| Chapter 12: | Tekhoma: The Last Assyrian Independent Province |
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To create an excuse for his attack, Bedr Khan required them to meet certain requests that they were in no position to fulfill, chiefly the payment of a large sum of money, and backed his demand up with a threat to invade and destroy their country if they failed to comply. To make his threat sound serious, he ordered the inhabitants of Tiyari to collect and prepare provisions and other necessary supplies for the projected campaign.
The date for starting the invasion was announced as immediately after the end of the Muslim month of Ramazan. This gave Layard, who had been planning to visit this district, time to do so just a few days before the invasion began. On his way, he observed a Kurdish group headed by the Mutasalim of Julamerk, who, as he noted, was notorious for his enmity to the Assyrians. The Mutasalim summoned Layard’s companion Rais Yacob and, after threatening him, sent a similar message to Layard. Meanwhile a messenger was sent to Noor Allah Beg, informing him of the presence of a ‘Frank’ in the mountains. The next day, a messenger arrived and informed Layard that this time ‘Bedr Khan Beg intends to finish with the Christians, and will not make slaves for consuls and Turks to liberate’.1
The threat of upcoming massacre hung over the daily lives of the inhabitants. Even the women, along with the men, were participating in discussing this nightmare and expressing their opinions on how to defend themselves and their country.
2. Appeal to the Pasha of Mosul
Even while they were preparing for the attacks, the people were exercising every means to secure peace for themselves, including an appeal to the government to provide them with protection. They understood that their own power was no longer enough to withstand a powerful attack by the Kurds. The imbalance between their limited resources and those of the Kurds in both Persia and Turkey, who were well armed and determined, left them no hope except the interference of the pasha of Mosul. Accordingly a meeting at the village of Birjani resolved to send a delegation to the pasha made up of leading men and including the learned Kasha (Priest) Bdakha.