File 4640/1928 Pt 2 ‘Muscat Situation at Sur.’ [‎191r] (392/800)

Khan Bahadur Kasib and Ali Musa Khan, merchants of Muscat, and to pull
down the forts which they had built. It appeared to Mr. Thomas that the
opposition to this came mainly from the Arama section, and on leaving Sur, in
the Al Sneed, he took in tow an Arama sambuk, which was in the harbour,
whereupon the Arama fired on the Al Saeed. Beyond hitting the funnel
and one of the ship’s boats, no damage was done. The fire was not returned.
The Council lined the Arama section Its. 10,000, but have been unable to
enforce this.
87. In April 1928 the Amirs of the Bani Bu Ali established a new
customs post at Aiqa. Their customs officer wrote to the State Customs
Official at Sur, demanding refund of customs which the State had levied
on the grounds that the boat belonged to the Bani Bu Ali. The Amirs
refused to furnish the Council’s representatives with any explanation
regarding this customs post.
88 . About the same time the Bani Bu Ali stopped a boat belonging to
the Arama section from entering the creek, whereupon the Arama prevented
a Bani Bu Ali boat from entering the creek.
The Bani Bu Ali then occupied BaladAsSur with a view to commanding
the water supply of Sur and obtaining mastery over the town. On the
I5tb April they were attacked in Balad As Sur by about 70 men of the
Arama and Fuwaris under the leadership of Sheikh Yaser al Majaala. The
Arama lost six killed, whilst the Bani Bu Ali lost 10 killed and three wounded.
Sheikh Bashid, Minister for Religious Affairs, accompanied by Saiyid
Shahab, brother of His Highness, went to Sur on the 17th April to try and
settle the dispute. Their reception by the Amirs was not cordial, and they
returned to Muscat on the 23rd April, having failed to accomplish anything.
However, through the intervention of other Sheikhs, the parties came to
terms. The. Arama and Makhana sections each destroyed one of their forts.
All sections of the Jenebeh were to pay $20 on each of their boats to the
Amirs for this year only, and Sheikhs Yaser and Naser bin Mubarak were
to call on the Amirs at Aiqa.
89. On the 25th May the Amirs wrote to the Council of Ministers, stating
that their action had been taken on behalf of the Muscat State and
demanding payment of $10,000 expenses. They attempted to send this
letter to the Council through 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. , but it was returned to
them and they w r ei*e informed that if they wished to communicate with the
Council they should do so direct.
90. In May Abdulla bin Saleh, Secretary to Mahomed bin Naser,
proceeded to Bushire to interview 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. . He asserted
the Bani Bu Ali did not recognise the Sultan’s authority and attempted to
get a certificate of identity at the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. . He was directed to obtain a
passport from the Sultan’s Government.
91. In July 1928 His Highness the Sultan and the Council of Ministers
furnished their views on the situation at Sur. They resented the letters and
actions of the Amirs of Jaalan, realised they were not strong enough
to deal with the situation and asked for the assistance of the British
Government.
92. In August 1928 the Amirs wrote to 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. claiming
that Sur was a part oc their territory, that the Sultan’s W ali was there and
customs collected with their permission, that the town and customs were
under their protection and everything would be accomplished in its proper
time.
93. On the 21st August a party of about 15 Arabs, chiefly of the Fuwaris
section of the Jenebeh, boarded a Cutch Mandvi buggalow Large trading vessel. belonging to
a British subject, Khimji Ramdas, which had arrived from Karachi,
overawed the crew with rifles and daggers, and made off with 22 bags of
rice and Rs. 200 worth of personal property belonging to the Nakhoda. Most
of the culprits are known. The Council of Ministers arrested one of
them in Muscat and are attempting to obtain the surrender of the others
from the Fuwaris Sheikhs.
94. On the night of the 27th August some Arabs climbed over a broken
wall and got into the fort where the Wall lives. They stabbed his two best