Kurdistan and The Kurds A Divided Homeland and a Nation without ...

y fear of their own personal gains and in protection of
their positions in view of the increasing influence of the
Sheikhdom, extending into worldly matters as well as
the spiritual ones.
In spite of the unification of the regional feudal lords
and their wars against Sheikh Barzan in 1893, they were
unable to conquer him. Finally, they were able to deceive
him and hand him over to the Ottoman authorities that in
turn imprisoned him in the city of Batlis. The Ottomans
released him towards the end of spring of 1894 because
of their politics of weakening one local leader at the
expense of another. However, when he returned to Barzan,
opposition grew against the Sheikhdom of Barzan and
the period between 1895-1896 was characterised with
battles and severe bloodshed that ended with the victory
of the Barzan Sheikhdom. This led to a new era of total
change in the Northern society and its tradition of feuds
giving way to forgiveness and forgetting. This is what
eventually facilitated unification and accord.
Sheikh Mohammed died in 1902 and was succeeded
by his son Sheikh Abdel Salam the second who began
his reign by establishing tight links with the leaders of
the Kurdish movement for the sake of a unified struggle.
Some of these leaders were: The General Sherif Pasha,
Sheikh Abdel Kader El-Nahri and Amin Ali Badirkhan.
Most worthy of mention is his report written in 1907
asking the Ottoman authorities to make Kurdish the official
language and the language of instruction in schools. In
addition, he asked for improvements in the administrative,
legal and fiscal apparatus.
Because of this report, the Ottoman government
convoked Sheikh Mohammed to negotiations. This
invitation turned out to be nothing but a trap set for his
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