EATING ACORNS

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 2 November 1925, Page 7

EATING ACORNS

STARVING REFUGEES.

THEIR TERRIBLE PLIGHT.

TURKISH BRUTALITY. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT. Received Nov. 2, 11.5 a.m. LONDON, Nov. 1. The Mosul correspondent of the Times, describing the plight of between two and three thousand Christians who escaped from Turkish deportations along the Brussels Line and are now taking refuge in Bersine and Zakho, says: “The majority are without food and many have only one garment for protection from the weather, which is wet and very cold. The Iraq 'Government is doing its best to feed them, and in this it is aided by the Royal Air Force. and other Mosul Units, which are sending money and clothing, but unless substantial European help is forthcoming, the refugees must gradually die off.

“At present they are living in rude temporary booths and army tents. They utterly lack possessions of any sort and have no bedding. Christians were eating acorns when I saw them, . and many were ill. They related terriblo stories of Turks’ atrocious callousness and barbarous brutality. Old men and women and toddling babes were killed because they did not march fast enough. Most deportees are reported to be distributed among Turkish chiefs, who gave receipts therefor, and many died of starvation. —Times.