages of Geogtapa and Gulpashan mentioned in this report are identified as Persian Christians in reality they were Assyrians. Those who had taken refuge in the American and the French missions in Urmia were mostly Assyrians according to the reports of the American missionaries. Web master's note.

TIFLIS, Wednesday, March 24, (via Petrograd and London, March 25.) - Telegrams and letters reaching here from Urumiah, Northwestern Persia, describe the situation of the American Presbyterian Mission stationed there as desperate. Turkish regular troops and Kurds are persecuting and. Massacring Christians.

Dr. Harry P. Packard, the doctor of the missionary station at Urumiah of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church, risked his life in a successful effort to prevent a frightful massacre at Geogtopa, where 3,000 Persian Christians [Assyrians] made their last stand. They had fought for three days, and all their ammunition was gone.

At this juncture Dr. Packard unfurled an American flag and advanced between the lines. His, act resulted in the saving of, all but 200 of the Persian Christians, who had been burned in a church. Fifteen thousand Christians have taken refuge under the protection of the American Mission station, while 2,000 are at the French Mission.

A dispatch received at Tiflis from Urumiah yesterday said that seventy Turkish regular troops had entered. the mission, hanged the Orthodox Bishop, Mar Ella, and four Orthodox clergymen, and beaten and insulted a missionary named Allen. Shortly before that sixty refugees had been dragged from the French Mission and executed in spite of the pleas by the nuns.

At Culpashan the Kurds were particularly cruel. This was the last of a total of 103 villages to hold out, and, it was occupied a month ago. The Kurds ordered all the male citizens into the streets, tied them in groups of five, Marched them to the graveyard, and killed them barbarously to the last boy. Girl babies and the older women were then executed with great atrocity, while the younger women were carried away as slaves.

As a result of the war 12,000 Persian Christians [Assyrians] are taking refuge, in the Caucasus, some 17,000 are described as in imminent danger at the Urumiah Missions, while 20,000 are dead or missing. Furthermore, much property has been destroyed.

The Christians fought their assailants bravely, and as long as they had ammunition they were victorious. The missionaries are untiring in their efforts to help the people, and they are spending money to this end freely. In Urumiah they are dispersing the equivalent of $400 dai1y. Disease is prevalent among the refugees.

WASHINGTON, March 25. - Continued reports of menace to the lives of American missionaries and refugees at Urumiah, Northern Persia; have aroused the activity of the State Department. Although only one official communication on the subject has been received, Secretary Bryan stated today that diplomatic and consular officials in Persia, Turkey and Russia had been apprised of the reported circumstances and appealed, to for any available
information.

Nothing was heard by the department today on the subject from Ambassador Morgenthau, at Constantinople, who yesterday was directed by the department to urge the Turkish Government to afford protection to Americans at Urumiah.

NORTH YAKIMA, March 25. - The missionary named Allen mentioned in today's telegram from Tiflis is the Rev. Dr. E. T. Allen, a brother of Mrs. E. V. Lunn of North Yakima. He was at one time pastor of a church in Portland, Ore. Dr. Allen is a naturalized American.

His wife and three children are with him at Urumiah. The latest letter Mrs. Lunn received from her brother, dated December, says in part; "The very people, that we visited some months ago to help are now howling outside the city gates, waiting to shed our blood, if they can force their way in. There are thousands, and we do not have much food."

At. the offices of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, 156 Fifth Avenue, it was learned yesterday that a cable had been received on Wednesday from a native Christian of the mission at Urumiah, confirming in detail press dispatches from Tiflis, but omitting mention of the part which Dr. Packard played in safeguarding the Americans under his charge. Special mention was made in the cablegram of the destruction of the French mission at Gulpashan.

The American missionaries at present in Urumiah are the Rev. F. G. Coan and Mrs. Coan, the Rev. W. A. Shedd and Mrs. Shedd, the Rev. C. C. Sterrett and Mrs. Sterrett, Miss Mary E. Lewis, Miss. E. D. Lamme. Harry P. Packard, Mrs. H. P. Packard. Mrs. J. P. Cochran, the Rev. Hugo A Mueller and Mrs. Mueller, the Rev. E. T. Allen, and Miss Lenore Schoebel. Dr. Packard has been in charge of the Mission for some years, having returned to Urumiah from a vacation in the United States a few months ago.

