Wikipedia Lies

For some time now, a certain EVIL FRONT in our beloved Iğdır has launched a smear campaign against me. The accusation they hope will succeed is this:

"Mücahit Özden Hun is changing the history of Iğdır."

I know that they have initiated a covert and overt campaign against me by voicing these claims everywhere.

In this short article, I want to explain to my readers, starting with a simple example, who is truly distorting the history of Iğdır. There's no need to go too far: consulting Wikipedia or Facebook pages will lead us to the correct information.

I would like to remind my readers who may not know, Hacı Ali Ekber Tufan and his family are our kirve (a type of spiritual kinship, often through circumcision). In fact, my father published Hacı Ali Ekber Tufan's memoirs verbatim in the PAMUKOVA Newspaper, which he published in 1955. But for me, family friendship is one thing, and the truths of Iğdır are another.

If you go to Wikipedia and type "Ali Ekber Tufan" (i.e., go to the page https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Ekber_Tufan), you will see the following text. The text written in bold (between START and END) is taken directly from Wikipedia.

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He belongs to a large family known as "Ramazanoğlu" (Melekli) in the region. He is a graduate of the Yerevan Russian Gymnasium. During World War I, as the Iğdır representative of Cemiyet-i Hayriye, he organized and carried out the collection of financial aid for the regular army from the Caucasus during the Balkan War and the 93 War.

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MÜCAHİT ÖZDEN HUN'S ANSWER: Let's consider these two sentences together. Hacı Ekber Tufan's date of birth is January 14, 1870. The Ottoman-Russian War, known as the 93 War, took place between April 24, 1877, and March 3, 1878. In short, Hacı Ali Ekber Tufan, who was 7-8 years old during the 93 War, allegedly organized and carried out financial aid from the Caucasus. A blatant lie!

Now let's come to the fabrication of "Cemiyet-i Hayriye." Cemiyet-i Hayriye means "Charitable Society." Cemiyet-i Hayriye is a non-governmental organization with an İttihatçı (Unionist) orientation. The idea of establishing Cemiyet-i Hayriye was decided in 1908 by Mehmet Şerif Pasha of Egypt and his friends at the Pera Palace Hotel. A Turkish regulation was written in a short time, and the establishment of the society was announced to the public. In later years, the society's scope of activity was expanded to include Muslim countries abroad. The aim was to eliminate the despair and pessimism among Muslims, give them new enthusiasm, and mobilize them. A branch of Cemiyet-i Hayriye was opened in Baku. The main goal of the Society was to help Ottoman prisoners held on Nargin (Büyük Zire) island near Baku. The Iğdır Branch was never opened. During these years (1915-1916), Ali Ekber Tufan did not go to Baku. A blatant lie! Wikipedia lies continue.

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General James Harbord, Chief of Staff of the American Army, who came to the region on behalf of Wilson's Principles, toured the region with Ali Ekber Tufan and reported to the Allied Powers: "I did not see any Armenians in the place called Great Armenia." This situation is of great importance for Iğdır to remain within Turkey's borders during the Lausanne Peace Treaty process.

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MÜCAHİT ÖZDEN HUN'S ANSWER: It's time to clarify this "General James Harbord" report that everyone talks about. The original report used the following title:

CONDITIONS IN THE NEAR EAST.

AMERICAN MILITARY MISSION TO ARMENIA,

On Board U. S. S. Martha Washington, October 16, 1919.

From: Maj. Gen. James G. Harbord, United States Army.

To: The Secretary of State.

Subject: Report of the American Military Mission to Armenia.

As can be understood from the title above, the report was written for the attention of the US Department of State on October 16, 1919. Major General Harbord, as claimed on Wikipedia, was not the Chief of Staff of the US Army, but an officer with the rank of Major General, and he was not alone; he was accompanied by a large military delegation. Those curious about Major General Harbord's report can read it by clicking on the link: https://fatsr.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Harbord-report.pdf. Nowhere in this report is the phrase "I did not see any Armenians in the place called Great Armenia," as claimed by Wikipedia.

