'Historical Summary of Events in the Persian Gulf Shaikhdoms and the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, 1928-1953' [‎76v] (157/222)

140
between 1922 and 1928. Shakhbut was boni m l904.
^snoTbTen ^ ^ "^e'^S
in his treatment of his relations and tribesmen. He is reported to b e g^neraUy jus
in his dealings with his people but his meanness cau b dl and b h
up his two sons Sa'id (born 1926) and Mman voum ^ ; j
are illiterate and thoroughly debauched. His brother ^ a ^ a ^ f ' bilit e d
of whom represents him in Buraimi, are far super , visited Paris in
judgement and have much influence with the tnbes. rnnf ,po ( .; on f or the au,,
1951 for the arbitration proceedings in respect of the oil concession rcr me Abu
Dhabi sea-bed and London in 1953 ostensibly for medical treatment and has also
paid visits to India for medical treatment although it is beheyed that there is
nothing seriously wrong with him. While in London he was mvited to attend Her
Majesty's Coronation but left the country without notice before that event took
place owing to a quarrel with his doctor.
11. The question of the succession is likely to prove a difficult o ne - In ^
past it has usually been settled by assassination. Shaikhbut was born in 1903 and
may live for many years yet but his life cannot be regarded as a very good one. He
hopes that his elder son Sa'id will succeed him, but the latter, unless he mends his
ways, is likely to prove a most unsuitable Ruler, and the same is the case with most
of the rest of the younger generation in the ruling family. Hazza and Zaid are the
best candidates if they survive their brother.
12. Shakhbut has been bitterly hostile to the Saudis since they began to claim
his territory and tribesmen and did not share the veneration of the other Trucial
Coast Rulers for the late King Ibn Saud. He is on the worst possible terms with
the ruling family of Qatar but very friendly with the Sultan of Muscat and the A1
Khalifah of Bahrain. He likes Shaikh Sa'id of Dubai but is on bad terms with the
rest of the latter's family and regards the other Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. Rulers with a mild
contempt.
13. The Abu Dhabi Shaikhdom is at present regarded as extending along the
coast from the Khor al Odaid at the base of the Qatar peninsula to Hasian about
35 miles west of Dubai. Inland it includes the Liwah oasis and the greater part
of the Buraimi oasis. Shakhbut's claims in the direction of Qatar extend a
considerable distance north of the Khor al Odaid and include the port of Umm
Sa'id (Chapter 4, paragraph 24), and he has not accepted the boundary between
Abu Dhabi^aiid^Dubai which was defined by the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Bahrain in 1949
(Appendix A), althougTi he had previously undertaken to be bound by that officer's
decision and a slight amendm ent of,it in his favour, was made in 1952. This
boundary runs from Hasian on the coast to Tawi al Ashush about 40 miles inland.
The whole of the western and southern boundaries of the Shaikhdom are the
subject of a dispute with Saudi Arabia which is dealt with separately (paragraphs
96-104 below). The boundary claimed by the Ruler at the Dammam Conference
in 1952 is as follows: —
(i) A line from Sauda Nithil (on the southern border of Qatar) to the
southermost tip of the Sabkhat Matti (Lat. 22° 50' N., Long. 51° 40' E.)
including within Abu Dhabi Aqlat al Rinth and Batn al Tarfa.
(ii) A line from the southernmost tip of Sabkhat Matti to Al Oaraini
(Lat. 22° 05' N., Long 53° 40' E.).
(hi) A line from Al Qaraini to Umm al Zamul (Lat. 22° 35' N., Long.
55° 25' E.).
The nomad Bani Yas, the bulk of the Manasir, and the Dhawahir tribes are
regarded by Shakhbut as his subjects and he also claims a predominating influence
over the Awamir nomads south-west of Buraimi. Before the Saudi aggressions of
1949 and 1952 he made no attempt to assert his authority in the outlying parts of
his Shaikhdom, other than Buraimi, beyond sending a representative 1o Liwah
annually to collect the tax on dates, but since then has readily responded to all
suggestions made to him by Her Majesty s Government for action in support of his
claims. Zaid has done much to consolidate Abu Dhabi authority in and around
Buraim^ and in 1951 entered into agreement with some of the Shaikhs ordinarily
regarded as owing allegiance to Muscat to negotiate with the oil company on their
behalf. He was discouraged from proceeding with this proposal for fear of causing
trouble with the Sultan of Muscat.