Page 143 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

POLITICAL RESIDENCY FOR 1006-1007. 89

CHAPTER IIL—ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE KERMANBHAH
CONSULATE FOR THE YEAR 1906-1907.

General.—The chief event of the year has been the establishment or, to be more
correct, the attempted establishment, of the Provincial Assembly at Kermanshah.
The natural formation of parties which followed the commencement of the
elections proved a convenient peg upon which to hang the enmity which had
previously existed between certain sections of the local community. This is a
subject with which I will deal later as it did not occur till the latter part of the
year.
Amir Afkham, formerly known as Hissam-ul-mulk. a title now held by his
younger son, was appointed Governor of Kermanshah. Zahir-ed-douleh was
Governor of Hamadan, Salar-ed-douleh, youuger brother of the Shah. Governor of
Luristan, Wazir-i-Humayoon, Governor of Kurdistan, and Prince Haji Saif-ud-
doulch. Governor of Malaver.
In the early part of the year Amir Afkham sent to Salar-ed-douleh two moun­
tain guns, presumably for use against tbe Lurs. These later formed part of the
latter's artillery in his attack on the town of Neliawend during his rebellion against
the Shah.
As early as June rumours began to circulate that the Shah was dead; in fact
he died so often that the volatile Persian was too bored with his procrastination
to create the disturbances which are customary on the decease of a sovereign in this
country.
The district was. however, continually disturbed, and robberies wore frequent.
In July thieves broke into the Consulate and stole tomans 20 and a-pertain amount ::
of clothing: they escaped and as usual, their identity was sever discovered. It
would need a Persian optimist to hope to catch a thieii usftess APtataSr discovered
ir ftnqranle delicto or with the proceeds of his theft on his persocL. There is no police I!
and all misdemeanours are referred to the Kadkhuda of dbg Kbblk;h stands to
reason, then that if the robber is a ruffian from aunaiusr part of the town, he is
neither questioned or suspected, and the wonder is dhat raore robberies are not
committed. I suppose the Persian is too lazy to form a regular habit of any
kind.
In tbe same month disturbances took place in &5nzian5ijaL&! between sections
of the people, swords were used and some four or five woe woandwL The Governor
took unexpectedly strong measures, and two influential men were sent in chains r
to Hamadan. Moin-ur-rava, a leader of one of the factions, took sanctuary in the
Turkish Consulate General, from whence he was expelled and was arrested by the I
authorities. He was released the following week and presented with a “ khiilat.”
Mom-ur-raya is a rich man. Three men had their ears cat off and this ended the I
disturbance for the time being.
i
The news of the dismissal of the Sadr Azam, AasHed-dcnofle^ wk received in
Kermaos'hah on the 30th July and great rejoicings took place, town being
illuminated.
On the 14th August the news was received of the return of the MnfUhg from
Kum to Tehran and once more great rejoicings took .place.
Though, no doubt, on this occasion real, great rejoicings are somewhat mis­
leading in Persia. As often as not they are indulged in by order, and as a general role,
the Persian is not loath to seize upon an occasion ioT a general hobday; to the
mere outsider it frequently appears a subject of wonder that business ran oeaae
in the manner it does without dislocating its conneataona. Everythin; however
seems to resume its ordinary course and every one appears ocaitegtft
At the beginning of August there was ooz^ii^raMe tsmaamt the tribes
of the district of Asad a bad. The leaders of tribe disturbance were j).
Ihtasham-al-Alamalik, the elder son of Anrix A f£ham» in. the: tape honoured Persian