The Treaty of Lausanne, signed in 1923 between the allied powers and the Turks in the aftermath of World War I, still prevails on the Turkish agenda. While on the one hand, some celebrate this treaty, arguing that it marks Turkish independence from the invading powers, others are critical about it as so much was given away, like Cyprus, the Aegean islands, Mosul, etc.
Yahya Kemal Beyatl (1884-1958), a famous Turkish poet and a former ambassador, had an interesting memory from the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne, in which he participated as a reporter. He recounts that while all the plenipotentiaries of the allied powers (The British Empire, France, Italy, Japan, Greece, Romania, and the Serb- Croat-Slovene State) voted in unison in opposition to Turkey, the representative from Ireland was an exception; in each vote, he raised his hand in favor of Turkey’s interests.
Beyatl noticed this unusual person, and could not help asking him the reason. “I am obliged to do it. Not only I, but are all Irish men and women,” said the Irish representative. “When we suffered from famine and disease, your Ottoman ancestors shipped loads of food and monetary donations. We have never forgotten the friendly hand extended to us in our difficult times. Your nation deserves to be supported on every occasion.”
Ireland was ridden with famine and disease between 1845 and 1849. Also known as the Great Hunger, this famine had lasting effects: at least one million people died due to famine-related diseases and more than one million Irish fled, mainly to the United States, England, Canada, and Australia.
Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid sent five ships full of food supplies and funds as charity. However, the British administration did not give permission for these ships to enter the ports of Belfast or Dublin. Taner Baytok, former Turkish ambassador to Ireland, recounts in his memoirs that these ships secretly discharged their load in Drogheda, a town approximately 70 miles north of Dublin.
On May 2, 1995, commemorating this charity, the mayor of Drogheda, Alderman Frank Goddfrey, paid honor to Baytok and erected a plaque in the Westcourt Hotel, which was then the City Hall where Turkish seamen stayed. Baytok says he first learned of this act of charity from an article by Thomas P. O’Neill published in The Threshold magazine in 1957. To this day, the Drogheda United football club remembers this generous act by displaying the star and cresent moon on their jerseys.
The Otoman sultan declared that he would donate £10,000, but on the orders of Queen Victoria, the British Ambassador in Istanbul informed the Sultan that he should reduce this amount, for the Queen’s donation was only £2,000. As noted in the letter of gratitude from the “noblemen, gentlemen, and inhabitants of Ireland,” the amount donated by Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid was reduced by the Queen to one thousand pounds.
Ottoman efforts to provide food and lessen the pains of the Irish people, despite political obstacles and the long distance, certainly deserves to be appreciated. It is a case study that should be analyzed carefully, not only as historical evidence for the friendship between two nations, but also as a perfect example that differences of race, religion, or language should not prevent humanitarian aid.
This generous charity from a Muslim sultan to a Christian nation is also important, particularly in our time when Muslims are often unfairly accused of human rights violations. Likewise, the appreciative plaque and overall reaction of the Irish society in return for this charity deserves to be applauded. We hope that the Turkish-Irish friendship sets a model for peace among different nations.
On a recent trip to Turkey, President of Ireland, Mary McAleese expressed gratitude to the Turkish people for the humanitarian aid provided by the Islamic Khilafah to Ireland during the Great Famine, 160 years ago.
The Turkish newspaper, “Ikinci Vatan”, reported that President McAleese on her official visit to Turkey made the statement during her meeting with Turkish president Abdullah Gul and expressed the words of gratitude from the people of Ireland for humanitarian aid provided by Ottoman Caliphate.
no one else came to our aid except a native american tribe and Ottoman Sultan Khaleefah Abdul-Majid this will never beforgotten
never, they came with aid when others wished we went off into the night and died but the true spirit of these people reached out and helped ireland and for this we know we have allies in muslim people
and for these reason we support palestine we know occupation we know imperial tyranny and we will die fighting it … long live our turkish brothers love live the muslim people and free palestine
It is sad to see so many people, even those who respect the truth, unwittingly repeating the lies that are still taught in most schools about the 1845-50 starvation of Ireland.
Forget “potatoes,” forget “famine.” See my http://www.irishholocaust.org to learn which British regiment starved which Irish district. Click on its map until it is large enough. See the locations of hundreds of mass graves filled by those regiments.
See the actual murder toll.
My definitive book on the subject is ready for publication.
Chris Fogarty
A friend sent this e-mail to me. I was aware of Turkey’s help to Ireland during the imposed famine. Ireland had many periods of famine down through the centuries. The 1845-1850was the most deadly.
