File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS' [‎110r] (230/586)

in faV ° Ur ° f r jy er f ion t0 .^ fo ™ ^ use under the Turks, but its essential drawback
IL th l tribesmen are n^ nabl l ^ avai1 themselves of ii’ the half profits demanded being more
behind^hem 11 ^ dims the leases were usually taken up by townsmen with some capital
19. Muntafiq.—-The general situation in Suq district is somewhat better owing to the
active support given by gunboat and aeroplane in the preservation of law and order. The tribes
are not, however, paying revenue; a good deal of petty lawlessness prevails and old quarrels
are reopened. In their refusal to pay revenue the tribes are actuated by two motives. In the
first place they are not certain that the British intend to remain in the country, and in the
second they disbelieve in the permanence of National Government, for which they have no
li "mg. As a result they have determined to pay no dues until they have proved that the present
Government is able to force them to do so.
20. The Turkish Commission of 1911 attributed the Muntafiq troubles to the fact that
the arable lands of the tribes are in the hands of a few powerful shaikhs ” and opined 'that
“ the proper remedy was a thorough-going partition of the lands ”. During the war and the
years which succeeded the armistice we have been obliged to adopt a compromise until a land
settlement could be undertaken. As far as possible the paramount shaikh was regarded as
Government agent, but the tribesmen do their utmost to refuse recognition of his official posi
tion with Government. Meantime the incidence of taxation is extremely light—it would indeed
be impossible to collect heavy dues from tribes as well-armed as are those of the Muntafiq. No
thing short of agrarian legislation can remove the ultimate causes of discontent, but immediate
factors of disturbance must be dealt with as they arise.
21. On the Gharraf the Musaddaq sectional leader came in on May 16 (see No. 13,
para. 15 a). The Budur (s&e No. 13, para. 15 c) failed to comply with an ultimatum and were
bombed on May 21. The tribal leaders then asked for a safe-conduct to Nasiriyah which was
accorded on condition that they were prepared to accept Government terms. An ultimatum
was issued to the ‘Attab section of the Humaid (No. 13, para, e) on the receipt of which the
shaikh, Yusuf al Burhan, warned by the examples offered by the Musaddaq and Budur, came in
to Shatrah. He has been ordered to report to the Mutasarrif at Nasiriyah.
22. ‘ Amarah. —In conclusion of the Khazraj settlement (see No. 10, para. 13) the Shaikh
of Mohammarah has been informed (a) that H.E. the High Commissioner has recognised the
Khazraj as Persian subjects domiciled in Persian territory and subject to the control of the
Persian authorities, (6) that the Dirisat section of the Chananah tribe which has its domiciie
in the country between the Duwairij and Karkhah is in no way under the control of the High
Commissioner’s representative at ‘Amarah.
The chiefs of the Khazraj and Chananah visited the Shaikh of Muhammarah early in May
to discuss measures for the maintenance of law and order in their districts.
23. The Assistant Adviser, Dulaim, visited Fahad al Dughaiyim on May 8 in camp west of
the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Hauran. Fahad al Dughaiyim is the rival of Fahad Beg among the ‘Amarat ‘ Anizah.
He has recently written to the British authorities protesting his desire for good relations and
putting forward his claims as a leader of the tribe. He intimated to the Assistant Adviser that
though he would never fight against Moslem Turks he perceived the advantage of open markets
and general friendliness, on the basis of a subsidy. Captain Carver formed the impression that
he and Fahad Beg were moving in the direction of an understanding, possibly urged thereto by
common dread of the Akhwan. Here Fahad Beg holds the trump card in a letter from tbn
Sa‘ud promising that the Akhwan will not attack any one who is with him.
24. A desert police force mainly of ‘Aqail with a sprinkling of tribesmen has been
organized under a British officer for the protection of the Dulaim frontiers and has moved up
to ‘Anah.
25. Nijris ibn Qa‘ud, the hitherto irreconcilable shaikh of the Northern Dulaim, and a
bitter rival of ‘ Ali Sulaiman, has applied to the Mosul Adviser for permission to make dakhalah,
but it is doubtful whether his protestations are sincere. He has been informed that if he does
not surrender the loot which he has seized action will be taken against him. His advances are
probably due to fear of the desert police force.
26. Mosul. —The elections for the Majlis ‘Idarah were held during April. The Majlis is
composed of 2 official members (the Qadhi and Revenue Inspector), the Mutasarrif (or Adviser)
and 5 non-official members—3 Moslems and 2 non-Moslems—elected according to principles
which adhere in the main to the Turkish rules. The system is as follows:—
An electoral committee was formed of 3 official members, heads of the 5 religious com
munities, and 6 appointed members. Voting by secret ballot, the committee put forward a list
of 15 names, 9 Moslems and 6 non-Moslems, which was sent to the Mosul Municipality and the 5
district councils for reduction to 10, 6 Moslems and 4 non-Moslems. From these 10, 3 Moslems
and two non-Moslems were chosen by the Adviser as members of the Council. There was some
disappointment among the Jews that their candidate did not get in, otherwise the individuals
selected as members have given universal satisfaction.
27 The collection of the sheep tax in Dohuk was completed in April, the first month of
the financial year, a performance probably not paralleled before in that district. See para (?)*
28. Gendarmerie strength and distribution in Mosul Division during April:
150 3 Arab Officers.
108 2 „
60 1 v>
200 3 „
117 2 „
TVJ.US Ui
Tall ‘ Afar
Zakho
‘ Aqrah
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