TNT History Mini-Series: Bekir Ağa Prison - Turks in Turkish Hands/Part XVII/FINAL

//Ed. note:  Concluding his story, Süleyman Sırrı mentions
a few more colorful inmates and ends with a severe 
condemnation of the CUP, which 'guided' Turkey through
the disastrous Balkan Wars and World War I.

Sırrı's stay in Bekri Ağa was probably a year or less in 
duration. His fifth month there coincided with Ramazan
that year, probably 1910.  Throughout his first five months
Sırrı was beaten and tortured. After his court martial,
shortly after the Ramazan holiday, he received better
treatment but, remaining at Bekir Ağa, he despaired of 
release and attempted suicide, which, ironically, led to his
hospitalization and subsequent freedom.//

Bekir Ağa Prison click here for the first part of this TNT
mini-series, which includes links to other TNT reports
about Turkish prisoners in World War I and the War of
Independence.



There Were Other 'Komitacı' (plotters) in the Dungeon, Too

Bekir Ağa Prison was notorious for housing other anti-regime elements
and criminals. These were mostly members of various 'komita' (secret
societies).  One  of them, though, was a fellow who robbed the Sultan's
palaces and was famous in Europe and America for his great thievery
exploits.  His cohorts had escaped capture but he himself was thrown
into Bekir Ağa.  Since he didn't know anyone in the prison he was in
great need of assistance, although he was known to have circulated
among Europe's elite and ride around merrily in automobiles. 

Then there was a Russian 'komitacı' who would dance around in time
with the clanking sound of his manacled feet to entertain us.  An
Armenian 'Taşnağsütün' ('Taşnak' - Armenian revolutionary group)
member was sent to Bekir Ağa from Samsun and he found himself
without a friend in Istanbul. 


                           Armenian 'Taşnak' fighters

There were many others like these, one of whom was a Greek 'komitacı'
named Papadapolu who spoke with no one in Turkish after his arrest. 
Yet, around the time of my suicide attempt he found me in an uncrowded
place in the jail and tried to dissuade me, in Turkish, from committing
suicide, opining that I would ultimately be saved. 
 

After being released, as I have already described above, I saw many of
my fellow dungeon inmates and we would commiserate with each other
about our hours of calamity.  The fierce hatred and enmity we felt in our
hearts for those who had put us through it burned ever more furiously.


Bekir Ağa Bölüğünde Neler Gördüm? (What did I see in Bekir Ağa Prison?).

Conclusion

Those who have read this work will have seen that I escaped certain
death on a number of occasions.  But as far as I'm concerned, this is of
no importance.  Because in light of the enormous and irreparable
disasters caused (by the CUP), the life of one person or his unjust
execution are of only secondary significance.  Today (1919), the
country is in a ruined state and dying.  In this regard, I want to see
the murderers and executioners of the nation hung from the gallows.

No doubt the most famous of them are today living lives of liesure in
comfortable surroundings.  We don't envy their lives but, rather, curse
them and the thousands like them who continue to live in comfort and
felicity while the rest of us are dying in despair and suffering.

//END of PART XVII/FINAL//