REIGN OF TERROR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19504, 4 February 1926, Page 7

REIGN OF TERROR

VILLAGERS MASSACRED. WOMEN'S TERRIBLE SUFFERINGS Received Feb. 3, 7.10 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 2. An astounding narrative of a reign of terror in the northern zone of the Mos li province is published in the “Daily Chronicle’ ’ from. Mr Martin Ponohoe, the well-known journalist, who has taken the evidence of eye-witnesses on oath. One Turkish soldier, according to a witness, confessed that there were orders to exterminate all Christian Gawarkis. A Priest’s Narrative. Ibrishim, a priest of the village of Billo, described how a party of Turks, I saying, ‘ ‘ There is going to be war with the English, therefore we must deport you/’’ arrested 250 men, women and children and marched them eastward. After three days the priest escaped. “I saw the Turks,” he said, “bayonet and kill fifteen women who were lagging behind; also prod and kill four children. Some mothers were whipped to make them walk faster, and other mothers were forced to abandon their children, whom they could carry no longer. Then the soldiers killed the little ones ou the roadside. “Each night the soldiers, having separated the men from the women, selected girls and abused them.” Husband and Wife. Avoub Mansur, head man of the village* of Billo, said: “Fifty soldiers arrived and collected a hundred Turkish, gold pounds under threat of death, saying they wanted to buy aeroplanes to fight the English. Later a larger party

of the same regiment arrived at night time and said they were going to deport us because we were in the war zone. The men protested and the women cried. The soldiers fired, killing women and a child. That night a soldier forcibly took four women for the use of the officers. ” Ayoub said these women were afterwards outraged and killed. Names were given. Driven to the Mountains. “Next day the soldiers took a large party of men and women t-o the mountains. Some girls who had been abused and were unable to walk, fell by the roadside, where they were prodded with bayonets. They were unable to rise and were killed. “At Baijo, Lieutenant Saim Effendi took a fancy to my wife, aged twenty, who was carrying a child of eighteen months. Becoming terrified, she handed the baby to me. We awaited an opportunity and she ran away. When the soldiers found she had gone they beicame furious and said, ‘lf you do not find your wife we will kill your child.’ Unheeding my prayers, a soldier took the child by the legs and dashed out its brains on the ground before my eyes. “I thought 1 should have gone mad. I tried to kill the brute, and another struck me down. The following night I managed to escape. I previously saw women servants who had fallen exhausted, killed. A Terrifying March. Warda Hunna, married, aged twentyfour, said: “1 was taken during the march by a soldier, .who kept me in :i tent all night long. When I begged for bread for my child he beat me with a stick, saying, ‘Lt is no good your shouting to your God; He is only a Kaffir. “The journey to Alkai took eight days. Every night the soldiers took myself and other women and abused us shamefully. I saw many women and killed before 1 escaped.”