File 53/1915 Part IV 'German War: Turkey; Caliphate etc' [‎225v] (447/481)

4
POLITICAL SITUATION IN MESOPOTAMIA.
The political situation in Mesopotamia is influenced to our detriment by
the element of doubt which subsists in the minds of the people as to our
actual intentions.
Notables .—I have interviewed several notables of Pasra, namely, the
brother of the Nakib, several senior members of the Bashayan family, the
Shaykh of Zabeyr, and the notable Shaykh Abu Talib. One and all
obviously desire certainty, and particularly that we should occupy Baghdad.
The fear in their minds is that we should retire or let the Turks in
again.
People .—The people, whether nomads, cultivators, or semi-nomads,
Sunnis or Shias, are ready to accept our rule, but equally ready to turn
against us in event of any mishap. In many villages between Amara and
Kurna demonstrations of sympathy are made by the Arab women when
barge loads of Turkish prisoners pass by, villages it may be said whose
inhabitants did not hesitate to plunder the Turks in their retreat. This
should be a sufficient indication of what we ourselves might expect under
similar circumstances.
'J'he Shia shrines require especial consideration and treatment, but it is
not necessary to make a great parade of the matter. Again, with the
people as with the notables, it is desirable that there should be some certainty
as to their future.
Future Policy .—There is one point which I feel requires careful con
sideration, and that is the connection between India and Mesopotamia.
Indian and Arab civilisation and mentality are poles asunder, and I am of
opinion that the introduction of Indian methods and Indian personnel
should be merely temporary, and should form no part of our future scheme.
Indian administration has grown up in the course of years and is based
on traditions and social customs which have no counterpart in Irak. The
introduction of Anglo-Indian and native Indian officials directed from India
will mean inevitably that Irak will develop on Indian lines.
There can be no doubt that the native social standards of Egypt and
Syria are far higher than those of India, and owing to language and racial
affinity it is fiom those regions that the civilisation of Irak would naturally
be diawn. I feel it is my duty to say therefore that m my opinion it would
be a gieat mishap if at the outset any action of ours should do anvthing to
impose artificially an alien and lower grade of civilisation upon a people who
have a natural tendency to a higher and more progressive social state.
1 he Indian cuirency, Indian officials in the police, the posts, telegraphs,
and clerical bureaus, and the introduction of Indian law, Indian money-
lendf is and mei chants, will influence the whole country and set a permanent
barrier of alien administration between ourselves and the people. Doubtless
we shall sooner or later begin to employ natives of the country ; but as the first
traditions will be moulded on Indian lines, with the result that we shall not
be able at a later date to develop the spiritual and national mental resources
of the urban and rural population to such advantage as we otherwise anight.
Colonisation.-In saying this, I am raising no objection to hond fide
colonisation by Indians, provided that the administrative personnel is purely
Biitish and Aiab. Iheie can lie no objection to the allotment of lands to
Indian cultivatois m distiiCts (where local inhabitants are insufficient, and
where there is no prospect of nomads being induced to settle) to develop the
country, provided that the colonists will not have the pull of the administra
tion. They will, under •such circumstances, either remain in separate
communities or mingle with the people, and so become a part of Irak. If,
however, the Indian peoples permeate the administrative personnel and the
mercantile and financial classes, the colonists will only be another element
in the Indianisation of the country. The Indianisation of Irak is not only to
be avoided far the above reasons, but also because, as time o- 0 es on and
intercommunication grows easy between Irak and Syria, we shall be
confronted with the tendency of the Arab to reassert himself once more and
in that tendency we shall find the seeds of much political diffieultv.