Harbord's mission was to examine the extent of the Armenian Massacres and to question the suitability of Armenia becoming an American Mandate. The statement that Ali Ekber Tufan accompanied Major General Harbord and guided him is a blatant lie. Moreover, between August and October 1919, Iğdır was experiencing a "Kaça-Kaç" (flight/exodus), and the Iğdır plain was deserted. Ali Ekber Tufan was either going to Beyazıt Province to seek help from the Hamidiye Kurdish Regiments or hiding in Iranian Azerbaijan. He had no time to meet Harbord! Let's continue with Wikipedia's lies.

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Ali Ekber Tufan, who lost his father, mother, and daughter during the war years for various reasons, took over the presidency of the Türk Ocağı (Turkish Hearth) in the Sürmeli region with the "population exchange" initiated after the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, dealt with the people who migrated to Iğdır, guided municipal work, and pioneered the establishment of many political parties.

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MÜCAHİT ÖZDEN HUN'S ANSWER: The decision to establish an association that would spread and sustain the idea of Turkism, and to name it "Türk Ocağı," was made at a meeting in the Ottoman Empire on July 3, 1911. In the congress held in 1924, Türk Ocağı branches were found only in provinces and districts such as Elazığ, Harput, Kars, Sarıkamış, and Van in the Eastern and Southeastern regions. A Türk Ocağı was established in Iğdır for a short period after the Sheikh Said Rebellion. There is no document indicating that Ali Ekber Tufan was its president. The Türk Ocakları were closed in 1931. Ali Ekber Tufan did not take part in the establishment or activities of any political party after the Republic. A blatant lie!

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He assumed the chairmanship of a committee consisting of 5 Turks and 5 Armenians, with the condition that the chairman be Turkish, which Armenians also joined. After the Armenians attacked Baku, the Armenians of Iğdır resigned from the administration, and then the government building in the center of Iğdır was moved to Melekli, which had a population of 4000, and the Iğdır National Republic, encompassing Iğdır, Tuzluca, Aralık, Şerur, Doğu Beyazıt, Vedibasar, Serdarabad, was declared with Melekli as its capital. This republic, whose president was Ali Ekber Tufan, was recognized by the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic Parliament.

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MÜCAHİT ÖZDEN HUN'S ANSWER: They asked the camel why its neck was crooked, and the camel replied, "What part of me is straight?" So much falsehood and distortion are intertwined that one doesn't know which one to deal with. Armenians were the majority in Iğdır center. There were a few Azeri families in İdirmava. Sultanabat was the closest Azeri settlement to Iğdır Center. When the Russians withdrew after the 1917 Revolution, a committee was formed in Iğdır Center to carry out municipal and other civil services, but it had no political content. 80-90% of Iğdır Center's population was Armenian. Why would a committee consisting of 5 Azeris and 5 Armenians be formed? Let's assume it was formed. Why would Armenians agree to Ali Ekber Tufan, who came from Melekli, being the chairman of this committee? The claim that the Government Building was moved to Melekli is also a lie. Speeches are given about "the Turkish flag being hoisted at the Government Building during the Liberation of Iğdır." But wasn't the Government Building in Melekli???

"Iğdır National Republic" is a figment of imagination. It has no basis in reality. There were two Republics: the South-West Caucasian Republic and the Aras Turkish Republic, centered in Nakhchivan. However, both Republics had completed their existence in August 1919, during the Kaça-Kaç period.

The Transcaucasian Republic, formed with the participation of the states of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia on April 22, 1918, ended on May 26, 1918. Why would the Transcaucasian Republic, consisting of Armenians, Georgians, and Azeris, recognize the supposed Iğdır National Republic (!), which was assumed to have been established in the Sürmeli Plain, accepted by all three states as being within the borders of the Armenian state? A complete lie!!

Due to the Kaça-kaç, the Azeri people took refuge in Melekli, thus the population of Melekli suddenly increased, reaching 4000 in August 1919. Bıro Heski Telli, a Kurdish Hamidiye Officer, thankfully came from Beyazıt Province and helped save 4000 helpless civilians, bringing them to the Erhacı plain and then helping them cross into Iranian Azerbaijan. I don't understand why the people of Melekli neglect to erect a statue of Bıro Heski Telli!

