جمعية الهلال الأحمر العثمانية (1868-1918) دراسة تاريخية

Rp-The Ottoman Red Crescent Society (1868-1918) A Historical Study.pdf

Wars are among the most devastating events that can have a profound impact on the lives of nations and peoples, due to the widespread destruction they cause in terms of lives, property, and infrastructure. As a result of the numerous wars witnessed in the nineteenth century, the need for charitable humanitarian institutions emerged, whose mission was to provide aid and relief to those affected by these wars, providing them with medical care and assistance, independent of political, economic, and military interests. In the mid-nineteenth century, Europe witnessed major developments in the field of public health and humanitarian work. One of the most prominent of these developments was the founding of the International Red Cross Society in 1864 by the Swiss Henry Dunant, following his painful observations of the Battle of Solferino in 1859. His observations prompted him to issue an international call for the establishment of a relief organization dedicated to providing aid to wounded soldiers on the battlefield without any discrimination. His call was welcomed by European countries that adopted this initiative at the Geneva Conference of 1864, considered the first international conference for the protection of the wounded in war. This conference had a profound impact on changing the nature of medical work in times of war and encouraging other countries, including the Ottoman Empire, to establish similar humanitarian relief societies whose mission was to provide health care and assistance during armed conflict. The Ottoman Empire was not immune to these developments, as it saw it necessary to keep pace with international progress. In the mid-nineteenth century, the state witnessed major transformations in its political, social, and economic structure, which had a profound impact on the health situation. The Ottoman Empire suffered from the spread of epidemic diseases and the decline in the level of health care, a matter that required urgent action to reform the Ottoman health system. Due to internal needs and international pressures, it became necessary to establish a humanitarian relief association to demonstrate to European countries the Ottoman Empire’s commitment to humanitarian and organized medical values and principles. The establishment of the Ottoman Red Crescent Society in 1868 was an important initial step and a commitment to the decisions of the Geneva Conference in 1864. The Red Crescent was an Ottoman Islamic extension of the idea of the International Red Cross and a product of the growing recognition of the need to systematize medical work in times of peace and war. The society had a religious and cultural character specific to the Ottoman Empire, which distinguished it from others.

The use of the Red Crescent symbol instead of the cross was intended to avoid any sensitivity and reflected the Ottoman Empire’s commitment to preserving its religious, civilizational, and cultural uniqueness, which gave it a distinctive place in the history of modern medical and humanitarian work. The choice of this topic stems from its great importance and relevance to contemporary life. To the best of my knowledge, it has not been studied in an independent academic framework within the country. Therefore, this study explores the Ottoman Red Crescent Society and highlights its role in health care and relief in the Ottoman Empire during one of the most complex political periods in its history. It also sheds light on the humanitarian and relief dimension of Ottoman history, which has received limited attention in Iraqi and Arab studies compared to the political, economic, and military aspects. Furthermore, examining the origins of the Red Crescent Society reveals how it contributed to building health awareness, the impact of which extended to subsequent Islamic countries and continues to the present day. The thesis, titled The Ottoman Red Crescent Society, employs a descriptive and analytical approach to examine the organization’s origins, development, and roles in the humanitarian and health fields. It draws on Ottoman archival materials, official correspondence, and Turkish documentary sources related to the society, while also analyzing the political and military circumstances surrounding its establishment. The aim of this study is to provide an accurate and comprehensive understanding of the nature of humanitarian and relief work in the Ottoman Empire through the society, which played a central role in consolidating medical and humanitarian values during times of conflict. The structure of the thesis consists of an introduction, a preface, three chapters, a conclusion, and a set of appendices. The preface, titled Health Conditions in the Ottoman Empire from 1800 to 1868, addresses the general features of the health system prior to the founding of the Ottoman Red Crescent Society. It reveals that health care relied on endowments and charitable institutions, was not centralized, and was shaped primarily by religious institutions and popular medical traditions. It also highlights the state’s efforts to modernize the health sector by bringing in foreign doctors, translating European medical works, establishing military and civilian medical schools, regulating the medical profession, introducing quarantine procedures, and developing hospital services.

The impact of epidemics and diseases such as the plague and cholera on the social and economic conditions of the Ottoman Empire was also examined, with reference to the disparities in health services between the central provinces of the Empire and its Arab provinces, such as Iraq, the Hejaz, and the Maghreb. The introduction also demonstrated that Ottoman attempts to modernize the health and humanitarian system came as a response to both internal and external pressures, all of which contributed to paving the way for the establishment of the Ottoman Red Crescent Society. The first chapter, entitled The Historical Origins of the Ottoman Red Crescent Society, is divided into four sections that address the organizational aspects and early beginnings of the Society. The first section discusses the historical and political background that prepared the ground for its establishment. The second section focuses on the organizational and founding steps of the Society in 1868 and the role of the Ottoman elite in this process. The third section examines the stages of the Society’s subsequent development, while the fourth and final section analyzes the nature of the relationship between the Ottoman Red Crescent and the state, particularly in terms of supervision, support, guidance, and the Society’s participation in international conferences of the International Red Cross. The second chapter, entitled The Organizational Structure and Administrative Expansion of the Ottoman Red Crescent Society, examines the development of the Society’s structure and its expansion both domestically and abroad. This chapter is also divided into four sections. The first section addresses the Society’s statute of 1911, focusing on the laws and regulations enacted to organize administrative tasks and responsibilities, which marked a new phase of institutional modernization within the Society. The second section highlights the development of its internal and external branches, demonstrating the extent of the Society’s expansion across Ottoman provinces and its efforts to establish branches in some foreign countries. The third section analyzes the women’s branch of the Ottoman Red Crescent Society, underscoring the social and humanitarian role played by Ottoman women within the framework of the Society’s organized voluntary activities
and relief work was highlighted. The fourth section dealt with the aid that the Society received, whether from the Ottoman State or from organizations and individuals inside and outside the State. This indicates the extent of support that the Society received in order to perform its relief tasks to the fullest extent.
The third chapter, entitled “The Practical and Humanitarian Role of the Ottoman Red Crescent Society at the End of the Nineteenth and the Beginning of the Twentieth Centuries,” examines the humanitarian role played by the Red Crescent Society in the wars fought at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries. The first section explains the Society’s role in the Ottoman-Russian War of 1877, as well as its participation in the Ottoman-Greek War of 1897, highlighting its work and relief missions on the battlefield. The second section provides a comprehensive study of the Society’s role in the Tripoli War of 1911–1912, when the Ottomans faced major challenges in North Africa after the Italian invasion of Libya. The Society’s role was effective in providing medical care, transporting the wounded, and supplying health equipment. The third section examines the Society’s efforts in the Balkan Wars, including the construction of hospitals and the preparation of specialized medical teams. Finally, the fourth section reviews the Society’s participation in World War I, which was considered one of the most complex and fiercest wars witnessed by the world at the beginning of the twentieth century, and analyzes the Society’s role. During this period, the Society established military and field hospitals, provided medical and administrative personnel, participated in treating the wounded and caring for prisoners, and organized both internal and external donation campaigns. The study concludes with a set of findings derived from the information contained in the thesis.