by Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis
In five previous articles, entitled “William Guthrie´s Turcomania: the Correct Name for Inexistent Kurdistan” ), “Jews and Turkmen Can Prosper Again in Tuz Khurmatu – With Turkey Annexing North Iraq” ), “Iraq´s Turkmenia to Merge with Turkey: Primary Concern of All Turks and Muslims” ), “Tombstone on Fake Kurdistan: Turkmen Political and Religious Movements in Iraq” ), and “Turkmen Culture and Literature in Northern Iraq – True Identity vs. Fake Kurdish Propaganda” ), I published the first five chapters of an insightful book published by Mofak Salman Kerkuklu, one of the Turkmen foremost intellectuals, on “The Turkmen City of Tuz Khormatu”.
As the book bears witness to the Turkmen identity of the Northern Iraqi city, it consists in an excellent refutation of disastrous plans that provide for the formation of a fake state ´Kurdistan´ which will plunge into strife and disaster the subjugated non-Kurdish nations and ethno-religious groups, either those identified as unrelated (Turkmen, Aramaean, Jewish) or those labeled “Kurds” (Zaza, Sorani, Yazidi, Ahl-e Haq, Feyli, etc.).
In the present article, I publish the book´s sixth and seventh chapters, which are dedicated to the historical places and the social life in Tuz Khormatu, in Northern Iraq. Through various testimonies, the unbreakable interconnection with Turkey and the Ottoman Empire, Azerbaijan and Central Asia is highlighted.
This chapter´s subject is politically critical because the international community, and more particularly the US – for the time they plan or will be able to sustain US soldiers there – are responsible for the preservation of the Turkmen cultural identity and heritage in the US-occupied North Iraq.
The paranoid US – EU decision to consider terrorist groups as possible interlocutors and to unwisely demonstrate predilection to unrepresentative political groups that have provenly terrorized other nations and ethno-religious groups risks leading to situations encountered in Taleban Afghanistan, involving destruction of culturally significant sites and archeological places within a project of elimination of the targeted nations´ and ethno-religious groups´ proofs of historicity and historical prevalence over the fabricated nation “Kurds”. In this regard, several Turkmen, Aramaean (mistakenly called ´Assyrian´), Yazidi and Mandaean sites should be immediately included into the World Heritage List of the UNESCO (see: .
The Turkmen historicity of many lands falsely claimed as ´Kurdish´ will be one of the obstacles to the evil plans of the Apostate Freemasonic Lodge to set up a bogus-state called Kurdistan that will be the Hell-on-Earth.
The Turkmen City of Tuz Khormatu
By Mofak Salman Kerkuklu
Historical places in Tuz Khormatu
The history of Tuz Khormatu goes back to ancient times. There are several temples, shrines and historical places in Tuz Khormatu, which I would like to mention.
6.1 Gawer Kalasi (Christian Castle)
One of the most important historical places in Tuz Khormatu to visit is the Gawer Kalasi, which means ´Christian castle´ in the Turkmen language. The history of the castle goes back to the Assyrian era. The Gawer Kalasi is located at the top of the Murtada Riza Mountain, which overlooks the Ak Su River, opposite the Tuzlug.
6.2 The Shrine of the Sepulcher of Imam Murtada
The shrine of the sepulcher of Imam Murtada is located on the top of the Mursa Ali Dagi (´Mursa Ali Mountain´), overlooking the Ak Su River. The shrine was deliberately destroyed by the previous Ba´ath regime. After the toppling of Saddam Hussein´s regime, the shrine was rebuilt with donations from the people of Tuz Khormatu. The local Turkmen people restored the shrine with the consent of the Tuz Khormatu councilor, and the permission and knowledge of the Deputy Governor of Kirkuk; however, the Kurdish militia, who are attached to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, destroyed the sepulcher of Imam Murtada on the 23rd August, 2003. The destruction of the shrine led to a big protest by the Turkmen in the district, which resulted in the death of seven Turkmen, who were shot by the Kurdish militia when they opened fire on the civilian Turkmen protestors.
