'ملف رقم 19/109 V (C 32) العلاقات البحرينية مع القوى الأجنبية الأخرى' [ظ‎‎٤‎٨] (٥٤٧/١٠٦)

: R4/L
Dated 27th September, 1923.
No. C /II3
Office of the Political Agent,
Bahrain. { at Katachi)
BUSH 'PT P^SIOrNCY. J
From
To
Captain G.G.Prior, I. A.
Political Agent, Bahrain.
The Hon^le the Political Resident,
in the Persian Gulf, Eushire.
fc**iuQi. ■ i.-i ftc€l
Sir,
<i ^y
I have the honour to say that tv /o months ago I forwarded
a petition from one of the leading Bahrainis in Muhammerah
regarding the hardships of their lot, and the inaoility ol the
British Consul to protect them. This petition was addressed
to His Excellency Shaikh Hamad, and invoked his aid. He gave
it to me asaying that he was certain that txie : ritish Govern-
ment would help the Bahrainis. It appears from recent telegrams
that I have received that this hope is a vain one.
2. The leading Shia Bahama have now requested the Advi
ser to remind me about this petition, as «hey say tuat their
relations are subjected to innumerable vexatious restrictions
and regulations in Muhammerah, a^-d are also obliged to wear
Pahlevi hats. I understand, from other sources tiiau txie^y are
in hourly danger of being forced to sign Persian nationality
papers and permanently becoming Persian sibjects.
3. I understand that our lac^: of support of Bahrain suo-
jects in Persia is principally based on the fact that Bahrain
is not a British Protectorate, and were it so the British Gov
ernment would be bound to protect tLem as i^ protects the sub
jects of Indian States. The legal fiction that Bahrain is
imi in an independent state may serve our purpose, but it can
not be said to be founded xs fcE in honesty, and I do not think
that any Arab is deceived for a minute by a policy which, while
manipulating the resources 01 Bahrain in our interests, decline
to protect its subjects, to allow them to protect themselves
or to ally themselves with other states who might do so.