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Coll 30/159 'Ownership of Hawar Islands.' [‎51r] (102/361)

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The record is made up of 1 file (179 folios). It was created in 29 Apr 1936-15 Oct 1942. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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necessary in the past when relations between Bah
rain and ^atar were of a more friendly nature than
they are today and the Hawar Islands were regarded
as being free from the danger of interference by
v t atar*
3. The statement that M some fishermen,
however, visit this island when t hey go to the sea
for fishing as they do in other islands which is
considered a usual practice”, is a ridiculous and
inaccurate description of a place containing a long
established settled community of xirabs living in per
manent stone houses with their wives and families
and their cattle, sheep and donkeys. It appears
to imply that the Eawar Islands are only occassionally
visited by casual fishermen whereas the fishermen
who are referred to are some of the inhabitants of
Hawar who live in the islands and who go fishing
from their home bringing back their fish to Hawar
or sometimes sending it to Manama for sale.
4. Shaikh Abdulla refers to ”interference"
by His Highness T s Government in Hawar. This is
not a word which can be suitably used to describe
the development by a Ruler of a part of his country^
Admittedly the Government of Bahrain has built roads,
fortifications, piers, landmarks and beacons and has
experimented in artesian well drilling in the Hawar
Islands in a similar manner as has been done in
other parts of Bahrain.
5. Shaikh xJadulla states that as Ruler of
^atar he has right of ownership over the Hawar Islands
if this is the case why has Shaikh abdulla never exer
cised his alleged right of ownership over the
islands and their inhabitants? It would appear

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Content

The file concerns the disputed claims of the rulers of Bahrain and Qatar to sovereignty over the Hawar Islands. The issue arose afresh in 1936 in response to a request from Petroleum Concessions Limited to settle the issue of ownership, in order that the Company could claim oil concession rights over the island as part of the concession not previously allocated to the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) (the Bahrain Unallotted Area).

The papers contain statements of evidence on both sides, and correspondence discussing the question from 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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; 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. , Bahrain; the Foreign Office; Petroleum Concessions Limited; the Government of Bahrain; and the two rulers concerned. The British Government decided in 1939, after examining the evidence, that the islands belonged to Bahrain (folio 44). The papers show that 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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Geoffrey Prior, challenged the validity of this judgement in 1941, stating that the case had been decided 'according to western ideas, and no allowance has been made for local custom and sentiment' (folios 6-8). However, a subsequent letter on the subject from the Government of India to the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. concluded that it was then too late to reverse the decision (folio 4).

The Arabic language content of the papers consists of approximately five folios; these include photographs of judgements (with translation, folios 57-58) submitted by the Government of Bahrain to the British Government, showing that the Bahrain Court had exercised jurisdiction in legal cases concerning residents of Hawar (folios 130-133).

The file also includes photographs of places in Hawar (folios 126-127).

The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 file (179 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 181; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Two additional foliation sequences are also present in parallel between ff 3-179, and ff 48-88; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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Coll 30/159 'Ownership of Hawar Islands.' [‎51r] (102/361), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3895, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100076666398.0x000069> [accessed 20 April 2024]

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