Page 134 - UAE Truncal States

Administering a Tribal Society

made the seal of another Governorate. Shaikh Sultan bin Surur al
Dhahiri from the important Dhawahir tribe of the Buraimi oasis has
been the representative of the Ruler at Jabal al Dhannah since that
time.04

Das Island
Having followed in detail the impact of changing economic opportu­
nities and working habits of the population on the administrative
structure in the desert, it is necessary to mention only a few events in
the history of the previously uninhabited island Das. When the oil
company. Abu Dhabi Marine Areas Ltd., started drilling in 1958 it
built a service camp on the island, and in due course established all
its oil-export and related facilities on the approximately 2.5 square-
kilometre island. 160 kilometres from Abu Dhabi town. In July 1962
the State’s first cargo of crude oil was exported from there. The
Ruler’s nephew, Shaikh Hamdan bin Muhammad, became his
representative there, being resident on the island for most of the year.
When he was called upon by Shaikh Zayid early in 1967 to head some
of the newly-established departments in Abu Dhabi, his assistant on
Das, Mubarak bin Hadr, became the Ruler’s representative; he is still,
in 1981, holding this post.

Buraimi Oasis
The appointment of his own waii in the Buraimi Oasis, in 1896, put
the seal on Shaikh Zayid bin KhaliTah’s endeavours to dominate the
oasis.05 After an increasing number of Bani Yas, and particularly the
Al Bu Falah, had acquired date gardens in several of the villages,
some Dhawahir, the original owners of the oasis, tried unsuccess­
fully to shake off this Al Bu Falah domination. But after the last
armed clash in 1891 Shaikh Zayid was in a stronger position than
ever, and enforced his sovereignty by extracting a tribute from the
Dhawahir villages and by collecting the customary taxes from the
villagers. Shaikh Zayid was, however, able to avoid resentment
among and alienation of the Dhawahir, who had previously been his
allies against the NaTm, by making the tamlmah of the Dhawahir his
vvaJi responsible for all the villages under Abu Dhabi domination.
Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hilal al Dhahiri resided in Jimi and
served efficiently and faithfully as the representative of Shaikh Zayid
bin Khalifah, of his four sons who ruled after him, and of his
grandson Shaikh Shakhbul bin Sultan. Ahmad bin Muhammad was
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