At that time it was suggested that he be transferred to another, more important mission, and a petition signed by the most powerful of the Mullahs (Mohammedan Priests) and the Sayids (Moslem nobles) was presented to the board, begging that Dr. Packard be retained. The friendship of these dignitaries was due in large part to the fact that many of them had been patients in the hospital which is a part of the mission at Urumiah.

Until the telegram arrived on Wednesday no fear had been entertained in this country as to the safety of the missionaries, as it was known that the native tribes were particularly friendly to the American mission and the foreigners attached to it. Another cause for hopefulness was the fact that in October, when the situation became critical, the Russian Consul begged Dr. Packard to remain, as he thought that the moral effect of his presence might accomplish more in the way of quieting the natives than his guar d of 800 Cossacks.

"The people of Urumiah, members of the Assyrian Christian Church, are described as 'a historic nation with noble traditions annihilated' in a letter just received by THE NEW YORK TIMES from an American minister who fled to Tiflis when the Russian Army left Urumiah and the Kurds swept down upon the district. The letter, which is dated Tiflis, Feb. 10, says in part: " From what we can gather the villages of Urumiah plain, those inhabited by Christians, some seventy in number, have been nearly all of them plundered, some burned to ashes, many young men killed, young women taken captive by Kurds and Persian Moslems, churches desecrated and demolished. Some 15,000 Assyrian and Armenian Christians from Urumiah have fled to Russia.

"The province of Aderbaijan in Northern Persia, was occupied by the Russian Army, and for the past two or three years the Moslems and Christian alike enjoyed peace and prosperity, the roads for commerce were open, and there was personal security for all natives and foreigners alike. "Some two months ago it was feared that for strategic reasons the Russian Army in Urumiah might be withdrawn for other centres.

Still, an effort for the sake of the Christians was made, and the Russians stayed and repulsed the Kurdish attack on every side. The Kurds were mainly and solely coming for plunder and revenge, in this the low classes of Persian Moslems became partners. "The Russian Army was suddenly recalled from Urumiah, Solmas, Tabriz and elsewhere The Baranduz and Uri River people knew nothing of this withdrawal from Urumiah, as the Russian Army was to pass westward.

The eastern section of the villages knew nothing of the evacuation till the Russians had left and the roads were blocked. "The Baranduz men, true to their traditions of bravery, kept defending the villages and women after the Russians had left. They were armed already by the Russians and were doing well in keeping villages from daily attacks. The women and children of the villages had been sent to Geogtopa, the largest Christian village, five miles east of the city, and after the young men could not keep the Kurds back, they fell on Geogtopa, where they fought the hordes of Kurds for two days.

The Persian Moslems, from the city, came from the rear and assisted the Kurds. "The scene that followed was horrible. The young men were killed, the young women taken by the Kurds and Moslems for themselves. The village was burned and plundered, together with all the churches. The two rich villages of Culpashan and Charojushi have not been burned, one Kurdish chief having appropriated them himself.

"We have telegraphed to the President of the United States for relief of those in Urumiah. It is to America that we look for assistance and guidance. Let our young men there know their duties to what May be surviving of their families. Money can be sent to Persia through the American Consul at Tabriz and the American Consul at Tiflis. The money should be sent, through the representatives of the districts in which men live, to the State Department. We invite the Red Cross people to come to our assistance in our deep agony."

A letter giving further particulars of the massacre of Nestorian Christians in Urumiah has just been received from the Rev. Gabriel Alexander by Miss Barclay, Uric, Tranton-road, Bermondsey. Writing under date Tiflis, August 6, Mr. Alexander says: As soon as I learned that the Russian Army had gone to Urumiah, I left Tiflis in order to distribute the aid offered by noble and kind-hearted English friends in this time of greatest need. Alas ! the destruction of life, wealth, and houses was greater than we had imagined. We have lost by death and murder more than 12,000 souls ; 150 Christian Nestorian villages have been completely plundered and burned to ashes by Turks and Kurds.

I must say that plunder and massacre, and carrying off women and girls to make them by force deny Christ and believe in Mahomed is done by Persians. Our homes and property are almost all taken away by our neighbours, Persian Mahomedans. Unspeakably shameful acts were done on five-year-old girls by Persians. We have collected from Moslem villages more than 100 women who have been changed to Mahomedans and their husbands murdered in their sight. As I entered the city I found crowds of pale-faced women and children who were looking like skeletons, only skin and bones, with an expression of hunger, fear and death on their faces.

