File 522/1922 Pt 4 'Persian Gulf: Bahrein: Internal' [‎229v] (463/616)

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the first two punishments only the normal work of the district, the numbers bei
by no means excessive, and as regards the third punishment it has been inflictedspa §
ingly, only some half dozen or s ) deportations having been made and each case has
been reported to Government and sanction obtained in advance in all cases except
one. No “ innocent subjects ” have been punished nor any persons without “ ip.
quiry or trial.” By “ abolition of all courts except one ” it is presumed the
Shaikh means all courts except ti e ( onsalar Court; if so he omits to mention that the
only courts existing befor; the Reforms were the Shara ’ Courts, the Majlis el Urfi
the Sabfah Court, the Consular Court and the Joint Court, and these all exist to-day
except the Salifah Court which is in abeyance from inanition, as no one desires to
go before it as no justice can be oltrinei—its suspension however dated from before
the reforms : mure a new court in the shape of Shaikh Hamad’s Court has
been inaugurated which is very well managed and is great'y resorted to by litigants.
The Shaikh however by “ courts ” possibly reh rs to the ‘ Majlis ” which every Shaikh
and Shaikhling had : these were not courts but irresponsible vehicles of oppression,
every Shaikh fining, imprisoning and expropriating the rayats (Shiahs only bien
entendu) at his own sweet will. Replacement of Manama Police, etc.” means
the institution of Police in Manama in place of a few inefficient “ naturs ” (night-
watchmen). It is true that most of the police are Persians and thus foreigners
but this is simply because the local Arabs will not enl st as there is too much work
* to do. In point of fact when the Police force was instituted every number of
p the Majlis was asked to produce some men from the community he represented,
d The Persians and Bahreinis did so, bat the Arabs could not get any men to enlist!
“ My son Hamad a youth, etc.” Shaikh Hamad admits to about 45 years and by
appearance is at least 50, and has been doing a good part of the administration for
two or three years before the reforms. This sentence is typical of the amount of
truth in the statement made, and it is hoped that it is unnecessary to comment
on all the rhetorical nonsense in this and many other paragraphs.
7. The ‘ congress of the aristocracy, etc.” consisted solely of a few Sunni
pearling nakhudas and was in point of fact attended by very few persons except
the signatories to the egregious manifesto which with the convening of the so-called
congress was the work of Abdul Wahab Zayani. It is worthy of note that even
of the few signatories t$o told Shaikh Hamad they were compelled to sign, one
decrep.t old gentleman saying that his hand was actually held and made to
write the name by force ! A report on all this however was submitted to Gov
ernment under cover of Bushire Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. letters Nos. 602-S., and 622-S., dated
27th October and 10 th November 1923. (Serial Nos. 208 and 225 in bile
No. 480-X.).
8 . As the memorial was submitted to Colonel Trevor immediately on his
return from leave obviously in the hope that the policy inaugurated by Colonel
Knox would be reversed, it was necessary to disabuse the signatories at once 0 i
such a hope, but the teleguam does not appear to be minatory and insulting,
the English version is forwarded herewith.
1 he telegram was sent on 26th October and acknowledged by Major Dalv on
27 th October (cf. enclosure of Serial No. 208 ibid). The Do wash migrated about
J 5th November though they had been threatening to do so for months pas •
I he actual reason for their departure was because they had been fined Rs. 15, t
at the suggestion of Colonel Knox for the brutal murder of a number 0
Shiah inhabitants of the village of Ali including women and also of t\v° ^
I lema in the immediate neighbourhood of their principal village. The
recovered as a fine was paid as compensation to the heirs of the killed . t le n
thus got off without any punishment for the dastardly outrages t icy
committed.
9 and 10. The presentation of the petition and the proceedings
have been fully reported in Bushire letter No. 622-S, dated 10 th Nove
1923 (Serial No. 225 in File No. 480-X.). The two persons were depofte
riie urgent request of Shaikh Hamad, and they were informed persona y .
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. by the direction of 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. of the reaso
their de] ortation. * cs |.
Abdul YVahab Zayani and Ahmed bin Lahej were removed at
n ^1 aikh Hamad and the proceedings were described in Bushirc letter o.
dated 10 th November 1923 (Pro. No. 225 ibid).