"ملف 61/14 IV (D 48) العلاقات بين نجد والعراق" [ظ‎‎٢‎٠‎٨] (٥٢٠/٤٣٣)

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I
The 'Iraq Government as well as the officials in 'Iraq stated that they i; } #^
intend to punish the Dawish within our country. They have no rule or law
that gives such right to them within our country.
They ventured to break the written treaties while Dawish and his follow
ers live in a special zone in our country which is wellknown. What is the
fault of the Shammar, Anazah and Harb tribes, who are living in the north-
west of our country, that the aeroplanes visit them in the early morning every
day and maltreat them ? Why were these visits not paid to the Dawish when
he was in 'Iraq land for many days doing just as he liked while the British
forces looked at him but not a single bullet was fired against him ? We can
only explain the recent action of the officials in 'Iraq as an aggression by which
it is intended that hurt should be done to Nejd and new troubles created.
After the action of the aeroplanes and the despising of the Treaties
between us, all the Nejd people have become like Dawish in his opinion, % j
vehemence and venture. They do not now respect the undertakings with
'Iraq for the reason that from the Muhammarah Treaty up till now six articles
have been deliberately broken, for which please refer to the following:—
1. The second paragraph of the first article of the Muhammarah
Treaty.
2. Article III of Uqair Protocol.
3. Article I of Bahrah Treaty.
4. Article V of Bahrah Treaty.
5. Article IV of Bahrah Treaty and
6. Article VI of Bahrah Treaty.
When a reference is made to these articles of agreement and compared
with the actions of the 'Iraq Government towards Nejd, it will be seen that
these articles were deliberately infringed by certain incidents against which
we protested to the British Government (against them all) and did not get
any result from any of our protest, and the 'Iraq Government did not carry
out one of these articles, nor stopped doing what (the agreements)
prohibited. The belief that existed in Nejd and still exists is that the
Government that permitted for its ownself the breach of six undertakings will
be able to add to them some other articles and will go against them and will
accept the Dawish and his followers, if we were to punish them at the
present time for their sake and will not hesitate to breach their under
taking.
We were angry at the Dawish's action and disapproved it, and we gave
him partial punishment and promised to give him complete punishment on
a condition to which were added two other ones. We made matters quiet at
the frontier and awaited the discussion about the undertakings that were
broken for putting an end to everything, but the action of the 'Iraq Govern
ment destroyed (all the hopes) what we had built and we had no excuse to
put before our nation and people and nothing remained for us to say to them.
Thus they came to such condition and state that we can hardly estimate the
result, after they have seen that their agreements are broken and that their 1
country is despised, in addition to which humanity suffered at the hands of
civilised men, while we notice with an eye of regret and broken heart what
destiny brings.
We can see no arrangement for the present situation which may settle
it but a prudent one that the Central British Government may take to enquire
about the person responsible who caused these actions in 'Iraq and to put the
responsibility on him and will from their side restore the confidence of the
people so that the undertakings may have a value and respect. Then they
should take such action as may restore the old confidence between the two
countries.
We, in spite of all that happened, still do our best to quieten the agitated
state, as we, till the last hour, believe that the British Government which has
been our friend for a long time will not agree that the relations between
Nejd and Britain should be threatened by some self-interested agitators,
whose interests are against the treaties.