Iğdır and Two Statesmen

When we look at the political history of 20th-century Iğdır, there are two figures who possessed the qualities of statesmen, meaning they had a charisma and power that transcended factions and sects: Eleşref Bey from the Torun family and Ali Rıza Ataman, originally from Kağızman but later settled in Iğdır.

I know that the new generation is unfamiliar with these two names. I believe it is beneficial to remember these two figures, who have been left in the darkness of history, perhaps even placed on the shelf of forgotten things, and to learn from their personal characteristics.

ELEŞREF BEY (1845-1927)

Once upon a time, Tsarist Russia and the Ottoman Empire were separated by a border that ran slightly above the village of Suveren. Kurdish tribes existed on both sides of the border. Both empires dealt with the Kurds differently. The Ottoman Empire established the Hamidiye Regiments, creating a military structure. It granted ranks such as colonel, major, and captain. The Russian Tsardom took a different path. It did not need to establish Hamidiye Regiments because it already had its own Hamidiye Regiments, namely the "Cossacks." You should not confuse the Russian Cossack army with the Kazakhs living in Kazakhstan. Russian Cossacks were, first and foremost, Christians. They were once free slaves. The Tsar settled them along the border. He provided them with food, money, and weapons. In return, they fought unconditionally for the Tsar and were always his most loyal warriors.

The Cossacks played an important role in wars. In a sense, they formed the backbone of the Russian army because they were the first to attack or the first to meet an incoming attack. Since Iğdır was a border, a strong Cossack army was stationed there due to the possibility of a war against the Ottomans. The Tsar did not grant the same privilege to Muslim Kurds or Azerbaijanis. The Tsar did not interfere with the religious beliefs of Muslims, showing extreme tolerance, but he did not trust Muslim soldiers in wartime. He was not wrong. He had often been betrayed.

Muslims were forbidden from military service. For this reason, there were neither weapons nor any organizational capacity to defend themselves militarily in the Azerbaijani village houses in the nomadic camps, which lived based on agriculture! This is why, when Armenian committees attacked, the Azerbaijani people could not resist, and heinous massacres occurred.

The Tsar followed a different path for the Muslim Kurds among his subjects. He organized the Kurds living in Russia with a system called "Glava." Glava is a Russian word. It means "head" or "chief." Each tribe or community of tribes had the right to elect a "Glava," or "Chief," by their own free will. The elected Glavas were subordinate to a leader from the Torun Family (to the Güneş Family). This leader, mostly with the rank of General, was directly responsible to the Russian Army, whose center was in Tiflis. In peacetime, their duties included collecting taxes or resolving disputes among Kurdish tribes. In wartime, organizing the tribes into cavalry units and leading them in battle was the most important duty of the Torun Family. This system was first implemented in the 19th century. Gulicevher Ağa was appointed as General. Gulicevher Ağa's greatest fear was fighting against the Ottomans as a Muslim in a possible Ottoman-Russian war. It is rumored that Gulicevher Ağa would pray, "Oh Allah, do not let me fight against the Ottomans!" Gulicevher Ağa passed away before witnessing the 1877-78 Ottoman-Russian War. He had three sons: Eyüp Pasha, Eleşref Bey, and Mahmut Bey.

Eyüp Pasha took over his father's duty. Eyüp Pasha also had a deep sensitivity regarding religion, just like his father. When the 1877-78 Ottoman-Russian War began, he betrayed the Russian army with the Kurdish cavalry units under his command and defected to the Ottoman side. The Ottomans rewarded Eyüp Pasha by giving him the village of Küpkıran, attached to Ağrı, as a settlement. This time, Eleşref Bey became the leader of all Kurds before the Tsar. The word "Eleşref" is an abbreviation of "Ali Eşref." From an administrative perspective, we can say that the Kurds lived semi-autonomously in Russia. For major crimes, the "êlbeg" or "ruspî," meaning the "glava," would punish the culprit, and in cases of murder, all the culprit's property would be confiscated, and they would be exiled. Russian courts did not interfere much in these matters. For example, if a girl was abducted, her family would first apply to the Glava, and if no solution could be found, then Eleşref Bey would be asked for help. The Russian Administration did not interfere in such administrative matters.

Eleşref Bey resided in Yerevan, occasionally visiting his village house in Ramazankent, and even spent most of his time there. In the summer months, he preferred the plateaus of Kağızman. He was not idle. With the cavalry unit he took with him, he would travel from nomadic camp to nomadic camp, listen to their problems, and find solutions. He acted with extreme fairness. He had an extraordinary will to solve problems. He did not want to be served by himself or his soldiers and did not burden anyone. When necessary, he would buy the food he needed with money. For this reason, the Kurdish nomadic camps would greet Eleşref Bey with great respect and try to honor him as much as they could. Eleşref Bey would also bring important issues to the attention of the Russian administration in Tiflis and seek solutions. The Russians had given Eleşref Bey the rank of "General." However, this was a civilian, not a military, rank. Therefore, he was addressed as "Bey" rather than "Pasha."