The biggest lie is this: supposedly, the Iğdır National Republic also included Doğubayazıt. Come on! For one thing, in those years, Doğubayazıt was called Beyazıt and was an Ottoman sanjak. Wikipedia lies continue:

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Ali Ekber Tufan, who participated in the secret Tiflis Turkish Congress held to arm the Turkish people in the Caucasus, obtained weapons for the Iğdır National Government Units to defend against Taşnak gangs with the help of Mehmed Emin Resulzade.

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MÜCAHİT ÖZDEN HUN'S ANSWER: The best answer to the above lie is given by the late Hacı Ali Tufan himself. In the November 17, 1954 issue of Pamukova Newspaper, published by Mecit Hun, Hacı Ali Ekber Tufan publishes his memoirs in his own words:

"I will not talk about the efforts we made and the humble services I rendered in awakening national sentiment and inclining the Islamic-Turkish world towards unity after the tension and struggle between Turks and Armenians in 1905. However, I deem it useful to mention some memories of liberation.

In 1334 (1918), our Army withdrew from the Caucasus and Iran, and Division Commander Ali Kemal Bey asked Major Mehmet Bey for 4 people to organize the public.

With Mehmet Bey's approval, Fettah Güneş, son of Hamit Beyoğlu, Tayfur, son of Ali Bey (Tayfur Kederli, son of Eli Ağa from the Burukan Tribe. Mücahit), Ağabey from Melekli village, and I were assigned. It was decided to send a delegation to Yakup Şefki Pasha in Kars to bring officers to organize the public in an orderly manner with ammunition and rifles.

The delegation that went consisted of the late Alieşref Bey (Güneş) and Rıza Bey from Revan. Since Yakup Şefki Pasha could not help due to the situation at that time, the delegation returned empty-handed, and the disheartened people had to leave Iğdır and go to Iran. The people of Çobankere and Revan settled in Xoy; the people of Saraşlı, Gödekli, and Ahuralı settled in Karaköse and Erzurum. Of course, we, who remained weak, could not succeed in establishing the organization.

Meanwhile, I went to Şeril with my family, and my relatives Esat, Kurban, Medet, and Celil went to D.Bayazıt. After a while, they came and brought us to Doğubayazıt via Iran.

During this time, the Armenians began to oppress Muslims and prepare for massacres in Iğdır and its vicinity, and they besieged Melekli, the most common refuge for Turks, from the Kire side (from Mount Ağrı). At that time, I went with Abbas, a merchant from Söğütlü Mahallesi, who was a refugee in Beyazıt, to Division Commander Cavit Bey and explained the situation. After a few days of waiting, they officially informed us that they could not do anything for us, but that it would be beneficial to meet with the tribal leaders. Immediately, we applied to Şevket Bey, who later became the Deputy of Bayezid. Şevket Bey called Sheikh İbrahim Bey, Abdülvahap Bey, and Zorzade İzzet Efendi, and after a short consultation, they decided to save Melekli by participating himself. However, since this required Şevket Bey's resignation, İbrahim Ağa, known as Bro Hesso Telli, was sent in his place.

This tribal force inflicted heavy casualties on the Armenians and rescued nearly 3000 Turks, bringing them to Erhacı. At that time, the Armenians had also started massacres. Those who escaped the sword and oppression took refuge in Erhacı.

An officer named Cengiz Bey was establishing an organization in Kerimbeyli, and soldiers were being sent to the Bulakbaşı position. This new organization also spread to Erhacı, and soldiers were sent to gather the scattered forces there in a trained manner. Hacı Xanlar Bey, Şefi Öcal, Hasan, son of Melekli Mirza Memet, and Hanife, son of Ali Hüseyin, had great efforts in the organization in Erhacı. They were also collecting provisions. A few days later, the accumulation in Erhacı attacked Iğdır. Although the Armenians, who initially thought this community was soldiers, fled, they later returned to Iğdır after realizing the situation. Thereupon, the people in Erhacı had to retreat to Orgof. From there, they came to Bayazıd and crossed into Iran. Thus, due to both Armenian atrocities and lack of provisions, all the people of Iğdır withdrew to Iran. We mostly settled in Senger, Tazeköy, and Kişmiş Tepe near Hoy. After spending the winter here, we returned to Bayezid. At this time, the Army began preparations for the occupation of Iğdır, and Gündeli Süleyman, with a few soldiers, accompanied by Melekli Cevat Han, Yusuf, son of Abdullah, and Feyzullah, son of Salman, came to Beyazıd.