During the five months of captivity (for 1,500 were shut up in the American Mission) each person could have half a pound of bread in 24 hours. But this bread was made in the city and sold to the Missionaries, and the Persian Governor had taught the bakers to mix fine steel dust, and sometimes lime in the bread. In this way thousands died before doctors knew it, but by a petition of the American missionaries it was stopped. We have lost four of our doctors by death, and three of the American Missionary ladies. No one was allowed to peep through the windows in the street, or to go out. In the ground large pits were dug for graves. In one grave they put 1,500 bodies.

For three days I went out with the Cossacks to see the country. In all the plain of Urumiah I found the Mahomedan villages full of inhabitants, with much cattle and flocks, but all [A]Syrian Christian villages heaps of ruins, without a single human being, only wild grass grown in their streets. Here and there one could see the bones of human beings left unburied, food for the fowl of heaven and dogs ; one could not but feel deep enmity to see the large, fine and old churches burned up. Bibles were stained in the churches with the blood of virgins and sold for a farthing. We have lost our best men and women. We have lost our wealth and homes, and so have our brethren in the mountains.

CURRENT HISTORY MAGAZINE [NOVEMBER,
1916 issue ] published by the New York Times

"The Total of Armenian and [A]Syrian Dead." attests to this fact. The Armenians are not the only unfortunates; the [A]Syrians also have been decimated. There are many varieties of Syrian Christians. Some lived near the Persian border and in ancient Assyria, and are known as Nestorians, or Assyrian Christians. Some of these living north of Mosul have been massacred.

The Nestorian Highlanders, who, according to figures I communicate from a pamphlet now in press, claimed before the war to number 90,000, had to fight their way out to Persia in the Autumn of 1915. Our committee fed them during November and December, 1915, no less than 30,000 of these refugees from Turkey, in addition to an equal number of destitute Christians whose homes were on the Persian side of the boundary.

Though the death rate has been high, it not perhaps reacted the one-third to one-half reported through native channels of information. Before the war there were from 160,000 to 200,000 [AS]Syrian Christians (inclusive of Nestorians, Roman Catholic Uniats, Protestants, and some scattered communities of Jacobites) living in the Tigris region, exclusive of Diarbekir, in the Highlands of Kurdistan, and in Northwestern Persia, (Adarbaijan.)

Great numbers have perished, but no one knows how many. During the Turkish occupation of Urmia (Jan. 2-May 20, 1915) 4,000 died of want and of epidemics in that town, and 1,000 were killed in outlying villages. That is the outstanding item in the long roll of death in Persia."

Turkey's killing of the Assyrians continued until July 1918. By the end of the war Assyrians had lost as much as 500,000 of their people about 2/3 of their people, in Northwest Persia, Cities of Turkey and the Mountain region between Turkey and Persia.

For more articles about Turkey's massacres of the Assyrians see the following page.

Massacres In Turkey

Experiences and Reports accounted by Assyrian-Suryoye about the mass-killings 1914-1918

The report of the Chaldean Hanna Schimun.

(Interviewed in 1918 in Istanbul by the Chaldean Assyrian priest of Edessa/ ) Joseph Naayem, 'Shall this nation die?', New York 1920

"Most of the deported people were from the villages which belonged to Sükrü Bey and the others were collected from the villages near to the City Bridge. Their murderers took the possessions of the killed people. That was nothing new to us, it was well known through the deportations of Diarbaker. Many of the victims belonged to the Chaldean community. In the meantime, the government in Istanbul passed an amnesty for the Chaldeans and Assyrians, but quite a small part of the Chaldeans was still alive. In spite of the amnesty, they were killed. Therefore, the Bishop went to the governor and his assistant Zülfi Efendi and protested against this action. Finally, they assured him in a tricky way that his community is going to be spared. They deceived him, because the actions were still going on. The already mentioned Zülfi Efendi claimed 200 gold lira from me for the release of my brother.

The ethnic clearances in Diyarbakir lasted four months. The governor Rashid Bey was serving for a year. On his last day 150 salesman were captured and brought to Ziran-hill to kill them. Among the victims were many Chaldeans who I used to know very well. All our possessions were stolen and our girls were brought to Muslim harems.