Eleşref Bey married five times but had no children. I would like to discuss one of these tragic marriages, his marriage to the Armenian girl Nino:

NINO, THE ARMENIAN BEAUTY, AND A TRAGIC END

Eleşref Bey, having no children from his first three wives, then married the Armenian girl Nino. However, Nino eloped with someone else and was later killed. Until 2002, the people of the region believed that Eleşref Bey had Nino killed. Hasan Alagöz, a politician from Iğdır, revealed a secret to me in an interview, which was conveyed to him by Evdıle Sano, an elder of the Redkan tribe, but had been kept secret within the tribe for years out of fear.

General Eleşref Bey, having no children from his first three wives, took the Armenian beauty Nino, but Nino's heart belonged to an Armenian young man. One day, she eloped with her lover.

Eleşref Bey could not tolerate Nino, whom he loved madly, leaving him; he had no intention of forgiving Nino's betrayal. He sought help from the Redkan tribe, whose striking and loyal force resided in the village of Çamurlu:

"Go, do whatever it takes, and bring Nino back to me!"

The Çamurlu people prepared a special team of thirteen, including Evdıle Sano. The team, commanded by Ali, son of Hacı Yusuf, set out to bring Nino back. After a long search, the house of the Armenian with whom Nino had eloped was identified.

The house had a large garden and fierce dogs around it. It was not suitable for an open attack. There was a high probability that the villagers would come to help at the slightest noise or gunshot.

The back wall of the house leaned against a hill. It was decided that an attack at dawn would be more appropriate. Early in the morning, the Çamurlu people climbed onto the roof, entered through a hole they made. They killed the Armenian husband who resisted them, tied Nino's mouth, and left the village.

They locked Nino in a room. The special team gathered to evaluate the situation: What should they do now? Different opinions emerged.

One said: "If we hand Nino over, Eleşref Bey, being madly in love with her, will forgive her, take her as his wife again, not kill her, and our honor will be compromised. It's better if we kill her with our own hands!"

Another disagreed, saying: "Eleşref Bey will interrogate Nino and then condemn her to death."

As the disagreement grew, a common decision was made: Two people would go to Eleşref Bey and try to understand his intentions.

Eleşref Bey was staying in Ramazankent. Two people appeared before him:

"Beg, em Nino anîn!" (My Bey, we brought Nino!)

"Hûn sax û mirî anîn!" (Did you bring her dead or alive?)

To learn the Bey's reaction, the Çamurlu people deliberately said that Nino had drowned in the Aras.

Upon hearing the news, Eleşref Bey slapped his knee, showing his sorrow:

"Aha! Male min şevitî!" (My house is ruined!)

The two men returned to the village, conveyed Eleşref Bey's words and reaction to their friends, and after long deliberations, a common decision was made:

"There is no turning back now! We must kill Nino."

In the old village of Çamurlu, there is a place called Geriyê Rêz. The unfortunate Nino was executed and buried there.

HIS LAST YEARS

Eleşref Bey was a statesman of virtue and a strong sense of justice. He did not discriminate among tribes and tried to protect the weak. He took necessary measures to prevent all Muslim people, not just Kurds, from suffering, intervened immediately in problems, and found solutions. He respected the honor and dignity of all Muslim people, whether Azerbaijani or Kurdish, did not discriminate religiously, and ensured harmonious coordination.

When World War I began in 1914, Eleşref Bey, like his brother Eyüp Pasha, refused to fight against the Ottomans and sought refuge with the Ottomans with his military units. He met with Kazım Karabekir Pasha. He retired. He settled in Ramazankent and passed away there. His grave is next to his father Gulicevher Ağa's domed tomb in the Kolukent village cemetery. He had no children.

Gurci Selçuk recounts:

"Once, my mother Fattê and I went to visit the Kolukent village cemetery. Eleşref Bey's tombstone had fallen. A second stone was needed to set it upright again. I took a stone from Gulicevher Ağa's tomb and said aloud, 'Oh Gulicevher Ağa, forgive me! Your son took care of you, had a tomb built, but he had no son to take care of his grave. Allow me to place this stone on his son's grave.' My mother must have been moved because she sat down and cried."

Many anecdotes and stories are told about Eleşref Bey's life. If you wish, I will share a few of them with you:

SUMMER RAIN

Eleşref Bey is now old. He is overwhelmed by the heat of Iğdır and barely makes it to the plateau.

