"The Moslems' situation was quite delicate. Measures needed to be
taken right away so we dropped whatever we were doing and began
to meet secretly in our homes, making plans and preparations for
our defense. We took an inventory of our weapons and ammunition
and counted our fighters, forming teams and squads and deciding on
a meeting point if an incident occurred. The elderly, women and
children were all given duties. No one was afraid to die because we
knew well there was no way we could live under French oppression
and the Armenians' curse."
"We had no place else to go and the thought of giving up the land
we'd had for centuries to infidels was abhorrent. Would it even be
thinkable for us to be without our minarets and our prayers? In all
likelihood we would not be able to stand up to the infidel's weapons
of war but we would take at least ten or twenty of the enemy's lives.
Nor would we leave them a brick upon a brick in Maraş. We were
prepared to burn the whole town down rather then give it up for free.
The French might take Maraş but all that would be left for them
would be ashes."
"We said let the French and the Armenians they brought along with
them from elsewhere sing like owls on the remnants of our homes and
our graves so they can write the history of the civilization of the
twentieth century. So we made our decision and told our women, who
assured us that the women of Maraş were just as fearless of death as the
men. Together forever in life or in death, in joy or in sadness. In short,
every man, woman and child was ready to fight to the death."
"The Armenians were crazy with joy at seeing the French in Maraş and
became so emboldened that they continually harassed the Moslems, in
hopes of provoking an incident. Nevertheless, we maintained our
composure as best we could and ignored their taunts. But seeing that
we could not be provoked by their words, on the fourth day after the
French had come to Maraş, an Armenian from Erzurum ripped off the
veil of a Moslem woman coming home from the 'hamam' (Turkish
bath), pressing on a very sensitive subject for all Moslems."
"They said to us 'henceforth this place belongs to the French and the
Armenians. The veils will come off and all women will show their
faces! Whoever keeps her veil on will have it ripped off and shredded!'
Just at that time, though, a pious Moslem named Hacı Aman rushed
into his house, grabbed his rifle and shot the Armenian in the chest,
shouting 'now you've paid for your transgression!' The wounded
Armenian rolled over and died, while this heroic Moslem put his
rifle on his shoulder and headed out of town."
"The Armenians were shaken by the incident and the French were at a
loss about how to handle it because they still had not settled in
completely and set up their administration. The French certainly did
not want a clash to break out and had hoped to avoid a tumultuous
beginning to their stay in Maraş. A colonialist power like France,
with great experience luring Moslem nations into their yoke with
friendly gestures, did not want to resort to violence. And so the
incident was brushed aside and the matter closed.
//END of PART FOUR//
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