File 600/1905 Pt 3 'Aden Hinterland: Situation; Withdrawal of Political Agent from Dthala; Treaties with Haushabi, Kotaibi and Alawi chiefs' [‎209r] (413/508)

ti e f n n° Ur / rien( ^» ^ as used our occiupation of Suleik and the ^ranf of
the Dar gweu for a s pecifio ohjeet, together with our ill-feelTn^ towfrds tbe
otaibis, as a means of innovating various claims on the site of tiuleik These
rights he cannot define, nor prove their genesis. 7 686
a nart^^av^fhp round Suieik were originally, then Sayid possessions, though
a part, say the Sayids, were endowments from former Amirs. Called m
on occasion, as soldiers the Kotaibis, and to a less extent the Alawi have
^ U f e o C f ert t m ri g h ?s i n cuitivation, while Kotaibi villages, e.g., Al’jabha
d As Safa, both within a stone’s throw of our present fort, go to suggest
the prior claims there of this clan. S
(b) i?e a stipend to Muhammad Saleh, the Kotaibi, I have mentioned
it above and have from time to time made proposals to that end.
I felerto it in my eleventh paragraph, and the closing paragraphs
will discuss the Amir’s inability to control the tribesmen.
(c) As to Alawi Sheikh's enhancement of stipend, the Resident has
his own strong convictions, and I need say no more than reiterate
the gam accruing to us by a liberal concession to this most loyal
supporter of British influence in the Hinterland.
11. I now touch on road dues, and this introduces the relations of Amir
and Kotaibi.
Muhammad Saleh has told me that his forbears collected nothing from
passers-by. In 1888 before General Hogg, the Resident, this very Muhammad
waived his rights to this source of revenue in exchange for the privilege of
sending recommendatory letters direct to the Resident at Aden. Subsequently
he reverted to his former practices. The Amir, whose pockets were affected
by the collection, demurred, and this was what led to our brush with the
Kotaibis. Muhammad Saleh admits the innovation was his, but has expressed
surprise that so petty an underling as the Beshi Sheikh of A1 Khoraiba (an
Amiri adherent and close to Dthala) should be privileged to take dues without
being responsible for the safety of the road. That duty falls on the Amir.
Further, that the present custodians, the Amir and Alawi are so entitled and
both have their Customs to take caravans.
The Kotaibi admitting his innovation, and looking to our declared attitude
towards his road dues in the past, it would, in my opinion, be a retrogade step
now to countenance them (although the Amir might elect to apportion a part
of his dues), but a stipend should be given to include the loss of revenue.
I must emphatically protest against the idea that the Radfan'are under
the Amir in the sense of subordination to him as we understand the term in
India. He is their father, and has purely nominal claim to their obedience.
He can call them to his standards in war, but they will come only if well paid.
They pay no taxes. From these they are from time immemorial immune.
They are in short independent ‘ tribesmen * (Kabail) and not subject (rl’aya).
The subjects are such as live at A1 Kabar, Zubeid, in the five villages styled
Bilad A1 Ashraf-all in the close vicinity of Dthala, while other few villages
dotted here and there amid the Shairi villages between Dthala and the Turkish
frontier are similarly within this category.
12. When lately summoned to assist the Amir’s arms against the Shairis,
the Kotaibis flatly refused compliance but threatened to sack the Amir s
villages of At Tafwa and Kharafa (the Amir’s original head-quarters and held
in great sanctity) which places lie just off the road leading from Suleik to
Dthala. From this piece of folly I think I have dissuaded ^ them. The Amir
has many differences of long standing with the Kotaibis. Not alone is he
accused of having been the author of their chastisement by us: there exist
other differences I have long asked the Amir to settle. He will be obliged
to do so when we leave the country.
13. It is one thing then to aim at the consolidation of the Amir s country,
but the execution is difficult and quite impossible so long as the Amir relies on
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