FIGHTING IN PERSIA

Otago Witness, Issue 3016, 3 January 1912, Page 30

FIGHTING IN PERSIA

MASSACRES AT TABRIZ. EXCESSES BY RUSSIANS. A DESPERATE ENGAGEMENT. BRITISH CONSUL WOUNDED. A LAWLESS CROWD. LONDON, December 26. Consular reports indicate that the attack on Resht was begun by the Russian Consul, who is now Governor of the town. Order has now been restored. The massacres at Tabriz have been proceeding since Sunday, when 500 persons were killed, including women and children. The people were exhorted not to give the slightest provocation, but the massacres continue. An official telegram states that the outrages committed at Tabriz by the Russians exceed those of the Italians at Tripoli. Houses were entered indiscriminately, and women violated in the presence of their relatives. The artillery mowed down every living creature in the streets. Fierce fighting continues. The Russians are hard pressed, and many have been killed. The Persian populace are stupefied at the attitude of Russia, following on the acceptance by Persia of the second ultimatum, and their manifestation of every desire to conciliate and establish friendly relations with Russia. The Russian police dispersed an indignation meeting that had been convened in the bazaar at Teheran for the purpose of protesting against the coup d’etat. This involved the dissolution of the Mejliss. The Persian newspapers have all been suppressed, with the- exception of one named the Mejliss, which supports the Cabinet. Martial law has been proclaimed. Advices from Shiraz state that the Persian troops who are guarding the Kashgar road, at Kazerun, attacked a number of Indian Sowmrs, killing one. A punitive expedition was afterwards sent to the hills. TEHERAN, December 25. The situation at Tabriz is described as appalling. The Vice-Governor’s message states :—“I swear before God that innocent women and children are being butchered in cold blood. The Russians have disregarded overtures for a cessation of hostilities.” The wires are interrupted, and the British and Russian Legations are unable Eo communicate with their Consuls. December 26. The Russian attacks at Tabriz and Resht commenced almost simultaneously. Many Government officials and 20 of the Persian police were killed. December 27. Mr Smart, «the British Consul, was travelling between Bushire and Shiraz, escorted by Sowars, when a desperate fight took place on the Kashgai road. The Sowars fought their way to Kazerun, but Mr Smart is missing. His horse was found wounded. The mob at Tabriz broke into the Governor-General’s palace and tore down the flags, cursing the 'Democrats’ constitution. They maltreated the GovernorGeneral’s deputy (Prince Amanulla), who sought refuge at the British Consulate. Amir Khichmet, leader of the Fidais at Tabriz, has fled the town. Persia has promised to exchange view's with the British and Russian Legations before appointing foreign advisers. The director of the Persian Department of the Russian Foreign Office, in the course of an interview, declared that Russia was convinced that the Persian Government was not associated with the anti-Russian outbreaks at Tabriz and elsewhere. The authors of the Caucasian outbreaks were principally Armenians and criminals posing as political agitators. He adds that 3500 Russian troops are going to Tabrix and Teheran. There was a fresh attack on the Indian Sowars at Kazerun, and two were killed. December 28. Fighting at Tabriz has been recommenced. Five people in the Russian Consulate wer© killed and four were wounded. Mr Smart is lying wounded outside Kazerun. Medical aid has been despatched. His escort consisted of 50 Sowars, and 50 others from Sharaz had joined them. Their assailants w r ere 800 Kashgai tribesmen. One hundred Sowars at Bushire have now been sent to relieve the party at Kazerun. The infantry at Jask and all the available ships have been ordered to Bushire. A British punitive expedition is thought likely to be despatched. Southern Persia is in a .state of ferment and insurrection. December 29. Mr Smart was only slightly wounded. The armistice arranged at Tabriz proved welcome to the Russians, who were driven back, only holding their camp when reinforcements numbering 5000 arrived. Desperate fighting has been resumed.

December 31. Mr Smart, the British Consul, is safe at Kaiserun. ST. PETERSBURG, December 25. The Novoe Vremya quotes the Director of the Persian Department of Foreign Affaire as saying that Russia must take justice into her own hands at Tabriz, Resht, and Euzeliot, and show no mercy to the revolutionary dregs who are shedding Russian blood. The Novoe Vremya declares editorially that wherever Russians have been attacked must assume the administration of the whole population. Tabriz must pay a suitable indemnity to tho families of the Russian soldiers who were killed in the recent disturbances. ST. PETERSBURG. December 26. One hundred and fifty Russians were killed and wounded at Tabriz. December 27. An official telegram from Julfa, in Trans-Caucasia, reports that the Consulgeneral at Tabriz protests against the infamous calumnies upon the Russian troops, who are treating the inhabitants with humanity, notwithstanding atrocities upon the Russian wounded and the mutilation of bodies. The Consul-general declares that any particular instances of innocent people perishing are solely due to the bombardment of the houses, whence a Russian detachment was subjected to a fusilade. The commander of the detachment removed the women and children from these houses to a shelter encampment, and they were thence conveyed to the town by peaceable* inhabitants, escorted by Russian soldiers. The officer commanding the latter was treacherously killed. Subsequently the Consul-general informed the Governor and the Chief Mullah that the disarmament of the people was a prerequisite to negotiations, adding that he would not tolerate the presence of armed spectators in the streets or roofs. Placards have been posted throughout Tabriz demanding the immediate surrender of arms. Twenty Persian Cossacks, under the Consul-general’s instructions, are patrolling the Christian quarters. The Consul-general has sent troops to the spot where a number of Russian soldiers wore killed. The -bodies of the latter were found reduced to cinders, and there were indications that some had been burned to death. The corpses apparently had'’been only severely wounded in the first place. December 28. Two telephone lines connecting Tabriz and Julfa have been cut. Two hundred Caucasian Fidais tribesmen have fled to Karatagh, their intention being to cross the Russian frontier. ' A company of Russian rifles is quartered in the citadel at Tabriz, and the Russian flag has been hoisted. A company of the Fifth Chasseurs and an artillery detachment forced their way, skirmishing through Baghichemal, a suburb of, Tabriz, to join the Russian encampment there. Ninety Caucasians have been arrested at Baku for attempting to enter Persia. It is semi-officially stated that owing to Persia’s inability to chastise those who have been guilty of acts of foolhardy aggression and brutal tortures and outrages against the Russians at Tabriz, Resht, and Enzeli, the Russian commanders have been instructed to adopt, in concert with the Russian Consuls, the most stringent measures of punishment to remove once and for all the causes of such acts. The measures include tho court-martialling of all Russian and Persian participators in attacks on the troops, the disarmament of the Fidais and other troublesome native elements, and the destruction of places where resistance might be offered. Other steps may likewise be taken if necessary to secure the restoration of peace and the chastisement of the offenders. December 31. It is now known that the uprising of the I’idais nearly resulted in the annihilation of the Russian force, which then numbered 150. LONDON, December 26. The Times’ Teheran correspondent telegraphing on the 24th inst. mentions the fears of a provincial disintegration. He adds that it has apparently been arranged that the Regent and the Cabinet should coViduct the Administration, supported by the presence of Russian troops at Kazvm within telephone call of the capital. The Russian Legation declared that the reply to the ultimatum was satisfactory, and telegraphed to Tabriz that the question was settled, but the Russian general replied that lie would obey only the Viceroy of the Causacus. Mr Shuster assented to the ultimatum. The Regent, addressing a meeting of merchants who were summoned to the palace, declared that the Mejliss had impeded the actions of the Administration internally and externally, and must therefore be closed. A rescript announced that the session had ended, but contained no mention of an election. The gates of the Mejliss are locked and a guard is mounted.