978

1 PO JM 1590-1589

Sheet 4.

Stockholm, May 10, 1916.

The President:

Russian Goverment did not blush to declare itself the liberator of Galicia.
We Russian Muslems, about 25 millions in number, complain of the oppression
we have been submitted to. We are prevented by unlawful methods to exercise
our faith; we have been continually wronged in our political rights. Our land
has been taken anay from us without compensation and has been handed over to favorites of the Russian Government; the development of our culture has been prevented and every attempt at progress illegally oppressed. During the war justice has ceased to exist. We are suffering from persecution and i11-treatment. We Georgians, the greatest people of the Caucassus, once made free
treaties with Russian goverment. They all have been broken. Our dynasty,
the indepence of our churches, all our national institutions have been abol-
ished. The lands of our free peasants were confiscated to make place for
Russian peasants. In the years 1905-1906 our country was shamefully devastated; women, even nuns, have been violated by Russian soldiers. At the outbreak of the war the best amongst our people were exiled. Our provinces of Adjara entirely ruined; nore than 50,000 people were driven away; starving, naked,wretched and doomed, Puin. Thus Russia outrages her own subjects; Russia has Suppressed every form of independence; Russia has poisoned the individual life of many nations. Law and honor have been replaced by immorality and corruption. Creeds not recognized as Orthodox and free spiritual development have been suppressed and the inteelectual standard of the population has been systemati-cally lowered, Even now, whilst our brethren are laying down their lives for

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