One day, a friend visits him. As they sit in front of the tent and chat, dark clouds gather in the sky, darkness falls, thunder rumbles, lightning illuminates the surroundings. Then a very heavy rain pours down. Everything happens so suddenly that Eleşref Bey and his friend take shelter in the tent. Soon after, the rain stops as quickly as it started. The stream of water flowing down the mountainside rushes past the tent.

Eleşref Bey gets lost in what is happening, falling into deep thought.

His friend gently interjects:

"What happened? Memories?"

"I was thinking about a human life. We, too, come into the world with our mother's labor pains, shouts, and cries, just like thunder and lightning. Our childhood and youth pass quickly like heavy rain. Then, like the rain stopping, we lose strength and vitality. Later, we fall underfoot like the water flowing by the side of this tent."

At that moment, the water flowing by the tent also diminishes, almost stopping. Eleşref Bey points to the water flowing in a thin line to his friend:

"This is my current state. He's about to die..."

COME ON, FATHER!

After the 1917 Russian Revolution, the Russians withdrew from the Iğdır region.

As a Muslim, Eleşref Bey had no dealings with the communist administration. He wanted to contact Kazım Karabekir Pasha. On one occasion, he went to Kars and appeared before the Pasha. He introduced himself.

Karabekir Pasha was suspicious:

"I heard of someone by this name. Is that really you?"

Eleşref Bey took off his overcoat and stood before the Pasha in his Russian General's epaulets and jacket. Karabekir Pasha respectfully kissed the hand of the General, who was older and more experienced than himself. "Come on, father!" he said, flattering him.

Karabekir Pasha:

"General, I am very pleased that you have joined us! We will inform Mustafa Kemal as soon as possible and invite you to lead our army."

Eleşref Bey was not very keen on this invitation. He gave a diplomatic answer:

"No, I lived for many years with the hope that we would be reconnected to Turkey. I see that those days are very near! On such a day, I feel more like a common soldier than a General, and I want you to give me such a duty."

Eleşref Bey retired and settled in Ramazankent.

SO, HIS DONKEY (XOTİK) IS WITH HIM TOO

During the Russian Administration, General Eleşref Bey's authority was unconditionally valid from one end of the Caucasus to the other.

Eleşref Bey personally controlled each Kurdish glava (regional and tribal leaders) in the region, inspecting on-site whether the rules of justice and order were being properly applied.

For this, he often had to walk on dusty, stony roads, regardless of mountains or hills. To prevent his beloved boots from wearing out quickly, he had iron claws, similar to horseshoes, nailed to their soles. So much so that when he walked on a dirt road, his boots left tracks resembling horse or donkey hooves.

One such day, Eleşref Bey put on his boots, took his high-ranking retinue with him, and set out for inspection.

As they walked on the dusty road, a General friend, a few steps behind, called out jokingly:

"Eleşref Bey! Eleşref Bey! There are donkey tracks here!"

Eleşref Bey turned back. His friend pointed with his hand to the tracks Eleşref Bey's boots had just left behind.

Eleşref Bey did not show any discomfort, pointing to his friend's footprints:

"You're right! Look, his donkey is with him too..."

OH SACRIFICE, THROW ANOTHER BLANKET ON ME!

Kurdish tribes lived day to day, without caring about the pleasures of daily life. Neither a proper home nor a comfortable life! The situation was the same for Kurdish aghas and beys. An agha who would sacrifice several sheep for his guest without batting an eyelid would not even have a proper bed to sleep on in his house. This contradictory situation one day drove Eleşref Bey to his wits' end.

Eleşref Bey was a guest in the house of a wealthy Kurdish agha. They ate and drank. When it was time to sleep, the host appeared with a "lop" (a thick blanket, felt on the bottom and rug on top, thrown over oxen). He spread the lop on the floor. He invited Eleşref Bey to sleep on it.

Eleşref Bey, with a troubled and irritated demeanor, threw himself onto the dusty, ox-sweat-smelling lop. The host soon returned, offering to serve his guest even more (!):

"My Bey, shall I bring another lop for you to cover yourself with?"

Eleşref Bey, deciding it was time to teach the agha a lesson, said:

"Please, cover me with another lop, tie it tightly from front and back with a thick rope, and then wrap the rope twice around my stomach, and tighten the knot firmly so that the lops don't fall off me when I run."

I THOUGHT THAT…

Eleşref Bey disliked sycophants.

One day, he was walking distractedly, his hands clasped behind his back. A villager silently approached Eleşref Bey, whom he greatly respected, from behind, and touched his lips to Eleşref Bey's hands to kiss them. Eleşref Bey, startled by the wetness on his skin, recoiled, opening his hands to the side and lunging forward in fear.

Turning back, he was surprised to see the villager before him, crestfallen and with his head bowed. To justify his own fear and to imply to the villager that he disliked sycophancy, he said:

"Ha! I thought you were a dog!"