I also know that this help from Turkey and the crown’s continued attempts to prevent food from reaching Ireland’s starving men, women and children earned Queen Victoria her title of “The Famine Queen.”
Sadly, for centuries England only wanted the island of Ireland and not the Irish people. They planted Scots-Irish in Northern Ireland where industry was established. Trade Unions banned the hiring of Irish Catholics.
The so called “TROUBLES” could have ended in the 1970 time period. But Margaret Thatcher needed loyalist votes to assure her reelection one term after another. President Bill Clinton
made a campaign promise to place a peace process at the top of his agenda. He did. He was dedicated to ending the tragedy of the Six Counties. He, Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Senator and Judge George Mitchell working with others–realized a goal of establishing a shared government. Today The Assembly is up and running.
Sadly, former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and President Ronald W. Reagan had many opportunities to help to settle “The Troubles”–but showed no interest in the issue. Today, Margaret Thatcher does not know it is resolved and a shared government is operational.Madame Thatcher has dementia. Ronald Reagan suffered from the same illness
in the latter part of his life.
The May 2011 first visit to Ireland in more than a century, of a British monarch, set a welcome new tone of respect and understanding. Queen Elizabeth II placing a wreath at the National Cemetery in The Garden of Remembrance , bowing her head is a moment in current history that was communicated around the world.Many of Ireland’s martyrs, killed by England, rest in peace and finally earned the respect of England at long, long last.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s apology for England’s lack of help for the Irish people during the imposed famine, 150 years after millions died in Ireland, was long overdue but
sincerely stated.
In 2010, Prime Minister David Cameron stated the 14 people killed by British Paratroopers on Bloody Sunday in Derry on January 30, 1972 was without justification. It was an orderly, peaceful march by innocent, unarmed marchers. The English paratroopers reported that they were fired on by the IRA. They were not fired on by the IRA. The marchers were innocent and unarmed. The English paratroopers shot first and were the only ones firing weapons.
When Prime Minister Cameron stated the 14 Irish Catholics were innocent and unarmed, sadly–there was only one parent of the 14 victims living in 2010. The 14 were at last
proclaimed innocent unarmed victims which Ireland said all along and England whitewashed for 38 years. Truth will always prevail.
These current apologies and the queen’s visit to Ireland are long overdue and most welcome.
Jacqueline Beusse
A truly uplifting case of humanity.in the uk many now demonise muslims just as the irish were in the 1970s&80s.just as the latest smokescreen given to the public in regards to the attack on libya is being portrayed as humanitarian.check-saving the worlds economy from gaddafi,the gold dina-on youtube.imperialism never changes.
It was the Choctaw who raised and sent money to Ireland during the hunger. A people who would understand more than most how it feels to be invaded, colonised and ousted. If you look up The Trail of Tears in Wikipedia the tale is full of reference to “settlers”,”boundaries” and “treaties” all of which were as foreign as concepts as the monsters in starched suits that imposed them. Is it too much of a leap to suggest that Empires themselves are the problem? The Ottoman empire was just that and while capable of what is described in the article, where are the Armenians, the Kurds? There is brotherhood and sisterhood between all ordinary people of all faiths, colours and that’s what todays empires are afraid of. Up Drogheda!, Up Kurdistan!, Up Turkey . Up Armenia!, Up Palestine!
Sorry. I didn’t mean to miss the! with Turkey!
BBC reporters questions,
After the inquiry into Bloody Sunday, a relative suffered a question relating to the cost to the british taxpayer of the inquiry.
Answer,
“My brothers life was priceless.”
On the queen’s visit to Eire, in the background along the lines, “Is too much history taught in Ireland?”
In Nabi Saleh today a BBC reporter might of been hit in it’s head with a tear gas canister by the IOF. Please, Please, Please let it be Jane Corbin!
What is going on with the newspaper “News Of The World” phone-hacking scandal in the Great Britian? The causality’s are starting to stack up: News of The World itself closed down. Rebekah Brook (News International chief executive) arrested on suspicion of corruption and phone hacking. The Great Britian’s most senior police officer John Yates resigned. The News Of The World reporter who blew the whistle on phone hacking at the paper has been found dead, which is now being treated as “unexplained”. Rupert and James Murdoch are to appear before government committee to answer questions on the phone hacking scandal. The news is making the news; whatever next?
The turkish people are the warmest and most helpful people you will ever want to meet.
If there was more of this Humanitarianism between countries today, we would probably be making better efforts with peace instead of war!
– A proud Irish Lady married to a wonderful Turkish Man