File 522/1922 Pt 4 'Persian Gulf: Bahrein: Internal' [‎77r] (158/616)

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Qatif authorities, otherwise -they would certainly have made
no distinction "between them and their own subjects. Of
some twenty others who came to see 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. only
one could make a real claim to being a Bahrain subject and
in the case of these three individuals 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.
has given them informal letters to the Amir of Qatif. The
other members of the deputation, while being members of a
community resident in Kasa and generally known as Bahama
and probably of Bahrain origin, have been settled so long
on the mainland that it seems difficult to regard them as
,ahrain subjects and Captain Prior held out no hopes that the
British authorities would intervene on their behalf.
3. The grievances of these individuals were that g-raia-ar'sHr
excessive taxes were being forcibly collected from them by
the ^atif authorities and that they were subjected to every
form of injustice. It would seem, however, to be the war
sur-tax which is now being levied that has brought matters
to a head and has induced them to seek refuge in Bahrain.
As, however, the Najd authorities have prevented them from
removing their families, and as many of them own immovable
property it is clear that they are in no position to migrate.
4. As regards the general question of protection to
such individuals, tiie 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. writes; H If a person
can show a reasonable claim to recent Bahrain nationality
by birth, residence or other strong grounds, it would
appear impossible to deny them our protection. The inhabi
tants of these islands are becoming increasingly critical of
our somewhat half-hearted protection of their interests
abroad, and the criterion of this protection should be not
the expedience of any particular instance but the right
that the individual has to it. It is clear from the con
versation mentioned above that the authorities at Qatif are
expecting that we shall support genuine Bahama, and with jcomti
your approval I propose to continue doing so, confining such jj
protection, however, to particular instances and only then
after careful scrutiny of the ^credentials of the claimants”.