Diaries of Kandahar:1884-1886

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No. 326c., dated camp Amri, 30 January 1884.
From-J. R. Fitz Gerald,Esq., 1st assistant agent to the Governer-General in Baluchistan, incharge agent to the governer general’s office,
To-H. M. Durand, Esq., C.S.I., secretary to the govt of India, foreign department.

I have the honor to forward, for the information of the govt. of India, copy translation of a letter received from the news writer at kandahar,
No 1, dated 4th Rabi-ul-Awal=3rd January 1884.

3. on the 28th Safar=27th December Mehmud* Khan, Hazara, and Haji Abdullah Khan, Alikozai,the brother of Haji Attaullah Khan, arrived from Herat with 30 Sowars. They brought with them twenty horses as presents for the Amir. On the next day they left for Kabul. ( Misc)

*The chief of Hazara is Muhammad Khan. It is his brother, Mahmood Khan , who has come to Kandahar.

No. 5295, dated Quetta, 22nd November 1884.
From- J.R. Fitz Gerald, Esq., 1st Assistant Agent to the Governer General, in charge office of governer general’s Agent , Baluchistan,
To –Secretary to the Govt. of India, Foreign Department.

I have the honor to submit , for the information of the govt. of India, translated copy of a letter received from Amir has him, the Biritish News-Writer at the Kandahar, no 43, dated 16th Muharram 1302=5th November 1884.

(To Rid of Amir and Repair of Road s of HazaraJat)

4. Mohammed Sadik, son of Haji Abdul Wahab, has recently arrived from Kabul. According to him, the Amir is plundering his people in every possible way, and thinks of nothing but the accumulation of wealth. I asked him after a number of people in good position in Kabul, with whom I was formerly acquainted. In each case he said they had been imprisoned , or reduced to poverty by the exorbitant demands made upon them. Justice is altogether unknown in Kabul, and the people pray incessantly for speedy relief from the present rule. Mohammed Hussain Khan, Afshar, has been appointed to repair that portion of the road through the Hazarajat to Heart, which lies within the province of Kabul.

No. 5923, dated camp Sangan, the 31st December 1884.
From- Lieut. Col. sir. R. G. Sandeman, K.C.S.I., agent to the governer general in Baluchistan,
To- H. M. Durand , Esq., C.S.I., Offg. Secretary to the govt of India, foreign department.

I have the honor to forward, for the information of the govt of India, copy translation of a letter from Mir Hashim, the news writer at the Kandahar, no. 47, dated 15th Safar 1302=4th December 1884.

(War against MianNashin Hazara)

9.One infantry regiment and two guns were lately dispatched to punish the Main Nashin Hazara tribes, who complain of the injustice of the government officials and showed symptoms of rebellion. The governer has now sent a sowar to Dabla and Khakrez to warn the tribesmen to join the govt troops against the Hazaras.

No. 485 c., dated camp Sibi, the 4th february 1885.
From – the agent to the Governer General in Baluchistan,
To –H. M. Durand, Esq., C.S.I., Offg. Secretary to the Government of India, foreign department.

I have the honor to submit, for the information of the government of India, copy translation or a letter received from Mir Hashim, the british news writer at Kandahar, no. 51, dated 15th rabi-ul-awal 1302=3rd january 1885.

(War against Mian-Nashin Hazara)

4.The regiment of infantry and two mule battery guns, that were sent to punish the MiyanNashin Hazaras, were unsuccessful owing to the rebels having fled to the hills, and the troops, merely for a want on display of power burnt fourteen or fifteen MiyanNashin and Morghab fortresses which had paid revenue, killed sixty or eighty men, including several children, and seized thirty or forty women and children and a number of goats and sheep, and brought them to Haz. The women and children are with the infantry regiment, and are being sold one by one. While these sales and murders were going on, a women came to Abdul Rashid Khan, the commandant of regiment, and complained that her son was being murdered in cold blood, and asked for help. Abdul Rashid Khan rose and struck the women with his sword, wounding her fatally in two or three places, and yet, in the face of these outrages, these men profess to Mohammedan. If these be the fruits of Islam, the religion has degenerated.

No. 1884, dated Quetta, 4th May 1885.
From- colonel Sir Robert Sandeman, K.C.S.I., Agent to the governer general in Baluchistan,
To- The secretary to the govt of India, foreign department.

