File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS' [‎262r] (534/586)

The High Commissioner replied on November 23rd thanking him for
his sensible letter and pointing out that with few exceptions the insurgent
shaikhs had surrendered unconditionally since Khaiyun al ’Ubaid had
written, and that there would, he confidently hoped, be no more bloodshed.
When the tribes had complied with the terms imposed, the High Commis
sioner was prepared to give a general amnesty to all but those who had been
guilty of cold blooded murder of Government servants or had led the Arabs
astray with false statements at the beginning.
22. A pro-British madhbatah is said to be in course of preparation in
the Nasiriyah Division, the signatories including Shaikh Farhad al Mugash-
ghash, head of the Bani Khaiqan confederation, Manshad al Hubaiyib.
chief of the Ghazzi, Farhan al Tahir, chief of the Husainat and other
important tribal leaders.
23. Shaikh Juwi of the Bani Lam (‘Amarah Division) reports that the
Wali sent horsemen to take Sarkalah from flocks and herds of the Bani Lam
uhich were grazing within his boundaries (see No. 1 para. 34). Juwi,
knowing he would be backed by Government, replied by moving his animals,
well within the Wall’s lands, whereupon the claim was dropped and the
Walks tribes withdrew hastily. Juwi’s case rests upon the established
right of the Bani Lam to graze their flocks on these lands -without paying
rent; it was customary to offer the Wali a mare or some such present as a
return. The issue at stake is however much greater than the payment of
fees. Large elements of the Bani Lam are not cultivators and depend on
grazing for their flocks. If they find that ,their own shaikhs cannot provide
for their needs, they will go over to the Wali.
24. The Kut Division has benefitted from the troubles on the Euphrates
by gaining an access of cultivators. Sarkals and fallahs Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour. of the Juhaish and
Ma'amrah sections of the Zubaid have crossed the Tigris and taken
service with the Zubaid Shaikhs who did not join m the rising.
The tribesmen have been told that they must return to Hillah to pay up the
fine of rifles which it was their object to evade , after which those who have
begun to cultivate on the Tigris may go back there. The episode exemplifies
the great fluidity of agricultural labour in the ‘Iraq.
25. In the Diyalah Division, where affairs are still far from satisfactory^
terms were imposed on Mandali on November 20, by a column which visited
the town. The column was accompanied by the Arab Qaimmaqam newly
appointed under the National Government.
26. Shaikh Faisal of the Shammar, one of the many sons of Farhan and
brother of Al ‘Asi, has been living in the Samarra Division ever since 1918,
in receipt of an allowance from Government. His following is small and his
influence nil, though his pretensions are boundless. His own conduct during
the rising was not very satisfactory, while one of his sons has joined the
hostile shaikhs of the Shammar. His allowance has been reduced from
Rs. 500 a month to Rs. 300, with effect from December 1, and he has been
told that it will cease altogether on April 1, 1921.
27. Ahmad Beg, one of the leading men of Samarra, who was mayor
of the town under British occupation and was D.A.P.O. Balad during the
disturbances, has been appointed Qaimmaqam of Samarra under the ational
Government.
28. In the Dulaim Division, one of the three leading shaikhs of the
Jaghaifah, which is the northernmost constituent of the Dulaim, wrote on
October 25, to ‘Ali ibn Suleiman offering assistance. He states that he was
absent on the Khabur when £ Anah was sacked.
Another of the Jaghaifah shaikhs had previously written to ‘Ali al V
Sulaiman informing him that the French had appointed Qaimmaqam at Albu \
Kama!, “but we did not accept him, for we are Dulaim and wish to act in
agreement w'ith you. •
Mishrif al Dandal of the ‘Aqaidat also wrote to ‘Ali al Sulaiman on
October 30, Hying him the same information with regard to Albu Kamal,
■md adding “We sent him back, for our Qadha belongs to the British Gov
ernment and the shaikhs of ‘Aqaidat ask for British rule, which is best
for us.”
99 Dhira‘ shaikh of the nomadic Zoba‘ and brother of Dhan, has
been'in communication with the A.P.O. of Fallujah. He took no part in the
rising but his claims to the lands on the Qurmah and the Abu Ghuraib, and
t 0 the control of the cultivators there are not recognized. It is probable
that he isi harbouring Dhari, but the settled cultivators of the Zoba‘ will have
nothing to do with Dhari and his sons.
30. The ex-mudir of Rahhaliyah returned there from Ramadi on
November 12, to resume his duties. He was accompanied by the principal
inhabitants of Rahhaliyah who had written to ask that the representative
of Government might come back.
31 In the Kirkuk Division the political and tribal situation has deve
loped normally. Some of the insurgent leaders are still out, however, and