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Coll 30/159 'Ownership of Hawar Islands.' [‎75r] (150/361)

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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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7<4-
islands at that time and that it forms a part
of Oatar up to the present in spite of the
recent actions which we are trying to put off
by means of understanding,
7. The following is one of the misleading
allegations made by the Bahrain Government
"Why did not Shaikh Abdullah use the
right which he claims about the owner
ship of the islands. He was up to a
year ago ignorant of there being such
islands and only now stirred under the
impression that they may perhaps contain
Oil".
This is a foolish saying. We extend an oppor
tunity to the Bahrain Government to cite any
instances of any action which they took in
the past in Hawar Islands and which we did
not challenge; have they taken any action or
possession of Hawar Islands in the past, which
they claim as their property and part of their
state formedbf inhabited villages for more than
a century, which action will serve as a proof or
will give a correct indication of their having
owned the islands ? Had we known of any such
thing we would have not challenged them when they
wanted to take over the islands now, by using our
right against them. The Hawar Island is well
known to all the people of Qatar, most of all
The "Ruler" has
never been there. the Ruler. Can it be logically assumed that a
/■ * (Ax*- , i. C< ^ m
vtn I ay* isS >n/> * ^ v* 4- 'L. -t — a.
Ruler should be ignorant of a part of his terri
tory ? I leave the matter to Your Excellency’s
sense of understanding to judge as to who is
ignorant of the Hawar Islands. Is it I, who
has described it according to the true situa
tion, or the Ruler of Bahrain, who has described
it as against its natural state and who alleges
that it is formed of villages and buildings

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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.' [‎75r] (150/361), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3895, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100076666398.0x000099> [accessed 23 April 2024]

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