I have the honor to forward, for the information of the govt of India, a copy translation of Kandahar news-letter no. 13, dated 7th April 1885.

(Revenue as tool of defeat)

3. Five or six hundred Hazaras and Tarins came to Heart to lay their grievances against Taimur Shah Khan, Hakim of Tarin, before the Governor. The letter is examining Taimur Shah’s account, and has ascertained that the Hakim has realized four times the revenue due from the Hazaras. And Afghans corroborate the Hazaras in stating his extortion’s amount to much more than Rs. 5,000. The complainants threaten to go on to Kabul, and appeal to the Amir if they fail to obtain redress in heart, but the deputy governer assured them that everything possible will be done to recover and restore to them the excess extorted from them; and if not, when the Amir returns, they should get leave to go and plead their cause before him.

No. 3211, dated Quetta, the 17th July 1885.
From – Col. Sir Robert Sandeman, K.C.S.I., Governer General’s agent in Baluchistan,
To- H.M. Durand, Esq.m., C.S.I., Secretary to the govt of India, foreign department.

I have the honor to forward, for the information to the govt, translated copy of Kandahar news letter No. 22, dated 22nd June 1885.

(Gizab Hazara Rebels)

The Hazaras residing at *Kizu have rebelled, owing to the oppression to which they have been subjected, and have declined to recognize the authority of the Hakim appointed by the Governor. Muhsan Khan, the leader of the section, has joined the other rebellious Hazaras, and is collecting men and intends to fight. In other districts also slight disturbances are cropping up. For instance, the inhabitants of Tarin had a fight among themselves, and about twenty men were killed and wounded.

* Kizu: Gizao or Gizab in the province of Uruzgan

No. 4260, dated Quetta, the 16th Sept 1885.
From- Colonel Sir Robert Sandeman, K.C.S.I., agent to the Governer-General, in Baluchistan,
To- H.M. Durand, Esq., C.S.I., secretary to the govt of India, foreign department.

I have the honor to forward, for the information of the govt of India, translated copy of a letter received from Mir Hashim, the british news writer at Kandahar , no. 29, dated 21st August 1885.

(Assault on Warazgan)

7.They say that the Sipah Salar, Gulam Haider Khan, assured the Amir that if troops were given him, he would conquer and reduce to submission of the Hazara tribes residing in *Warzgan who had long been in a state of rebellion. People say however that the Sipah Salar is not much esteemed by the Amir.

*Wazgan: It could be spell mistake in the text. The actual word is Warazgan.

No.1217, dated Quetta, the 24th march 1886.
From- captain Ivor Maclvor, B.S.C, in charge office of governer general’s agent in Balochistan,
To- the secretary to the government of India, foreign department.

I have the honor to forward, for the information of the government of India, a translated copy of Kandahar news letter no 6, dated the 5th march 1886

(Hazara and Tarin Conflict)

2. Sahib Khan Alizai Governor of Tarin has informed the governer of the Kandahar that he has arrested the Afghan and Hazara headmen of Tarin who had a fight among themselves, in which some men were killed on either side. The Governor wrote back to say that he should send them prisoners to him.

No. 1710, dated Quetta, 24th April 1886.
From- captain Ivar Maclvor, B.S.C., in charge office of governer generals agent in Balochistan,
To- the secretary to the government of India, foreign department.

I have the honor to submit for the information of the govt of India translated copy of Kandahar news letter no. 10, dated the 5th April 1886

(Tarin and Hazara Conflict)

4.by order of the governer of Kandahar, Sahib khan, Hakim of Tarin and Dahri Rud has sent Mohsin khan, Hazara, and other influential men to Kandahar. It is probable that the governer thinks it is Mohsin khan who creates disturbances in the Hazarajat and under these circumstances it may be conjectured that the governer will detain Mohsin khan in Kandahar and not let him return.

No 76. dated camp kahan, the 16th June 1886.
From- colonel sir Oliver St. john, K.C.SI., officiating agent to the Governer General in Balochistan,
To- the secretary to the government of India, foreign department.

I have the honor to forward, for the information of the govt of India, a translated copy of a letter from the british news writer at Kandahar, no 18 dated the 3rd June 1886.

(Misc)

4. it has been customary hitherto for the sides of Siestan subjects of Persia to come to such parts of Afghanistan as the Hazarajat and Kabul, and after taking presents and gifts from the people, to return to their country.

british diaries, diaries of kandahar, hazara genocide