File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS' [‎77v] (165/586)

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NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES.
Basrah—Armenian Refugees .—Such skilled labour as exists is being
rapidly absorbed. Disposal of remainder is to be completed by 15th August,
each family will be given 14 days’ rations and Rs. 65. All possible employers
have been told of dispersal of camp and nature of labour available. There will
remain 4,664 persons, women and children of whom but a proportion could
support themselves, orphans below the age of 16 and incapable persons needing
permanent help. The Armenian Relief Committee refuses to take charge of
them except under direct instructions from the Armenian National Delegation
in Paris.
Nasiriyah.—T\ie position and conduct of Salim al Khaiyun (see
No. 16, para. 28) continues to afford instruction. Prior to his recent visit to
Chabaish it was suggested to him that he should make an effort during his stay
there to induce his tribesmen to settle up arrears of revenue for the payment
of which he is responsible. These consist of Rs. 5,500 due from himself person
ally on account of Mat tax for 1920, Rs. 2,321 due by the Bani Asad, the tribes
of Chabaish and the eastern Hammar, as revenue for 1920, and Rs. 45,000 from
the Bani Khaiqan, the tribes of the western Hammar.
Shaikh Salim claims to be paramount over all the Hammar tribes and it
was because of his tribal importance that he was given a seat in the Council,
but he has a rival in the west of the Hamanar in the person of Farhud al
Mughashghash who during Salim’s internment in India was Mudir of the Bani
Khaiqan, and to the north of the Hammar the Rumaiyidh under Shaikh Badr
are his hereditary enemies, Salim’s representative during his own absence in
Baghdad is his brother Ghadhban who exercises nothing like Salim’s authority.
The Rumaiyidh were not slow to take advantage of the opportunity and extend
their influence among the Bani Khaiqan elements, with the result that Salim was
obliged to make ha&ty efforts to restore his political fortunes, on the strength
of which he enjoys his present position in Baghdad. This he proceeded to do
by building towers at ‘Abid, which is well within Badr Rumaiyidh’s territories
and also at Ghubaibah in connection with his claim to the Saiqal territories as
against the Albu Muhammad Shaikh (see No. 1, para, 35). It is said that on
his return to Chabaish, while he did not extract from his tribes any part of the
overdue revenue, he made a levy on the Mukhtars of the Bani Asad to cover
the expense of building these forts and also collected Rs. 3,000 per tribe from
four of the Hammar tribes, as well as amounts exacted from the Bani Asad, as
personal contributions to his expenses in Baghdad. As he has recently bought
a valuable motor he may well be in need of ready money.
Since his tribal authority is his only political asset he is solely concerned
wit 1 the establishment of his personal ascendency in the Hammar area in order
t at ms position as chief shaikh of the Lower Euphrates may be assured in
Baghdad. He is therefore unwilling to support Government by any action
which might imperil his popularity among the tribes. He does not therefore
insist on the payment of revenue and turns a blind eye on tribal disorder. The
baiqal question, on the ’ Amarah boundary, is another instance of his anxiety
to pander to the tribes. The crux of the trouble is a land dispute which was
U, bead^icated by a committee of three British Officers. The Bani Asad
^ enforee th eir claim by arms and Salim instead of supporting Govern
ment, has encouraged their warlike sentiments by the building of the Ghubaibah
tho du™ 1 chief ' vho is ^ ven effiehd position is likely to find himself in
atLis To CoIp^Tp He cannot at one and the same time perform his oblig-
examnle ol tbo S ' S hlS P ° pularity - K haiyun al ‘Ubaid is another
OaiSmanaL of S stron geM man in the Gharraf he was appointed
he SeaSo IfvP hS S/* S 1 ? ° f revenue was collected in his area and
Mee^f t0 ^ " 01 the b ” d “ ° f ^
if not the’Slt P0Wer they wield t0 a Iar S e extent . to the moral
become a mmaoo to ro™ Go y™nt while at the same time they are apt to
a necessary evil but they a™ little of T® •° £ d e T « 1 °P m “ , ‘ thy are
2*7 0 ' ,y ume nicely to be of value m official positions.
No. 9 para.^15 and^Nif °*' ^hu Khalifah shaikhs (see
shelter with the Albu Ta<d T n pai i f.‘ ^ ^ ’ a Her the date of their outlawing, took
the murdered shaikhs in j 60 loa ant * cor dinued to harrass the survivors of
further disturb e^by^fighting^ between thfsTr ^i^r 9 adha . —
both constituents of the Hafan tribe- this 8 ^*^ A bu ^T* wh °.f r ?
truce made before the Government b'v thp TT m C()llt J a 1 ventlon of the tribal
the lead era of the Sorah and Affiu T.snn Accordingly
safe conduct. They did so and worp 1 f vlted to come mto Su( l mider
Nasiriyah After full dispn««Inn n o der ? d to report to the Mutasarrif at
feuds raised by the recent fighting milVtetStaTun’ 8 fu*?
.he Sorah and Saiyid Pahad Zaiyir* head ouCH ^i m S “1™