A MAN IS GOOD (Yaxşi: Good)

An Azerbaijani curiously asked Eleşref Bey:

"Oh Bey! Is a Kurd good or an Azerbaijani?"

Eleşref Bey answered without hesitation:

"A man is a good man!"

THE HUNT BELONGS TO THE FIRST TO STRIKE

As autumn approached, Eleşref Bey moved his home from the Kağızman plateau to Ramazankent. An Azerbaijani farmer appeared before him:

"Oh Bey! One of my oxen died, and I have one left. I need to plow the field, lend me a young bull!"

Eleşref Bey, without hesitation, ordered a young bull to be given to the villager. As the villager drove the bull away, the animal somehow escaped from the villager and returned to the stable. Eleşref Bey, watching this from a distance, suddenly understood the situation:

"Hevalê xwe jî dixwaze!" (He wants his friend too!)

He gave another young bull to the villager. The villager happily drove away with two young bulls. The news that Eleşref Bey generously gave a second bull for free to those who asked for one spread rapidly in the Azerbaijani villages. Azerbaijani farmers rushed to Ramazankent, to Eleşref Bey, to make the same request. Eleşref Bey stood before the farmers, all making the same request, and spread his hands out to the sides with a hopeless feeling:

"Gentlemen, the hunt belongs to the first to strike. What can I do, you are late!"

THE BLESSING OF OLD AGE

Due to the 1926 Law on the Exile of Aghas and Beys, many individuals from the Iğdır Region were sent into exile. Eleşref Bey's name was also on the exile list. When Eleşref Bey, who was over eighty years old, heard that he had been pardoned due to his age, he muttered to himself:

"I thought no good would come to me from old age. It seems old age also has its blessings and abundance."

EVERY MINUTE, EVERY SECOND HAS A RULING

In the Redkan (Redkî) tribe, Hacı Yusuf and Hacı Sano are cousins. Hacı Yusuf is concerned with the administration of the tribe, and Hacı Sano with its religious aspect. For this reason, Hacı Sano is far from extravagance like eating and drinking.

Eleşref Bey would visit a Kurdish notable every week, listen to the tribe's problems, and solve some administrative issues. One day, Eleşref Bey said to Hacı Sano:

"Next week, I will be your guest."

Hacı Sano, unaccustomed to such feasts and hospitality, felt uncomfortable and politely made a suggestion:

"My Bey, my house is not suitable to host you. I will cover the expenses, as long as you hold this meeting at Hacı Yusuf's house!"

Eleşref Bey insisted: "No!"

Hacı Sano, with a wise demeanor, shook his head and muttered:

"What can I do! Every second, every minute, every hour, every day has a ruling. Allah is great!"

Eleşref Bey could not make sense of these words.

The time came. Eleşref Bey, with his assistants around him, set off for Çamurlu village, towards Hacı Sano's house. Halfway there, a messenger galloping from the direction of Ramazankent reached Eleşref Bey:

"My Bey, Aliye Hanım has passed away!"

Eleşref Bey, receiving the news of his wife's death, looked thoughtfully at Çamurlu village, remembered Hacı Sano's words, and muttered to himself:

"Hacı Salih (Sano) is right! Every second, every minute, every hour, every day has a ruling."

He turned his horse towards Ramazankent. Thus, Hacı Sano's wish was, in a sense, fulfilled.

ALIYE HANIM, THE AZERBAIJANI GIRL

One day, Eleşref Bey asked for the hand of Aliye Hanım, the daughter of the Khan of Yerevan, Xancar Khan. However, Aliye Hanım was not willing to go with Eleşref Bey.

She resisted, saying, "I will not go to a Kurd!" Aliye Hanım also had other suitors. One day, her father said, "My daughter, you spoke too boldly about Eleşref Bey! Eleşref Bey is a good person whom everyone loves and respects." The girl, to please her father, said:

"Father, you know several young men want me. I haven't seen any of them. Let three prospective grooms walk side by side on the road one day, and I will send one of the children to take the hand of the groom I like."

This suggestion pleased her father.

The next day, three prospective grooms, including Eleşref Bey, walked side by side on the road. Aliye Hanım fell in love with one of them. She whispered in the ear of the child next to her:

"Go and take the hand of the man on the far right!"

The child ran and took Eleşref Bey's hand.

Xancar Khan's wife was not very pleased with this marriage. When she heard the news, she lamented:

Where am I, where is the Kurd of Iran?

One day, they will finally hang us.

