خارجي ٣٢٩/ ٤٣ "شحن الغذاء إلى دول الخليج الفارسي" [و‎‎١‎٣‎٠] (٨١٣/٢٥٩)

Ite. 46-J
Britiah Residency & Conaulat«w5eri*ral
Buaairt,
th« 9tii Junaary» 1945.
Bpobh
Tha Hoa , bl« tue Political Resident,
Persian Oulf,
Buaiiire.
To Hi* Uajeety** Secretary of State for India,
The India Office,
London.
Sir,
Aa Hi* Majesty** Oovomiaent are awaro very fjyeat hardaliip ha* been caused in
the Persian Gulf by a compulsory change of diet frota rice to otlner cereals. This
has been the subject of many representations at various times, and the Arab States
have been compelled to accept first of all wheat mad barley, than whxte flour and
barley, and finally a^ain wheat and barley* During my recent visit to hnwait,
Colonel Hokeo»i, who is of course the greatest authority on the Bedouin in these
parte, drew attention to the deplorable effect that this unfamiliar diet was having
upon them.
2* As his statements were interesting and better informed than Best of those
that have come to my notice, and as tie has the advantage of a great familiarity
with the domsstic side of Arab life, I asked him through the Political Agent to
record these views in a self contained minute so that I could give them a wider
circulation. This note is enclosed herewith, and shows very lucidly the extremely
unsatisfactory situation that has been brought about by the denial of rice to tide
area. Ro.att«apt has been made at any time to provide Egyptian rice, which has
been earmarked for rubber workers in Ceylon and Southern India, who apparently
have a higher priority than .Arab oil workers in Bahrain, and the export of Indian
rice which was available in Sind was forbidden. An arrangement has recently been
made which it is lipped will result in making available some Persian rice, though
unfortunately at a very high rate, but this will only be within the reach of better
paid labour and not the general public.
Colonel Dickson's note refers principally to the Bedouin, but it applies,
kiout n to a varying extent, to the poorer classes everywhere, with the exception
of some Persians and Indians. A sudden change of diet to a race with very limited
resources and unfamiliar with culinary experiments must obviously have very
serious effects, and I trust that upon the Burmese supplies once again becoming
available the unfortunate experiences of the Arab States in the Persian Gulf will
be borne in mind and that they will be given a sufficiently high priority to enable
them to secure their r ^rament* from their former source of supply at a
reasonable rate.
4. I am sending a copy of this letter to the Government of India and the Middle
Bast supply Centre.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
3d/~ GJSCPiRiar PRIOR
Political Resident, Persian Gulf