The Difficulties Encountered in the Sanjak of Dersim after its Foundation and Related Reports Composed in This Period (1875-1918)

Since the second half of the nineteenth century, the Otoman Empire struggled to introduce cetain new layouts with the Tanzimat Edict. Thus, Diyarbakır Eyalet was re-organized, Harput was made a seperate state, and so, the Sanjak of Dersim was constituted. In the first part of this work, the adversities encountered after the establishment of the Dersim Sanjak is investigated in the light of the archieve documents, while the the second part deals with the reports written between 1875 and 1918. After the establishment of Dersim Sanjak in 1848, there was an attempt to apply the new regulations of Tanzimat in the region. These new arrangements, however, were not very successful because of the opposition of tribes. Whereupon, certain people employed in this area, wrote reports about the reasons leading to the failure of the reforms, and suggestions about how to succeed in this respect. One of the important reports concerning this region is entitled Dersim Islahatı Hakkında Babıali ye Takdim Olunan Lahiya dated May 22, 1312 (June 3, 1896) This report prepared by Müşir Şakir Pasha, the general inspector of Anatolia, and Mehmet Zeki Pasha, commander of the 4^th armyresponsible for the region- was presented to the government. This report of great importance for the history of the region, will be published for the first time as a whole text in the light of the evaluations about the region.