First Inspectorate-General (Turkey)


The First Inspectorate-General refers to a former regional administrative area in Turkey. The First Inspectorate-General span over the provinces Hakkari, Siirt, Şırnak, Mardin, Şanlıurfa, Bitlis, Elazığ and Van.

Background

After the suppression of the Sheikh Said revolt in spring 1925, Kemal Atatürk established the Reform Council for the East which prepared the Report for Reform in the East encouraging the creation of Inspectorates-Generals in the areas comprising a majority Kurdish population.

History

The First Inspectorate-General was created on the 1 January 1928 and based on the Law 1164, passed in June 1927. The headquarters of the Inspectorate General was to be in the city of Diyarbakır and appointed its Inspector-General. He had extended authority over military, juridical and civilian matters. An infrastructure program including railways, schools, and a land reform was elaborated for the region. As a result of the land reform, the possessions of the Kurdish elite were divided and a British traveler noted in 1930 that there was no wealthy Kurd left in the region. The assimilation policy was perceived such a success, that in an attempt to curb the Ararat rebellion, the province of Ağrı was included in the Inspectorate General. Hilmi Ergeneli succeeded Öngören as Inspector-General and served until 1935. During Ergenelis term as Inspector General, a Resettlement Law was enacted in 1934 which provided the guidelines where Turks and Kurds were to be allowed to settle and enabled the Kemalists to Turkefy the rebellious regions. People of Turkish heritage, specially those of Turkish race, were encouraged to live along the rail tracks and the paved roads in the province Diyarbakır. Anyone who was classified as related to the Kurdish tribal leaders by Inspector Generals office, was to be deported from Diyarbakir. Abidin Özmen succeeded Ergeneli, and attended the conference of all the Governors of the Inspectorates-General with the Minister of the Interior Şükrü Kaya in December 1936 in Ankara. Özmen served until 1943. The idea of governing the region within Inspectorate-Generals was left behind in 1948, but the First Inspectorate-Generals legal status was only abolished in 1952, during the Government of the Democrat Party.