The Bishop was still trying to free the rest of our population by paying the blood thirsty Rashid Bey another 1,5 millions lira, but only a small part of his community was not deported. They were brought to the village Fiskiya and had to serve as street workers. The Bishop was also paying for the slave's daily food.

In the meantime all Chaldean churches in Diyarbakir were plundered and destroyed. Some churches were used as hospitals or horses barns. Rashid Bey put all the possessions of the Christians in 24 train wagons and sent them to Istanbul. Than he gave the rest of the goods to his friends, but Fevzi and Zülfi received the main part."

Sold As Slaves

The authentic report of the 13-years-old Kerime Cercis about the
deportation of Siirt. (Interviewed in 1918 in Istanbul by Chaldean priest of Edessa/ Urfa )

End of 1918 some Muslim families came to Istanbul, who had Chaldean girls with them.

The Kurds took these girls away from their families in 1918. The owners wanted to sell the girls because of the reigning famine or to earn some money. In this way the 13-year-old Kerime returned to her relatives in Istanbul:

"When the massacre began I was 13 years old. My father worked for the customs authorities in Siirt. I lived together with my parents Cercis and Hane, my three brother is Kerim, Yusuf, Latif and my grandfather. Our house in the quarter of Ayn Saliba (cross drain) was raided in springtime 1915 by twenty bandits. Within this raid, my father and my grandfather were stabbed to death. My mother, my brothers and me were taken to a strange village. After the city went through a big massacre, where all my relatives had been killed and thrown into a big hole, the Kurds brought me to the other Chaldean girls in the village Zevida, where I spent one year. Every night the Kurds abused me.

One year later I went back to Siirt in the company of a Muslim woman. This woman brought me to Abdulferid, the new owner of our former home. She believed Abdulferid would feel sorry for me and therefore helps me, but quite the contrary. He threw me out of the house. One Chaldean, who was serving as a nanny for a Turk, helped me. I should carry water for the family and care for the garden. One day when I wanted to take water from the source a soldier came my way. His name was Abdullah and was carrying water for the hospital of Siirt. He kidnapped and brought me to his mother Fatum Hanum. She showed me the hole where all the killed Christians been thrown in and said:

"The same will happen to you, if you don't follow our rules!" It was a terrible sight, all the bones, scaliest, hair of people lying down there. When we returned to the house! she told me: "Did you get what I told you, little heretic?" I was so frightened that I even could not answer.

Abdullah was abusing me sexually and in many other ways. For three years I had to undergo a terrible treatment, served for the old witch and followed everything she ordered. Than the famine began to reign the village and everyone was suffering from hunger except the slave driver Abdulriza. His depot was full of food, which he had stolen from the Christian's houses. Abdullah could not nurture his family any longer. Therefore, he told his mother to take his children and go begging for money, but she had decided for the voyage to Istanbul. The voyage lasted three months and what Fatum and the children did to me in the meantime is too unbelievable to describe it. When we reached Istanbul she sold me to a Muslim woman, who knew one of my relatives. I begged her to bring me there and finally she did. Now I am living in my relative's house, which called Zeki Hirize and works as a shoemaker.

My parents Cercis and Hane, my brothers Latif, Yusuf, Kerim (killed by Abdulferid who inhabits our former house), my grandparents on sides, my uncles Pitiyon, Tevfik, Bulos and my aunts Hatun and Helena.

All of our possessions, the house, furniture, gold, jewels, everything belongs now to Abdulferid, who has taken everything."

Deportation

Celila, the daughter of Gabriel Musa Gorgis
and her information about the deportations.

"On a Sunday morning in September they brought women and children to the yard of a military barrack, where we had to spend the night. On the next morning, they brought us to the hospital yard, where they gathered us some days ago together with the men. They wrote down our names on a list. The same moment when the deportation in Bitlis started, we began to march, also. Our group consisted of women, girls and children less than six years. We were about thousand people. We had some of our things, mainly covers, with us and were lead by 4 soldiers.

Those who could not march anymore, especially the elder, were killed immediately. We were fallen over by Kurdish bandits from Gyazere. They tear off our clothes, took our food and money. When we crossed a river, the soldiers began to look for our money, gold or jewels. They did this several times during our march. When we took a break they picked out the most beautiful girls and abused them. Most of them were my relatives and the same happened to me. Three days after we left Siirt, Tahir Qavush came to me and wanted to have my 8 years old daughter Evdoksiya. When I denied he said: "Don't worry about her, she can have a rest with me, than I'll bring her back." I was crying and screaming, but he took her and went away.