TELEGRAM TO MUSTAFA KEMAL

When the Republic was proclaimed on October 29, 1923, Eleşref Bey sent a telegram to congratulate the Grand National Assembly and Mustafa Kemal. The Iğdır PTT was located where Mehmet Kakioğlu's shop from Bitlis (today Denizbank) is. After congratulating Mustafa Kemal at length in his telegram, Eleşref Bey conveyed a request:

"My Pasha, will you allow me to participate in official ceremonies wearing my General's uniform on holidays?"

Mustafa Kemal's reply came the same day:

"There is no objection to you having a Turkish General's uniform made and wearing it!"

Eleşref Bey was not keen on this either.

ELEŞREF BEY'S VICTIMIZATION

Eleşref Bey, who was as powerful and respected as a king during the Russian Tsarist era, found himself in a disadvantaged position during the Republican years. Eleşref Bey, who had a fortune within a fortune, found his resources dwindling day by day, and he began to count every gold coin in his pocket with trembling hands.

One day, Eleşref Bey, with ten gold coins left in his pocket, was walking in the plateau areas around Axura. When he took out his handkerchief, one of the gold coins fell into his boot, but Eleşref Bey did not notice it. He called his assistant and made a request:

"Son, a gold coin fell to the ground, find it!"

The young man found a gold coin near the horse's hoof! When Eleşref Bey took off his boots at home, this time the gold coin inside fell into his palm. Eleşref Bey looked at the gold coin and joyfully muttered to himself:

"Let's see how long this 'come on, come on' will continue!"

FETTAH BEY

Fettah Bey, Hamit Bey's eldest son, was a harsh and stern-natured person. With this character, he differed from the other members of the Torun family.

One day, a friend of the tribe asked Eleşref Bey:

"My Bey, foreigners talk about us as Kurd-Mürt. I understand that Kurd is us, but who is Mürt?"

Eleşref Bey answered without hesitation:

"Mürt is our Fettah Bey in Orgof."

THE END

ALI RIZA ATAMAN (1855-1955)

The "Ataman" family is an important family that left its mark on 20th-century Iğdır. The names Osman and İdris Ataman are more prominent in the public's memory. The reason for this is that Osman Ataman served as mayor for many years. But the undisputed most important name of this family is Ali Rıza Ataman. Due to his early death, his name did not properly establish itself in memory. Although he was originally from Kağızman, I believe it is important to introduce this important figure, who dedicated his life to Iğdır, to the new generation.

Ali Rıza Ataman's family is originally from Kağızman. The late Hamza Aygün made the following assessment regarding the word "yerli" (local):

"In Eastern Anatolia, in the provinces and districts of Kağızman, Kars, Van, and Erzurum, there is a segment of the population referred to as 'yerli.' Their origins go back to the religious wars between the Ottoman and Iranian empires that lasted for centuries. The Ottoman Empire, which was once established as a 'frontier principality' on the Byzantine border and transformed into a world empire from there, settled Sunni families and tribes, called 'frontier lords,' in the border provinces to prevent the entry of the Shiite sect into Anatolia. These families and communities later became known as 'yerli' in subsequent centuries, assimilated with the local population, and became a fundamental element. Examples of frontier lords include the Ataman family in Kağızman, and Vural Ersoy and Turgut Bey in Van."

Ali Rıza Ataman is the youngest of İsmail Bey's four sons. The brothers, in order of age, are Murat, Ömer, Mehmet, and Ali Rıza Bey. Osman and İdris Ataman, indispensable names of 20th-century Iğdır, are Ömer Bey's children. Ali Rıza Ataman is the paternal uncle of Osman Ataman, who served as Mayor of Iğdır for many years.

Ali Rıza Bey was born in Kağızman in 1885. He passed away in Iğdır on June 19, 1955, at the age of 70. He was buried in the family cemetery in Kağızman.

YEARS OF THE NATIONAL STRUGGLE

The four brothers completed their education in Russian schools and graduated from high school. Therefore, they could speak Armenian and Russian very well. During the years of the National Struggle, three brothers who actively participated in the struggle in Kağızman, which was under Armenian occupation, were exiled to Siberia. After 3.5 years of exile, the brothers returned to Kağızman and continued the struggle from where they left off. When the Kars National Council was declared, Ali Rıza Bey assumed the position of Minister of Interior in the government. When the government members were arrested by the British and exiled to Malta, Ali Rıza Bey found a way during the journey, escaped from Batumi, and returned to Kars. He left a letter for the British:

"Do not think that I have fled. I am rushing to serve my country in this difficult situation."

