'File 4/30 Activities of Shaikh Subah al Nasir As Sabah' [‎84r] (167/220)

copx.
CONFIDENTIAL .
On tour
5th March, 1949
j
Dear Davis,
Last Monday I received the attached letter
from Shaikh Agab al Mating as Sadun (the brother of the
dead man). I proceeded to try to find out the feeling in
the Muntafiq concerning this matter and yesterday again saw
Agab who told me that about ten days ago he had seen the
Mutasarrif of Basra reference this matter which originated
last spring. The Mutasarrif expressed sympathy but said
that the Iraq Government could not do much as the matter
was in the hands of the British. Agab said that he warned
the Mutasarrif that he was about to take the matter into
his own hands.
I have not my files with me but briefly the
matter is as follows. Last spring the brother of Mutlag
and his driver were murdered by Sabah, which fact is admitted
by the Sabah family, who to make amends sent two of the
family to Abdullah Fallah Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour. 's tents where in the presence of
the Assistant Mutasarrif of Basrah it was agreed that the
case would be met if Sabah was exiled from Kuwait territory
fofc three years, ^should be 5 years/ Agab though camped
a&out a quarter of a mile away did not attend this conference,
but no sooner had the Kuwaities and the Assistant Mutasarrif
left than he want to Abdullah and on hearing of the agreement
repudiated it to the annoyance of all the Saduns and others
present. Agab, together v/ith about 150 rifles struck
their tents and went about five miles into Kuwait Territory
at the same time sending messengers to mobilise the Muntafiq
Tribes. That afternoon I visited Abdullah who explained
to me the seriousness of the matter and the dishonour to
him who had acted as the head of the Saduns. He appealed to
me on the strength of friendship and influence with the Saduns
to go to Agab and to persuade him to return to Iraq. Late
that afternoon I found Agab in Kuwait territory with a
number of tents and over one hundred•armed men. For an hour ^
I walked backwards and forwards with Agab. Among my points
I told him that he was dishonouring the Sadun name as he
must hold to the agreement made by the head of the family,
Abdullah. Agab said that nothing had been done about his
brother^ car which was held by Kuwait etc. In the end Agab
agreed to accept my advice and returned to Iraq^j/^The matter ^
was then taken over by the Embassy, but Sabah aila not left
Kuwait as promised.
Agab told me this week that he was about to
attack Kuwait with the help of the Muntafiq tribes at present
in the desert and said that in this case our oil work in
the desert would become unsafe. This would also apply to
Kuwait territory as many Muntafiq tribesmen are now there for
grazing.
During my tour of the Muntafiq I found that
opinion was solidly with Agab. For example Shaikh Mahomed
NaFirullah of the powerful Nasrullah section of the Albu
Saleh told me that he had some time ago given instructions
to the sections of his tribe which go into the desert to
follow Agab to the limit and this I believe applies to the
many thousands of Muntafiq tents at present in the Southern
Desert of Iraq and in Kuwait territory. The Mutasarrif of
the Muntafiq and other influential persons are all of the
opinion that Agab in honour bound must continue with this
matter unless a peaceful solution is reached soon. This
matter/