We were marching for several days and passed many villages. The women were carrying their children in their arms to save them from the hot merciless sun. When we passed a mountain, hundred armed Kurds raided us with their women and children. The men pounced on us like monsters and the women hit us with stones. They took off our remaining clothes, when Kurdish men recognized that I had still jacket and shoes he took them, too. Than he hit me with his feast before he was gone.

I wanted to escape, as I saw a naked woman who had a dagger thrust in her stomach. She was trying to push back her out-hanging bowels. She wanted to escape from the monster, too.

I held my little child on my breast while my sister-in-law was carrying my 3-year-old child. The Kurds followed our track down the valley. Out of tiredness and fear I fell to earth and was sweating all over my body. In this state a Kurd came my way while he was tearing a kidnapped girl. She was the daughter of Priest Petrus Tschakaya. He took off her clothes and asked me:
"Are you woman or girl?" I answered: "Can't you see my child?" When he was ready to go, the voice of a soldier ordered: "Kill the women and take the girls, only!" I jumped up and tried to escape, but the Kurd took a big stone and hit my head with it, so I fell to earth again. Suddenly my child's crying woke me up. It nearly melted under the burning sun. The terrible sight of my poor child made me feel sick. I pressed the delicate body smoothly on my breast and sat under the protecting shadow of a tree.

I raised my hand to feel my head and recognised that my wound was still bleeding. Many Kurdish women passed me carrying the things of the deported people. When they saw me they said: "Another one who's not dead! Let's take off her last clothes!" One of them tried to tear off my socks, but my swollen feet and the running blood from my wounds made them stick to my legs. When the woman noticed that she could not get them, she left. Then 4 Kurds carrying beds noticed me and came my way to kill me. The eldest one persuaded them and saved my life.

Later this Kurd came back and made me the proposition of joining him if I would pay him. However, I had no money left. When he looked on my child and saw it's miserable state he felt sorry for it. He took off his vest and told me to cover my child with it until he comes back. After a while he came to bring me in his village near to Mardin, where his wife was caring for me until my wounds healed. Therefore, I took all my power together and helped in everyday work to express them my gratitude.

One of my aunts was living in Mardin and I was hoping to get there. After a couple of time, I met another Chaldean woman, who been deported from Siirt. She told me that she was going to leave with 12 other women to Mardin. So I asked the old man, if I could join them. We went they are by foot and many Kurdish women were walking along. In Mardin I found my relatives and paid ransom for my daughter Evdoksiya. After a year I had the chance of moving to Aleppo where I lived in my nephew's house."

Fight for Survival at Ayn Wardo

The Assyrian village of Ayn Wardo is located east of Midyat in Beth-Nahrain (present day Turkey). It sits on top of a hill and dates back to the 6th century, AD as is attested by the many churches that were built during the early centuries of Christianity. Other sources date the village back to the fourth century AD, when Mor Afrem (306-373AD) visited Ayn Wardo and lived in the village for six months.

Ayn Wadrdo did not escape the onslaught of death and destruction that was perpetrated against our people by the Ottoman Turks and their cronies, the Kurdish warlords. The Seyfo Genocide of 1914-1918 resulted in the death of 2/3 of our population.

People of Ayn Wardo were determined to fight back rather than succumb to a certain death. They had already witnessed the slaughter and deportation of what was remaining of our people in the Tur-Abdin region, especially the towns of Midyat and Besherieh. Those who survived the massacres sought refuge in Ayn Wardo and were welcomed with open arms. They also joined with their brethren in defending the village. Eyewitness reports tell us of the heroic resistance put up by the entire population of Ayn Wardo, where men, women, young and old joined forces to defend the village.

Ayn Wardo remained surrounded by over 12,000 Turkish soldiers and their Kurdish mercenaries for over three months. The well equipped Turkish and Kurdish aggressors would mount their attacks at night with a vengeance while shouting "Jihad" and "Allahou Akbar" in order to frighten the village population to submission. The assault would halt at dawn were the assailants would retreat one Kilometer in order for them to regroup and prepare for the next assault when dark fell. As the daylight breaks, the Ayn-Wardo men would venture outside the village lines to collect riffles and munitions from dead Turkish and Kurdish soldiers who were left behind. This was one way to sustain the Ayn-Wardo defenders who lacked any munitions supplies and were completely encircled by the enemy. While the men of Ayn Wardo were fighting, women were preparing food and tending for the sick and the children, Bishop Feleksinos Abdel-Ahad along with the clergies were constantly holding prayers and asking God to spare Ayn Wardo from destruction and save its people.

