'File 19/243 IV Zubarah' [‎124r] (247/322)

Translation of letter No.448, dated the 2nd March, 1948, from
His Highness the Ruler of Bahrain to 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.
wS
After Compliments:
I have the honour to draw your attention to our meeting
with the Hon'ble the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. on the
17th February, 1948, during which Your Excellency and our Adviser
were present when we discussed the question of our and our subjects'
rights in the territory of Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. in Qatar Peninsula:
I pointed out that during the last ten years the Shaikh
of Qatar possessed himself of all our property there and introduced
many innovations. As you asked us to furnish details of our pro
perty and the property of our subjects in Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. , we give below
some details pertaining to the places and other things belonging to
us. We cannot adduce conclusive praiafxproofs as you did not agree
to our proposal to send our men to take photographs of the places
and the buildings. Further, in many cases the Shaikh of Qatar
destroyed and pulled down the buildings which had been possessed
by our relations and subjects before the dispute between Qatar and
Bahrain rose.
1: There is the Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. territory which was built by our fore
fathers and in which exist the graves of our forefathers as well
as those of 6 Shaikhs of the ruling family who were entombed near
the Qal'at (castle). There are the mosques in Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. which were
built by the Al-Khalifah, the wells, the walls of the Qal'at and
the other houses extending from the ^al'at to the beach. On the
beach there are the fish-traps which belong to our subjects and
which were being exploited by them until the commencement of the
hostilities. These fish traps which are of different kinds, are
the property of our subjects - to name some of them - the Al-Bin-Ali
of Muharraq and the Al-Ka'ban and others, who are residing in Halat-
Um-Al-Baidh.
2: The houses which are in Mirair where fish traps are erected
too. At Um-Al-Ma' there are fish traps and houses which until
recently some belonged to us and some to our relations. There are
also the houses belonging to the Al-Mutawwa" and their families who
are our subjects and who are at present living in Bahrain.
3. There are the houses and the wells in Lisha 1 which belong to
us and which were built and dwelt in by our people; Fadhil bin
Muhanna Ni'aimi was living there until the outbreak of the distur
bances.
4: At Um-Al-Ma 1 , Rubaijah and Furaihat there are Hadhrat
(fish traps) and Masakirs (fish traps built of stone) the right
of ownership of which vests in our subjects, who inherited them -
son from father.
6: We are the rigltful owners of the wells which are in Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. ,
Lisha 1 , Halwan and in Masikah; they were dug out and utilised by
us for land cultivation.
All these places are known to all the Arabs both in Bahrain
and Qatar and ve do not believe that there is anybody who denies
their having been in our possession before the dispute. Some of
our relations resided in these places and erected fish traps as they
did during the time the Al-Khalifah were living in Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. . Before
this dispute we had not been noticing any interference on the part
of the Shaikh of Qatar and we as well as our subjects, had been faring
across between Bahrain and Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. with complete freedom, and without
any obstacle rising in our way. Nor had ever been any dispute over
our rights before this incident - when we wanted men in Bahrain we
used to fetch them from Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. . Those who lived in Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. were
subject