Reshid Akif Pasha
Reşid Akif Paşa | |
---|---|
Constantinople (now Istanbul), Ottoman Empire | |
Occupation | Statesman |
Known for | Testimony about the Armenian genocide |
Reshid Akif Pasha (Turkish: Reşit Akif Paşa, Albanian: Reshid Aqif Pasha; 1863 – 15 April 1920), was an Ottoman statesman of Albanian descent during the last decades of the Ottoman Empire. Throughout his career as a politician, Reshid Akif Paşa served as governor, minister of the interior, and in the Council of State. He is also noted for providing important testimony in the aftermath of the Armenian genocide.
Life and career
Reshid Akif was born in
After
Armenian Genocide testimony
Reshid Akif Pasha is known for providing important testimony on the Armenian genocide during a session of the Ottoman parliament on 21 November 1918.[11] Akif Pasha stated that during his short tenure as the president of the Council of State, he uncovered documents pertaining to the deportation of Armenians.[12] The documents displayed the process in which official statements made use of vague terminology when ordering deportation only to be clarified by special orders ordering "massacres" sent directly from the Committee of Union and Progress headquarters or often the residence of Talat Pasha himself.[13]
He testified as follows:
While humbly occupying my last post in the Cabinet, which barely lasted 25 to 30 days, I became cognizant of some secrets. I came across something strange in this respect. It was this official order for deportation, issued by the notorious Interior Ministry and relayed to the provinces. However, following [the issuance of] this official order, the Central Committee [of Union and Progress] undertook to send an ominous circular order to all points [in the provinces], urging the expediting of the execution of the accursed mission of the brigands. Thereupon, the brigands proceeded to act and the atrocious massacres were the result.[10][n 1]
He continued by saying: "I am ashamed as a Muslim, I am ashamed as an Ottoman statesman. What a stain on the reputation of the Ottoman Empire, these criminal people ..."[14]
The testimony was considered "extremely remarkable and noteworthy" by the contemporaneous local press. It was published by many newspapers in its entirety due to its "special importance".[10] Historian Vahakn Dadrian has concluded that his statements are the "most incriminating evidence" for the systematic killings of the Armenian Genocide.[13]
Death and legacy
Reshid Akif Pasha died on 15 April 1920 in Constantinople. He is best remembered as an Ottoman politician who provided important testimony in the aftermath of the Armenian genocide.[10][13] An elementary school in Zara, Turkey, is named after him.[8]
See also
References
Notes
- ^ Original Turkish: 25–30 güne vasıl olmayan (İzzet Paşa) kabine(sin)deki yakın dönemdeki hizmetinde öğrendiğim bazı gizli şeyler vardır. Bu cümleden olmak üzere tuhaf bir şeye tesadüf ettim. Bu tehcir emri resmi olarak mahut Dahiliye Nazırı (Talat) tarafından verilmiş, vilayetlere tebliğ edilmiş. Bu resmi emri takiben ise çetelerin koşup melun vazifelerini yerine getirmeleri için Merkez-i Umumi (İttihat Terakki yönetimi) tarafından uğursuz emirler her yöne tamim (emir) olunmuştur. Binaenaleyh, çeteler meydan almış ve mukatale-i zalime (zalim katliam) yüz göstermiştir.
References
- ISBN 9758062247.
- OCLC 1758344,
Reshid Akif Bey, a young Albanian chief, wealthy and of a good family, being considered too liberal to make his stay in the capital longer desirable, was politely but firmly persuaded to accept appointment as governor general of Sivas.
- Essad Pasha, etc
- ^ Gölpınarlı, Abdülbākī (1955). Divan ṣiiri xx. yüzyil (in Turkish). Varlik Yayinevi. p. 12.
- ISBN 9751618258.
- ^ "The new Turkish ministry", The Hellenic Herald, 1–2, London: Cravon House: 146, 1909
- ^ Missionary Herald (Volume 105 ed.). American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. 1909. p. 196.
- ^ a b c d Aras, Oktay (20 July 2015). "Reşit Akif Paşa" (in Turkish). Galatasaray Lisesi Sıradışı Hayatlar.[permanent dead link]
- ISBN 9789751612816.
- ^ ISSN 1911-0359.
- ISBN 1139450182.
- ^ ISBN 1-57181-666-6.
- ^ Fisk, Robert (14 October 2006). "Let me denounce genocide from the dock". The Independent.