File 522/1922 Pt 4 'Persian Gulf: Bahrein: Internal' [‎178r] (360/616)

13 . It is against these acts of violence lawlessness and gross outrages
against my peoples feeling, and sentiment, and liberties no less than against
the intolerable persecution to which I myself have been subjected to in breach
of Treaty obligations in the matter of my prerogatives as an independent Ruler
of Baharein that I seek protection and redress at your Excellency’s hands,
and I do so in the hope and confidence that adequate protection and redress
will be vouchsafed to a true and tried friend of the British Government after
such full and independent inquiry into the whole situation as the nature and
circumstances of the case may require and as Your Excellency may think proper
and necessary.
14. I am well aware that interested agitation by some members of the
Shia minority of my subjects has been engineered by or with the connivance
of my enemies resulting in false and malicious complaints being forwarded
against me and my adminstration, to the Consul General with a view to
create prejudice and ill-will against me in the eyes of the British Governmet,
I am not ignorant of the fact that covetous eyes have been cast on my world
famed and cherished Pearl fishery. I know that the valuable resources of my state
have excited the cupidity of foreign exploiters and concession-hunters nnder
the auspicies of the Consulate, and I am painfully conscious of a powerful body
of imperialists looking askance at the independence of Baharein and desiring to
see that it was brought under their influences and other sinister motives
working against me. But I am unwilling to believe that any
such influences could have found or would find favour and support with Your
Excellency. I feel it difficult to persuade myself that my deposition would
have been ordered or sanctioned by Your Excellency and I am anxious to
believe that I shall not be judged or condemned on interested and exparte re
ports of the local authorities. Upto the present moment not the slightest inti-
m ation has been given to me of any adverse reports or any matters alleged or
charged against me or any explanation required or called forth from me.
The most serious and unprecedented act of my deposition by a Eritish Consul
against the emphatic wishes and in the face of the indignant protests of my
people as represented by their delegates and in contravention of my treaty
rights constitutes a grievous wrong to me and my people which is sought to be
justified on the extraordinary plea already mentioned hereinbefore of my old
a g e and in capacity to manage the affairs of my State which I emphatically
deny as it is absolutely without foundation. *