The Young Bukharans and the end of the Emirate of Bukhara

In the early 20th century two groups appeared in Bukhara: supporters of renewal, the Young Bukharans, and traditional clerical circles opposed to any reform. The Young Bukharans began work as a political movement from 1910; their leaders included Abdulvohid Burhonov, Fitrat, Sadriddin Ayniy, Fayzulla Khojayev, Usmon Khoja and others. They opened new-method schools and published the newspapers “Buxoroi sharif” and “Turon”. Emir Sayid Olimkhan (1910–1920) came to the throne after his father Abdulahad. In spring 1917, after the February events in Russia, he issued a reform decree: fair courts, a stable order of tax collection, fixed salaries for officials, a separate state treasury and budget, a printing house and the release of prisoners were promised. The Young Bukharans were not united about the decree: Behbudiy and others supported it, while Fayzulla Khojayev, Fitrat and Usmon Khoja demanded deeper reform and called for a demonstration. On 8 April 1917 (Old Style) about 150 people demonstrated in Bukhara; according to the textbook, the emir’s soldiers dispersed them, a group of mullahs opposed to reform gathered before the Ark, and more than 30 people were arrested. Many Jadids went to Turkestan. On 29 August 1920 an uprising was organised in Chorjuy, a Provisional Revolutionary Committee was formed and asked Russia for help; Red Army forces advanced; the city was shelled by artillery and aircraft, and the Ark and many buildings were damaged. On 2 September the troops entered Bukhara, and the emir later left for Afghanistan. A Council of People’s Nazirs was formed under Fayzulla Khojayev, and in early October 1920 (6 October in the textbook; many sources give 8 October, when the All-Bukharan Congress ended) the Bukharan People’s Soviet Republic was proclaimed.