In the province of Aleppo, the village of Chizek, the Armenian priest
was killed for refusing to become a Mohammedan.
In the province of Erzeroum and the district of Erzinghan, six separate
attacks for pillage have been made upon the village of Zimara, and
great pressure is being used to force the people of the village to
become Mohammedans.
At the village of Gazma the houses have been pillaged, and numbers
of the people have become Mohammedans to save their lives.
In the province of Bitlis a considerable number of Armenians at Sert
have been forced to become Mohammedans. In the district of Shirvan,
out of twenty-two Armenian villages, the inhabitants of four entire
villages have become Mohammedans to save their lives. The priests
also accepted Mohammedanism, and the churches have been changed
into mosques. At a little village at which the inhabitants could
not disperse over the mountains a considerable number were killed,
and the survivors accepted Mohammedanism. This village is called
Kourine. In the district of Chilain, returns from six villages have
come in which show a considerable number of persons killed for refusing
to accept Islamism.
In the province of Van the stuffed skin of the superior of the
monastery of Khizan was still hanging from a tree in front of the
monastery three weeks after the massacre took place; that is, at the
date of the last news from there, Nov. 27. At Kharkotz in this province
three priests accepted Mohammedanism, and were paraded through the
streets in the dress of Mohammedan ulema in order to influence the
people to follow their example.
In the province of Harpoot in many of the smaller villages, where
the people have been supposed by the Turks to be mere peasants,
without ideas of their own, the offer of Islamism has not been made,
but the people seized without ceremony and circumcised by force,
and are considered now as Mohammedans. At Haboosi, in this province,
the Christian dead were left unburied in the streets for the dogs
to eat. The Armenian church and the Protestant chapel and parsonage
were burned.
At Peri, in the same province, 450 Christians were made Mohammedans
by threats of death.
At Aivos in the same province, all the buildings were destroyed. The
Armenian priest was forced to give the call to prayer, and was then
shot for refusing to become a Moslem.
At Garmuri the Christians accepted Mohammedanism at the edge of the
sword, and have been circumcised. The Protestant chapel and parsonage
were burned, and the Armenian church has been seized and made into
a mosque.
At Hokh the Armenian church and Protestant chapel and parsonage
were burned.
At Houilu in the province of Harpoot, 266 out of 300 Christian houses
were burned, among them the fine new Protestant church. Two priests
were killed. Many of the people succeeded in escaping from the
village. The rest have been forced to declare themselves Mohammedans.
The events above mentioned took place in the main between Nov. 6
and Nov. 20. But the process of forced conversion and the murder of
individuals who refuse to accept Mohammedanism was still going on
as lately as the 20th of December, when the Turkish government was
assuring the European Ambassadors that all is quiet in Asiatic Turkey,
and that all that is necessary to complete the work of pacification
is for Turkey to be let alone.
The nature of the pacification which may be expected if Turkey is left
free to carry out its schemes for these provinces may be judged from
the following list of educated and influential Protestant ministers,
who have been put to death for refusing to embrace Mohammedanism. In
every case the offer of life on these terms was made; in several cases
time was allowed for consideration of the proposal; and in each case
faith in Jesus Christ was the sole crime charged against the victim.
1. Rev. Krikor, pastor at Ichme, killed Nov. 6, 1895.
2. Rev. Krikor Tamzarien.
3. Rev. Boghos Atlasian, killed Nov. 13.
4. Rev. Mardiros Siraganian, of Arabkir, killed Nov. 13.
5. Rev. Garabed Kilijjian of Sivas, killed Nov. 12.
6. Rev. Mr. Stepan, of the Anglican Church at Marash, killed
Nov. 18.
7. The preacher of the village of Hajin, killed at Marash Nov. 18.
8. Rev. Krikor Baghdasarian, retired preacher at Harpoot, Nov. 18.
9. Retired preacher at Divrik, killed Nov. 8.
10. Rev. Garabed Resseian, pastor at Cherwouk, Nov. 5.
11. Rev. Metean Minasian, pastor at Sherik, Nov.
12. Pastor at Cutteroul, Nov. 6.
13. Preacher at Cutteroul, Nov. 6.
14. Rev. Sarkis Narkashjian, pastor at Chounkoush, Nov. 14.
15. The pastor of the church at Severek, November.
16. The pastor of the church at Adiyaman.
17. Rev. Hohannes Hachadorian, pastor at Kilisse, Nov. 7.
18. The preacher at Karabesh, near Diarbekir, Nov. 7.
19. Rev. Mardiros Tarzian, pastor at Keserik, near Harpoot,
November.