6.3 Ottoman Mosque (Eski Osmanli Camesi)
There are several historical mosques in the city of Tuz Khormatu and one of these is the Eski Osmanli Camesi ´Ottoman Mosque´. The mosque was built in the era of Sultan Abdulhamid the Second, in 1887. The Eski Osmanli Camesi is located next to the Baglar Tuker River and opposite the Umuma Ve Tufula Clinic (the ´general baby clinic´). The Eski Osmanli Mosque consists of several rooms, libraries and a visitors´ room and has a huge garden. Mullah Mohammed, a religious figure, was the first Imam to preach in the mosque; he was followed by Mullah Taha. After the death of Mulla Taha, his son, Mullah Cemal, was appointed as imam of the mosque on the 25th of April 1925.[1]
Mullah Cemal Taha was born in 1906. He was very active, hospitable, kind and extremely generous. He believed in reformation in society. He was also very explicit and knowledgeable in explaining the Holy Koran and he was a well known poet in the area.
6.4 Shrine of the Sepulcher of Imam Ahmet
The shrine of the sepulcher of Imam Ahmet and his graveyard are located in east Tuz Khormatu. The shrine of the sepulcher of Imam Ahmet dates back to the family of Imam Moussa Al_Kazim. The shrine is visited by the people and has a tremendous religious value in Turkmen Shi’aa society.
6.5 The Great Prophet Mosque and Husseiniya Tuz Al_Kabir
The Great Prophet Mosque and Husseinieh Tuz Al kabir were both built with local donations and the mosque is located in the Husseinieh Bazaar. The Husseinieh was originally a house belonging to a religious figure, Kazim Khalow El Assaf, but he had no next of kin. After his death, in his will, he donated his house to the mosque. The house was then converted to a mosque in 1926. The conversion was carried out with the help of local donations and the religious figure Sheikh Mohammed Ali Al Kenchi was appointed as the first Imam of the mosque in 1960. He later moved and settled in Baghdad and his positioned was filled by Sheikh Ibrahim Al Mushkini. [2]
The Husseinieh Tuz Al kabir was continuously refurbished by local donations and has been used continuously by the locals for religious festivals and especially during the fasting month of Ramadan and the months of Muharram Al haram and Seffer, which are very important months for the Muslim people.
6.6 Shrine of the Sepulcher of Imam Hassan
The shrine of the sepulcher of Imam Hassan is located in the north of the Tuz Khormatu district.
6.7 Imam Ali Mosque (Cami Albaghdadi)
Jewad Kazim Al Bahgdadi knows the Imam Ali Mosque as the Al Bahgdadi Mosque. It was built in 1966. The mosque consists of several rooms, including a library and a reception room and has a huge garden. Imam Sheikh Ghulam Ali Sekhendan was appointed as the first Imam of the mosque. The mosque was administered by Haj Mohammed Ahmed Beyrakdar.
The mosque is located in the Safer neighborhood near the shrine of Shah Ma´asuma and a Husseinieh is attached to the mosque.
In addition, there is another well known historical mosque, named the Al Cumhuriya Mosque, which is located in the Al Cumhuriya neighborhood on the main road of the district. The mosque was built in 1982. Moreover, there are other mosques in the district: dating back to 1250, such as the Bagi Mosque, Kinar Teppe Mosque and Imam Ahmet Mosque. [3]
6.8 Diwan Khana Qanber Agha
The Diwan Khana Qanber Agha is located on the Buyuk Arkh River opposite the house that was built by the well known builder Usta Said in 1923 for the Haj Qanber.
The Diwan Khana Qanber Agha was used as a hospice for visitors from various places. In addition, it has been used by the local population as a gathering point, to discuss and solve problems that have occurred among the public. After the death of the Haj Qanber, his son Zaynal Abdin Agha took over. The ruins of the Diwan Khana are still present in the area. [4]
6.9 Ulu Teppe and Pesh Permak
One of the historical places in Tuz Khormatu is Ulu Teppa (Ulu Hill). Ulu Teppe is five metres high and the site has been registered as a historical place by the Iraqi archaeological office. Archaeological excavations in the Ulu Teppe area are still in process.