My brother Eset, Hüseyin, son of Bahçeli, and Haşim, son of Abbas, were also volunteers in the military unit marching on Iğdır. We could not take Iğdır the first time. The second time, with the participation of the Tribal Regiments (Hamidiye Regiments), Iğdır was occupied on November 12, 1920."

Between August 1919 and November 14, 1920, Mehmet Emin Resulzade was the President of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan. His whole concern was to protect the Republic against the Communists. The Red Army of Soviet Russia entered Azerbaijan on April 27, 1920, ending the republic. Mehmet Emin Resulzade, who could not help himself, supposedly provided arms to the Iğdır National Republic, ensuring their liberation!!! The Kurdish Hamidiye Regiments liberated Melekli. Do not forget this!!!)

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Ali Ekber Tufan and General Drastamat Kanayan "General Dro," leader of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) and a childhood friend from Yerevan Gymnasium and Iğdır, faced each other as leaders of two warring communities. In the Battle of Melekli-Kireler, General Dro was defeated by Ali Ekber Tufan.

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MÜCAHİT ÖZDEN HUN'S ANSWER: Dro was never defeated by Ali Ekber Tufan or any other force. Dro's headquarters was Taşburun. The biggest battle against Dro was fought by Ali Mirze Bey and the forces under his command, but they could not defeat him. Dro moved his soldiers to the other side of the Aras at an opportune time.

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Ali Ekber Tufan was among the founders of the Aras Turkish Republic, the Southwest Caucasian Provisional Government, and the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic established in the region during the National Struggle, fought against the Anzac Units that came to the region to disband the Cenubi Garb-i Kafkasya Government, drove them away from the region, and escaped the Malta Exile.

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MÜCAHİT ÖZDEN HUN'S ANSWER: First, I would like to draw your attention to an obvious lie. Ali Ekber Tufan was absolutely not involved in the establishment of the Aras Turkish Republic, the Southwest Caucasian Republic, or the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic. Any reader can see the lists of names with a little research.

Lie! Lie! Lie! Ali Ekber Tufan never fought against ANZAC Units (the British) in Kars or anywhere else, and ANZAC Units never came to the Sürmeli plain. Therefore, Ali Ekber Tufan's capture and exile to Malta never happened. Ali Rıza Ataman, from Kağızman, who settled in Iğdır after 1920, was to be arrested in Kars and exiled to Malta, but he escaped from the British in Batumi.

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Ali Ekber Tufan, who decided to retreat to the Erhacı Region against the intensifying Armenian attacks in June 1920, provided support of over 10,000 militia forces to the Turkish Army commanded by Kâzım Karabekir, which reached the region on "November 12, 1920, Iğdır Liberation Day," and attacked the Armenian Forces entrenched along the Aras River.

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MÜCAHİT ÖZDEN HUN'S ANSWER: Make up as much as you can! After all, gentlemen, your tongue has no bones! If Ali Ekber Tufan had a force of 10,000, there would have been no need for the Turkish Army and the Hamidiye Regiments to participate in the siege of Iğdır.

The first lie is this: clashes in the Sürmeli plain gradually intensified from July 1919. Genocides and the Kaça-Kaç occurred in August 1919. Bıro Heski Telli brought the people of Melekli to the Erhacı plain in August 1919, and from there helped them cross into Iranian Azerbaijan. Wikipedia invents such a lie that it seems Ali Ekber Tufan was fighting against Armenian forces with thousands of soldiers in the Sürmeli Plain throughout 1919-1920, but for a temporary period, he decided to retreat to the Erhacı plain in June 1920. Lie! Lie!

I call out again: I appeal to Mr. Nizamettin Onk, who holds Hacı Ali Ekber Tufan's Memoirs: Publish that book! Just as I published Veli Orkun's book, you must publish that book.

I hope the EVIL FRONT attacks me more mercilessly. But I love them because they are all my beloved compatriots. How can I be angry with them for lying! I wish my compatriots, who suffer from MYTHOMANIA, the disease of lying, a speedy recovery.

PUT YOUR HAND ON YOUR CONSCIENCE! AM I CHANGING THE HISTORY OF IĞDIR, OR IS THE EVIL FRONT?

Sincerely,