In consultation with Kâzım Karabekir Pasha, he organized the forces of the National Struggle, gathered armed forces consisting of militia and soldiers around him, and resolutely continued the struggle against the Armenians. The Armenians captured Mehmet Bey, who had escaped from exile, and imprisoned him in the Kars Castle dungeons; they also kept his family under house arrest. Mehmet Bey was released after approximately 8 months of imprisonment. Without losing time, he took his family with him and joined the forces of the National Struggle. The war continued with full intensity for six months. Finally, on September 28, 1920, by order of Kâzım Karabekir Pasha, the forces of the National Struggle under the command of Ali Rıza Bey and his brothers occupied Kağızman, and the soldiers under Karabekir Pasha's command occupied Sarıkamış. The forces of the National Struggle under Mehmet Bey's command pursued the Armenian units as far as Gyumri; simultaneously, the militia forces under Ali Rıza Bey's command advanced towards Iğdır. Finally, on November 14, 1920, together with the forces in Iğdır, the town center of Iğdır was captured.

When the First Grand National Assembly (Parliament) convened on April 23, 1920, Ali Rıza Bey was invited to Ankara as a Deputy for the First Term. He was not keen on a second term as a deputy and returned to Kars.

Ali Rıza Bey's family is partly settled in Iğdır and partly in Kağızman. Ali Rıza Bey, who was involved in trade, imported and exported with Iran and Russia for many years, established a cotton gin factory in Iğdır, and managed the factory with his nephew Osman Ataman. Ali Rıza Bey married Pakize Hanım, an elegant and very well-educated lady, and had a happy marriage. Osman Ataman was a student in a Russian secondary school when the war broke out. Therefore, his education was cut short. Osman Ataman, who served as mayor in Iğdır for several terms in the 1940s, married Güzin Hanım in 1944 but had no children. Osman Ataman, who spoke Armenian and Russian very well, served as an interpreter representing the Turkish side in protocol meetings for many years.

THE ATAMAN FAMILY

The most distinctive feature of the family was their orderly lifestyle and constant hospitality. For example, in 1934, during his journey to Ankara, the Shah of Iran stayed for 3 days at Ali Rıza Bey's house in Iğdır. In addition, Ali Rıza Bey's close friend, Kâzım Karabekir Pasha, was often hosted at the house in Kağızman. Marshal Fevzi Çakmak, ministers and deputies of the period were also among the guests. The Ataman Family was hospitable, well-versed in table manners, well-dressed, fond of entertainment and life, and a very devoted and respectful family. According to what is told, Ali Rıza Bey had made horse riding, hunting, and organizing hunting parties his hobbies. He was also a very well-read and hardworking person. As a good agriculturist, he did not neglect growing flowers and gardening. The garden of the house in Kağızman was full of peonies and lilacs! Ali Rıza Bey passed away from a heart attack in 1955. He was buried in the family cemetery in Kağızman. Osman Ataman also passed away in 1990.

In issue number 27, dated October 30, 1952, of the DİL newspaper published by Mecit Hun, a series of articles about the Kars National Council was published, in which Ali Rıza Ataman's name is mentioned as follows (The following text has been simplified):

"On November 15, 1918, the Kars National Council (Consultative) Government, consisting of 8 people, was established in Kars. Under the chairmanship of Temporary President Fahrettin Bey, the government members were Hayrullah from Sarıkamış Yedikilise village, Ahund oğlu Taki Karaçantalı from Yerevan, Hacı oğlu Ahmet Ali Afzal, İsrafil Behçet, and Vafyadin. Within 15 days, a congress was opened with delegates from other places. The new government was established as follows:

1. Head of Government: Cihangiroğlu İbrahim Bey

2. Member of Government: Cihangiroğlu Hasan Bey

3. Member of Government: Dr. Esat Bey

4. Member of Government: Akbabalı Kelbayı Memed Bey

5. Member of Government: Karaçantalı Ahmet Bey

6. Member of Government: Kağızmanlı Ali Rıza Bey (Ataman)

7. Member of Government: Erivanlı Taki Bey

8. Member of Government: Sarıkamışlı Fahrettin Bey

9. Member of Government: Iğdırlı Alibeyoğlu Mehmet

10. Member of Government: Oltulu Molla Bilal

11. Member of Government: Borçalı Emin

12. Member of Government: Maksut Ağa oğlu Hasan Ağa, chief of the Cemaldinallı tribe

13. Member of Government: Gümrülü Yusuf Bey

The late Fahrettin Gülseven summarizes Ali Rıza Ataman's role in Iğdır as follows:

"In the years following the Republic, there was a great power vacuum in Iğdır and its people. For this reason, mafia-type organizations and gangs were springing up everywhere, overwhelming the local population. These gangs were so rampant that they would cross the Aras River and plunder Armenian shops, gain unfair profits through threats and pressure on the local people, and even rob mail coaches. In this period, when authority was such a serious problem and the state had not yet made its presence felt with its institutions, Azerbaijani and tribal leaders joined hands to try to fill the power vacuum. For this reason, a very good harmony and friendship spontaneously developed between the Azerbaijani and tribal segments during that period. Social life became more vibrant every day, and the economy was booming. Ali Rıza Ataman contributed the most to the establishment of local authority and the organization of the people during this period. Ali Rıza Ataman, who had innate leadership qualities, gathered the notables of Iğdır around him and led them, taking personal initiatives to solve the town's problems."

