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The Times, 25 september 1915
Bron: The Times
Destruction of a Race
Young Turk policy against Armenians
From a Correspondent, Dedeagatch
If there were no war shaking the world to its foundations and thus causing very important events to be passed over almost in silence, it is certain that meetings would be taking place in every country of the civilized world to protest against the inhumanity of the Young Turks' Armenian Policy to-day. This can be summed up in the statement that they are gradually, but effectually, exterminating the entire Armenian people and getting rid of a subject race.
The modus operandi is to send off from each Armenian village day by day as many as the trains can carry. When they arrive at Konish or some adjacent station they are turned out and an escort is supplied over the Taurus Mountains. Once on the other side, these wretched people, with enough food for perhaps a few days, are told to continue their journey to the neighborhood of Mosul, as they will not be in perfect safety.
In point of fact the land is nothing but a desert and before many hours are past marauding bands of Kurds or Beduin rob and pillage these helpless men, women and children, so that even those who are not actually slain die of hunger and thirst. Not one ever reaches the intended destination. Should one try to escape in another direction Turkish shepherds have orders to shoot Armenians on sight. The consequence is that many distracted women throw their children in the Euphrates rather than see them suffer; some even sell them for what they fetch before starting on their journey.
A well-known American missionary who arrived in Constantinople in the first week of September saw as many as 15,000 Armenians collected round one of the stations waiting to be sent on this journey from which none of them would ever return alive.
It is stated on the best authority that Talaat Bey, the Minister of the Interior, when remonstrated with by the American Ambassador, said that the Armenian question rather amused him. The American missionaries scattered about Asia Minor, and particularly in Armenian districts, are gradually leaving on the advise of their Ambassador. A friend of the Armenians in Constantinople spoke to the German Ambassador on the subject and received a reply to the effect that what the Turks were doing to the Armenians should have been done long ago. This wholesale murder policy is said to be due to the fact that when the town of Van was occupied by the Russians, Armenians helped in the occupation; indeed, most of the soldiers were Armenians.
The policy is simply one of vindictiveness on the part of the Turks, for every man, woman and child they doom to death is innocent.
Armenian Gratitude
CAIRO, Sep. 23: The Armenian Patriarch has telegraphed to M. Poincare an expression of his eternal gratitude for the rescue by French warships of some thousands of Armenians, inhabitants of Cilicia, Asia Minor.
He has also telegraphed to King George that:— “The Armenian colony is profoundly grateful for the generous aid accorded to the Armenian refugees by noble England.” —Reuters
