to compare it (unfavorably) with Ottoman Hodeidah,
lauding the amenities provided by the occupying Italians.
However, he also took a geopolitical look at the Italians'
covetous interest in Yemen and warned his fellow
Ottomans in this regard.//
An Ottoman's Arabian Adventure click here for the story
of an Ottoman official named Sami Çölgeçen, who was
posted at Konfida, up the coast from Hodeidah, where he
was "dealing with a delegation traveling to southern Egypt
and Addis Ababa" in mid-March 1915 when a German
crew from the warship 'Emden' arrived and needed Sami
Bey's help to get through the Hicaz and to Istanbul and
Germany.
Battle of Beirut click here for background on this battle and
the larger Italian-Ottoman conflict of those years.
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Let us examine Massawa a bit regarding its political aspects. It is
certain that all of the Italians' activities and efforts toward development
here in Massawa, compared to our (Ottoman) sluggishness and
continuous decline, are ultimately aimed at making Yemen their center
for administration. With regard to this idea and desire of theirs, the
Italians posted in Massawa have been nourishing this aim, together
with Italian leaders, since the Italian flag began to wave over Massawa.
And they don't waste a moment taking any and all possible, and
seemingly impossible, steps to accomplish this!
The Italian General Consul in Hodeidah is a long-serving, smart and
bold diplomat who is fiercely loyal to his government. Recently,
this fellow had a warship come to Hodeidah to be 'instrumental' in his
talks about his need for a hospital there. This evidence of his
diplomatic aggressiveness, along with the Italian government's
longstanding desire to occupy Yemen, is the clearest proof yet of
Rome's goal.
There should be no further evidence needed for this matter to take
its place among those vital issues requiring discussion in our country.
I only hope that the loss of Tripoli will help to focus attention on this
problem. However, this terrible, rotting wound continues to fester into
gangrene and only an intensive search for a cure, with the full force
and influence of the government, can stem the spread.
In the other direction, the English have assumed control of Aden and
the Babülmendeb strait, as they move gradually toward Bandar İmran
(just west of Aden) along the coast of Yemen. In fact, the English are
involved in clashes with the Bedouins and tribes, but, of course, the
poor Arabs, with their wooden rifles and curved Arabian daggers, are
no match for the English iron cannons and warships.
The English and the Italians know each other's aims and intentions
better than we do. They never say to each other "you stop, I'm taking
this." Rather, the source of their cooperative interests is their desire
for the speedy development of their respective ambitions. So these
two terrible claws are poised to seize Yemen, one first and then the
other. The claw emanating from Massawa will grab the Hodeidah
coast and the claw reaching from Aden will break up Yemen entirely.
Oğuz Arslan's ferry trip from Hodeidah, right, on the Yemen
coast, to Massawa where the sea lanes converge on the opposite
shore, took 24 hours.
There was a time when the flag of Egypt flew over Massawa and
there was even a military detachment at the port. Relying on
international principles related to 'vacant' land and its occupation, the
Italians first attacked some small islands and then Massawa. The
Bab-ı âli (Ottoman government) sent protest notes between 1885 and
1888, prompting the flying of both the Egyptian and Italian flags over
Massawa.
Soon, though, the Egyptian flag was taken down forever and the
Italians became the de facto rulers. At the time, both the Italian
government and the other powers saw this attack and occupation as
proper. Although Italian soldiers had quite a fight with the Ethiopians,
the Italians didn't shrink at shedding blood and making some minor
sacrifices to introduce law and civilization there, as well as securing
a foothold for themselves on the shore of the giant continent.
In any case, with regard to Yemen, the Italians and the English will
act at different times and step by step. No doubt, my certainty about
this matter is bound to upset some readers. But for those who are
farsighted and give some thought to distant Yemen every once in a
while, be assured that the English and the Italians think about it
every day!
Oğuz Arslan
//END of PART III/FINAL//
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