On April 20, 1919, British soldiers raided the Kars National Council Government parliament, arrested the state officials they caught, and sent them by train to Batumi and from there by ship to Malta for exile. One of those arrested and detained was Ali Rıza Bey. However, Ali Rıza Ataman, who was good at organizing and intelligence work, managed to escape from the British in Batumi with the help of his friends who came from outside. Ali Rıza Ataman had experienced a similar incident before, escaping from Siberia, where he had been exiled, and returning to his homeland. Not only Ali Rıza Ataman himself but his entire family fought on the front lines during the years of the national struggle. One of his elder brothers was brutally martyred by Armenian committees through torture.

ALI RIZA ATAMAN, DEPUTY IN THE GRAND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Ali Rıza Ataman, considering his sacrifices and merits during the National Struggle, was called to Ankara as a Deputy for the First Term, representing Kars. From the very first day, he attracted attention with his frank speeches from the parliamentary rostrum. However, one day, during a parliamentary debate about mutasarrıflıks (districts), he came face to face with Mustafa Kemal.

THE ENGINEER IS BROKEN, GENTLEMEN!

In the Ottoman Empire, the equivalent of today's "district" was "sancak." Sancaks were governed by individuals called "mutasarrıf" (district governor). In many districts of Anatolia, administrators were exercising arbitrary rule by taking advantage of the power vacuum. The people of a town, unable to bear the injustice and oppression committed by the mutasarrıf, applied to the Parliament and complained. In the ensuing debate, Parliament Speaker Mustafa Kemal took the floor:

"Gentlemen, the machine is broken, it's not working. Considering the complaints made about such and such a mutasarrıf, we exiled this person to another district (...)" he said.

This time, Ali Rıza Ataman took the rostrum:

"Gentlemen, it is not the machine but the engineer (implying Mustafa Kemal) who is broken. Exiling a mutasarrıf to another place does not solve the problem. Now, should he suck the blood of the people there too! Gentlemen, such people must be uprooted (...)"

ESCAPE TO KARS

Ali Rıza Ataman's dissenting stance and blunt criticism had a chilling effect within the Parliament. Because the person he targeted and implied was no ordinary individual. In those years, a person named Deli Halit Pasha also served as a Deputy for Kars. While serving in Kâzım Pasha's army, he had been shown love and respect by the people of Kars due to his merits in the liberation of Kars, and he had settled in Kars. After the parliamentary debate, when Topal Osman, known for his dissenting speeches, was found strangled in his home, Ali Ataman and Deli Halit Pasha secretly left Ankara and returned to Kars, fearing for their lives.

At first, no one noticed the sudden disappearance of the two deputies in this manner. One day, while forming parliamentary committees, Mustafa Kemal curiously asked, "Where is Ali Rıza Bey?" When it was learned through investigation and intelligence that the two deputies were in Kars, he ordered them to return. Ali Rıza Ataman refused the Parliament's request. Ali Rıza Ataman had such influence in Kars and among its people that it was out of the question to arrest him and send him to Ankara. Deli Halit Pasha returned to Ankara. One day, in the Speaker of Parliament's room, he was shot and killed by a person named Ali Çetinkaya.

"WHOSE MANSION IS THIS?"

Ali Rıza Ataman was far-sighted and a born leader. Politeness and subtlety were intertwined in his behavior. His daily life was colorful and ostentatious. He had aristocratic tastes with his phaeton, dappled horses, hunting dogs, and hunting rifle. In winter, he would ride sleds from Kağızman down to the Aras River, make a hole in the frozen surface of the river, cook the fish he caught with a fishing rod in a brazier, and feast with his friends. The first piano in Iğdır was in Ali Ataman's house (later Nağı Bey's). The Russian chief engineer working in his cotton gin factory would occasionally play the piano and offer special recitals to his guests. In 1934, when the Shah of Iran decided to spend the night in Iğdır on his way, Ali Rıza Ataman's house was unhesitatingly allocated to him. All the houses on the streets the Shah would pass through were painted white, the roads were sanded to ensure comfortable travel for cars, and a curfew was imposed for security reasons.

Fahrettin Gülseven recounts:

"Because my father could speak Persian, Russian, and Armenian, he was assigned to accompany the Shah as a guide. The Shah of Iran, who was from the Afshar dynasty, could speak a little Turkish. After settling into Ali Ataman's house, the Shah turned to my father and asked, 'Whose mansion is this?' My father quietly replied, 'Ali Rıza Bey's.'"

