Misak-ı Millî

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1- Misak-ı Milli borders 2- Current borders of Turkey

The Misak-ı Millî originally Ahd-ı Millî Beyannamesi (German: The National Pact or National Oath ) was the political manifesto of the Turkish independence movement after the First World War . It consisted of six important decisions that had been developed and adopted at the Erzurum and Sivas Congresses .

The Misak-ı Millî came about

According to the decisions of the Sivas Congress , the Ottoman government announced new elections on September 30, 1919. In the elections to the Ottoman parliament in October, the candidates of the "Society for the Defense of the Rights" (Müdafaa-i Hukuk Cemiyeti), which were nominated by the national forces, won. The new MPs then met with Mustafa Kemal and his representative committee (Heyet-i Temsiliye). The content of the Misak-ı Millî was determined and then sent to Istanbul.

When the parliament began its work on January 12, 1920, the Misak-ı Millî was put on the agenda. The Ottoman Interior Minister Dâmâd Şerîf Pasha took over because of the illness of Mehmed VI. the opening speech. In a secret session on January 28th, in which not all MPs attended, the Misak-ı Millî was adopted and presented to the parliaments of the other countries on February 12th.

Mustafa Kemal said it was "the iron fist of the nation that wrote the national oath and made it the main principle of our independence in the annals of history".

Basically, this pact marked the borders of the new Turkish state. This should therefore include today's Turkey, Thrace, Vilayet Mosul , Vilayet Aleppo and Batum. The former Arab provinces should be avoided. The Misak-ı Millî also contains for the first time the principle of the indivisibility of the Turkish nation. The decisions made by this Parliament were the basis for the demands of the Republic of Turkey in the Treaty of Lausanne . A few months after the conclusion of this treaty, the new republic was proclaimed in October 1923.

content

The content of the Misak-ı Millî:

  1. The future of the territories with an Arab majority at the time of the signing of the Mudros armistice will be decided by a referendum. On the other hand, the territories that were not occupied at the time and are inhabited by a Turkish-Muslim majority are the homeland of the Turkish nation.
  2. The status of Kars , Ardahan and Batum may be determined by a referendum.
  3. The status of Western Thrace is determined by the votes of its residents.
  4. The security of Istanbul and the Marmara Sea should be ensured. Transport and free trade on the Bosphorus Strait and the Dardanelles are determined by Turkey and other affected states.
  5. Minority rights will be dealt with on the condition that the rights of Muslim minorities in neighboring countries are guaranteed.
  6. In order to develop in all areas, the country should be independent and free. All restrictions on political, legal and financial developments are lifted.

Differences

There are differences between the Misak-ı Millî, which was written in Ankara, and the Misak-ı Millî, which was adopted by the Ottoman Parliament. In Ankara the declaration consisted of eight points, while in Istanbul there were only six. Two points were combined. There are also differences in the prosecution of war criminals and one point relating to the League of Nations .

Probably the most important difference concerns the indivisibility of the nation. Ankara took the view that those areas that were not occupied by the Mudros at the time of the armistice and that were home to a Muslim Ottoman majority were indivisible. In contrast, Istanbul expanded this to include those occupied areas with a Muslim Ottoman majority. There are various publications of the Misak-ı Millî with both formulations.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ http://www.kultur.gov.tr/TR/BelgeGoster.aspx?F6E10F8892433CFF657B96472CD89203F01B9CC4F1C001E7
  2. ↑ Şerafettin Turan, Türk Devrim Tarihi, 2. Kitap, Ankara, 1992, pp. 89-90.