Another historical site in the north east of Ulu Teppe is called Bes Permak, which means ´Five Fingers´ in the Turkmen language; the building looks like five fingers and the place is built from bricks. There is some suggestion by historians that the building was used for food preparation by the people living in the Gawer Kalasi (´the castle of the Christians´). This site dates back to the Khoriyeen Era. [5]
In addition, on the main road towards the Turkmen sub‐district named Yenkija, substantial historical remains, such as pottery and broken bricks, have been found by Iraqi archaeologists in the area named Tasli Teppe, which means ´Rock Hill´ in the Turkmen language.
Archaeological excavations in this area are still in process and the site has been registered as a historical place at the Iraqi archaeological office. [6]
6.10 The Jewish Synagogue (Torah)
The Jewish Synagogue in Tuz Khormatu is located next to the Buyuk Arkh – which means ´the Big Stream´ in the Turkmen language – on the east of the Tuz Khormatu district. The history of Jewish Synagogue in Tuz Khormatu goes back to the 1307H. The Jews who were living in area built the Synagogue.
The Synagogue consists of several rooms and a large hall and is 12 × 8 square metres. The shape of the Star of David is built in the ceiling of the hall. A swimming pool was built next to the Jewish Synagogue, which was used on Saturdays by the Jewish community as a part of their religious worship.[7]
There is also a Jewish graveyard, bearing names such as ´Makberat Alyahud´, which is loca ted at the site of the Shuala School. The graveyard was converted to government buildings and agricultural offices after the emigration of the Jews from Tuz Khormatu in 1951. [8]
6.11 Dokuz Daglik
One of the historical places in Tuz Khormatu is Dukuz Daglik, which means ´nine mountains´ in the Turkmen language and is located at the east of the Murtada Ali Dagi (Murtada Ali Mountain). There is a series of caves embedded inside of the mountain: these caves were used as a hiding place during World War One. [9]
6.12 Buyuk Kayseri and Buyuk Kan
The Khan and the Marquee at the Kayseri Bazaar is known as Khan Canet Casim. Sheikler Hassan built it; he originally came from the Tisin neighborhood in the city of Kirkuk. The Khan is linked to several shops inside the Kayseri Bazaar. There are over 30 highly decorative shops within the closed market. These shops were built in 1863; they have also been used as resting and exchange point for storing commodities. [10]
Social life in Tuz Khormatu
Turkmen society in Tuz Khormatu is very family oriented; people living in the district are almost related to each other, and the old family lines are preserved to date.
The population of the district before the 1960s could be considered as one big family, in that everyone helps each other and provides aid for the welfare of the needy, even nowadays.
In fact, the overwhelming population in Tuz Khormatu are related to each other; intermarriages among families and relatives are common. The society in the district is based on helping and providing aid to each other, visiting the sick and providing help for those in need. Religious buildings, such as Al hussieniya, have been used regularly for celebration and for family gatherings.
Notes
1. Salahaddin Najioglu, Tuz Khormatu Kadiman and Hadithin, published in Tuz Khormatu, Iraq, 16/3/1972, page 86
2. Salahaddin Najioglu, Tuz Khormatu Kadiman and Hadithin, published in Tuz Khormatu, Iraq, 16/3/1972, page 52
3. Ibid, page 53
4. Salahaddin Najioglu, Tuz Khormatu Kadiman and Hadithin, published in Tuz Khormatu, Iraq, 16/3/1972, page 66
5. Salahaddin Najioglu, Tuz Khormatu Kadiman and Hadithin, published in Tuz Khormatu, Iraq, 16/3/1972, page 65
6. Ibid, page 65
7. Ibid, page 65
8. Ibid, page 65
9. Ibid, page 66
10. Salahaddin Najioglu, Tuz Khormatu Kadiman and Hadithin, published in Tuz Khormatu, Iraq, 16/3/1972, page 66
Note
Picture: Tuz Khurmatu socializing: Ilangoz Akber, Nuri Fatah Pasha, Qanber Effendi, Rashid Sadik Cayir and Mahdi Ali Effendi, 1960
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