THIS IS NOT HOW TO BE A SHAH

After the neglected streets of Iğdır, when the Shah saw Ali Rıza Ataman's magnificent, castle-like house built with Yerevan stones, he said with a touch of envy:

"You have established a shahsdom for yourselves here too."

Ali Rıza Ataman:

"It is not possible to establish a shahsdom by living in the house of an Armenian who had to leave the region after the war."

The Shah, fearing poisoning, did not touch the food prepared for him. He preferred the dishes cooked by his private chef with cedar rice and Iranian pistachios. To provide electricity to the house, the cotton gin factory worked all night. The thumping sounds of the engine pierced the darkness of the night, reaching the Shah's ears. When the Shah curiously asked, "What is that sound?" they explained the situation to him. The Shah ordered, "I cannot sleep with this noise. Stop the engine!" They re-illuminated the house with gas lamps. In the middle of the night, the Shah, fearing assassination, had the bed prepared for him moved under the window in the living room. In the morning, the convoy set off for Kars in a magnificent manner.

TELEGRAM TO MUSTAFA KEMAL

In 1926, the government enacted the law on the exile of Aghas and Beys. Some of the Aghas and Beys fled abroad, while those caught were exiled to the West. Ali Rıza Ataman did not remain silent about this situation and sent a telegram to the government and Mustafa Kemal:

"Russian Cossack soldiers, at least, did not disturb us during prayer, but you break down doors and enter people's private rooms. Shame on you!"

Because of this telegram, Ali Ataman experienced many difficulties with Mustafa Kemal in later years, resigned from his deputyship, and settled in Iğdır.

HAMZA AYGÜN RECOUNTS

"The Atamans, originally from Kağızman, are among the first families to come and settle in Iğdır. It is said that the Atamans were among the frontier lords of the Ottoman Empire in the East. This family was enlightened, cultured, and quite wealthy. After the Republic, the most important real estate that passed to the state in Iğdır came into the hands of this family. The family had its own unique aristocratic lifestyle. They would travel in a special phaeton, considered the 'Cadillac' of those years. This phaeton, pulled by carefully sought-out red and white spotted horses, would fill the eye as a symbol of splendor and wealth when it traveled through the town center.

Ali Rıza Ataman Bey from this family entered the Parliament as a Deputy for the First Term. Here, he married Pakize Hanım, the sister of his friend, the Deputy for Sinop, whom he met there. I had the chance to attend this wedding.

In 1934, upon Atatürk's invitation, the Shah of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, who was visiting Turkey, had to travel to Trabzon via the Doğubayazıt, Iğdır, and Kars route. He stayed one night at Ali Rıza Ataman Bey's house in Iğdır. The next day, Shah Pahlavi set off for Trabzon, from where he went to Istanbul and finally Ankara on the battleship Yavuz. On his return, he followed the same route and returned to Iran via Gürbülak.

Ali Rıza Ataman Bey passed away in Iğdır. His body was transferred to Kağızman and buried there. Ali Rıza Ataman had a brother named Mehmet in Kağızman. He also had nephews named Osman and İdris from a deceased brother named Ömer.

OSMAN ATAMAN

After Ali Rıza Ataman's death, Osman Ataman took over the management of the factory and real estate in Iğdır.

Osman Ataman, who had received a good education in his time, spoke Russian and Armenian very well, so he served as an interpreter in protocol discussions held in the border region. Osman Ataman, who lived as a bachelor for many years, finally married Güzin Hanım, the sister of my music teacher Nezahat Hanım, in the 1944s. Güzin Hanım, her mother, and three sisters (Güzin, Nezahat, and Sabahat) had come from Erzurum and settled in Iğdır. Sabahat Hanım also married İdris Ataman Bey. In this way, the brothers İdris and Osman Ataman became brothers-in-law.

Osman Ataman was very much loved by the people of Iğdır. Osman Ataman, who successfully served as mayor three times, lived a long life. Osman Ataman, who passed away in 1990, was transferred to the family cemetery in Kağızman. Mehmet Ataman also passed away in Kağızman. His son Yaşar Ataman became a Senior Agricultural Engineer. His daughters Zeliha Hanım is the wife of Musa Doğan Bey; Mediha Hanım is the wife of Fahrettin Karadeniz Bey.

İDRİS ATAMAN

İdris Ataman was a loyal person to Iğdır. A certain segment got tired of Iğdır and migrated to big cities, but İdris Ataman always resided in Iğdır. İdris Ataman, who completed his civil service career within the Ministry of Agriculture, continued a happy life with his wife Sabahat Hanım after retirement. İdris Ataman raised good children for his country. His son-in-law Vural Savaş Bey once held an important position such as Chief Public Prosecutor. Nazahat Hanım later married Faruk Güventürk, a very valuable general."

THE END