مجموعة ٦ / ٨ (١) "سلسلة مطبوعة: ١٩٢٩ إلى ١٩٣٨". [ظ‎‎٣‎٥‎٢] (١٠٦٢/٧٠٩)

^ a# fiilc flpsnntch aiid its enclosures to His Maiestv^
the Political Resident ’in the
Persian Gulf and the Political Agent at koweit.
El,Cl0SUr EsTRACi- » 0 jf inn “ tJMBL QttrA "No. 264 7th JalftfaMf 1930.
The situation of the rebels.
Apprehensions dissipated and doubts cleared.
Many reports have been circulated abroad regarding Feisal-ed-Damsh and
1 ■ ,.Xiii nI1 o suD'norters with the result that certain interested persons desirous
o fisSTtroS! waters represented the rebels’ weakness as strength and
their disunion as combination threatening the very integrity of Nejd This was
when the rebels were seeking refuge m neighbouring countries supported merely
by false hopes inspired in them by interested and mean persons who have never
rendered ahy useful service to the Arab nation. The fact that His Majesty the
King did not take immediate measures against the rebels afforded’ them some
encouragement and led to doubts and apprehensions, whereas the situation, as
revealed to anyone in close touch with the tread of events, may be summed up
as follows :—
After the repeated defeat of the rebels in evety pitched battle with the
Khm’s forces, they fled Seeking shelter in Koweit, thinking that they may be
sufficiently reinforced to resume their raids on those travelling m the desert and
to renew "their disturbance of public security. They took for granted that
assistance would be forthcoming from those who had promised to support them,
and Who, in reality, had neither power nor authority.. Such was the situation
of the rebels a few months ago when they discovered that the King's forces, in
overwhelming numbers, had practically encircled them .on every side.
His Majesty’s Government had then two ends in view, first to take punitive
measures against their rebellious subjects who had disturbed the peace by
raiding the territories of the countries on the frontiers of Nejd and secondly,
to ascertain the intentions of the neighbouring countries regarding the rebels,
particularly as to whether these Governments would carry out their undertakings
or leave the rebels unmolested. The shelter afforded the rebels by the Govern
ment of Koweit, and the hesitation of the said Government to come to a deci
sion regarding them forced His Majesty the King to suspend operations, as he
Was anxious to avoid an encounter with the rebels in the territory of a neighbour
ing country. His Majesty’s earnest desire was to respect the rights of that
country and to observe his agreement. It is needless to say that the Hejaz-
Nejd Government have always carried out their undertakings although the
authorities on the other side have failed to observe them. The rebels, of whose
raids and attacks the neighbouring Governments and principalities had pre
viously complained, were enabled to obtain provisions.
The fact about which there is not the least doubt is that the rebels have
never set afoot any serious movement in the territory of Nejd nor has their
insidious propaganda affected any region within the boundaries of Nejd, for
Whenever such an attempt was made, His Majesty’s forces intercepted ariu
routed! them so that they enjoyed no relief except in the shelter of the territory
of a neighbouring countries. _ The Governments on the frontiers of Nejd should
have observed their undertakings by refusing to afford refuge to those who had
deprived their own subjects of security and peace. The rebels have, on the
contrary, been allowed to obtain provisions and arms, have been treated with
every consideration and have moved about without any let or hindrance.
Whenever these Governments were asked to reconsider their attitude, they
ignored the harms which migffit befall them by failing to observe their under
takings, by stirring up dissension among the Arabs, creating rancours by ally'
mg themselves with those who were their bitter enemies but yesterday, by en
couraging highwaymen and by violating the time of neighbourliness.
His Majesty’s Government had to draw the attention of those Governments
to the violation resulting from giving refuge to the rebels. The reply was that
mey would act m the matter m accordance with agreements. The more His
x ajes y s Govenmient pressed for immediate action, the more definite were the
orir^fiir 06 ! ^ 1V ‘V their undertakings would be strictly observed. We, in
evL ^if Pe th 1 they may keep their repeated promises‘which have not been
into effect eamed ° ut 80 that the > T ma y give proof of their desire to carry them