The attacks lasted for almost three months, until 14 September, 1915, but the attackers were unable to break the will of Ayn Wardo, even though the Mhelemi Muslims had later joined the Turks and the Kurds in their Jihad.

As the news of Ayn Wardo's bravery spread around, more refugees from the "Hoson Kifa" and other villages including some Armenians were seeking refuge in Ayn Wardo.

Meanwhile the atrocities continued in the surrounding towns and villages, where Genocide was taking place. The region of Hakkari, Van and Tur-Abdin were virtually cleansed of their Christian population. When the aggressors realized that it was impossible to defeat Ayn Wardo, they sent mediators to stop the fighting and provide a safe passage for the people of the village, but Ayn Wardoye were not convinced and did not trust the Turks and their promises. Finally, a well known and respected sheikh Fathalla, from the village of Ayn Kifa was sent to assure the safe passage of the people. With few options left to chose, the village defenders agreed. They left to Qamishly (New Nisibin), Syria along with one of the village heroes, the well known Gallo Shabo(his grandson is Bishop Abdulahad Shabo,in Sweden and Scandinavia ). Others continued their long journey and settled in Lebanon.

It is worth mentioning that as recently as May of this year, a delegation from the Assyrian Federation in Sweden visited towns and villages of their ancestors in Tur-Abdin which are almost entirely occupied by Kurdish settlers who were involved with the Ottoman Turks atrocities perpetrated against our people. Upon entering the village of Ayn Wardo, they were confronted by a Kurdish woman who screamed obscenities towards the visiting delegation. The Kurdish woman shouted "We should have killed you all during the Farman (Jihad decree), that way we would have never seen you again."

Another description of the event

"I'm Deacon Asmar, my father is Gevergis and I'm the Priest of the village Aynverd. At that time I was teaching at the Mar Severius University of the Suryoye people in Beirut. I am going to tell you what happened 1915 in Aynverd.

The village Aynverd lies in Turabdin, west from the town Midyat. When the Muslims raided the Christians [Assyirans] and killed them, the habitants of Aynverd began to defend themselves. Many Christian [Assyrians] from the nearer villages like Midyat, Keferze, Arnas, Bate and Kafro sought refuge in our village, too, who was besieged by 12 000 soldiers. Moreover, all Muslims , even women and children, from the surrounding villages gathered and attacked our village from all sides. Maybe they thought the village is so small that they would take it very fast, to kill the Christians and take their possessions. However, Aynverd was defending itself for 2 months and 6 days until the soldiers were tired and wanted to negotiate.

They [The Turks] told us: "We don't want to kill and fight you anymore. Give up and follow the governments orders." The Christians had no faith in the officials and answered: "You can send us a Kurdish Sheik to negotiate with us, but first of all the soldiers and Muslims have to draw back." They wanted to meet Sheik Fethullah from Aynkaf and make a decision with him. The Sheik came with one of his nephews Sheik Sidki and claimed, that the Christians sent one of their men to the other side, which done immediately. The Sheik promised that he would prove the peace offer by the officials to make sure if it was a trap for the Christians or not. The code was: "When I say, with my conscience and my honour, than you will understand that the peace offer isn't a trap. But when I don't say these words than you shouldn't trust the officials."

Still other villages were besieged and the negotiations were going on. The population claimed: "There are still three other besieged villages: Saleh, Hah and Azach. The soldiers have to draw back from them!" The commander wanted them to send him men for the negotiations. Therefore, the Christians kept the sheikh's nephew as a guarantee for a week in their village. The Muhtar (Mayor) went to the village Der-Salib to negotiate and finally the soldiers draw back. He was also victorious in Hah. Only the Turkish commander in Azach refused to give up: "The Christians killed many of my men. I'm not going to give up." The discussions went further and the commander sent a telegraph to Mardin. The answer was: "You have to draw back from Azach immediately." The negotiations lasted for two months from October to November 1915."