Page 333 - UAE Truncal States

Chapter Eight

and refuelling facililies for aircraft, had advanced her own interests
regardless of the adverse effect upon the naturally rather xenophobic
population. This attitude had in turn produced stubborn refusal by
some Rulers, in particular Sultan bin Salim of Ra’s al Khaimah and
the two Bani Yas Rulers of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and reluctance on
the part of others to co-operate on any of the issues which were then
still unresolved. The outstanding issues concerned the expulsion of
piratical individuals, such as a certain Mirza Birkat, originally from
Makran; punishment of people who were involved in taking slaves
from the coastal towns to Saudi Arabia via Hamasah; compliance
with British standards in jurisdiction over thieves; and last but not
least the signing of agreements with the oil company.
While the rather distant British presence, maintained during the
first decade of this century, had been appreciated because the peace
al sea still held and thus the income from pearling was secured for all
the shaikhdoms, the British objectives in the area during the 1930s
and the 1940s clashed with the feelings, needs, and inclinations of
the population and their leaders. A gradual change in this atmos­
phere of mutual mistrust came about when, during and after the
Second World War, the Political Officers helped to organise the
import and distribution of food for the population of the coast and
the hinterland. The restrictions on the export of food from India,
which came into effect soon after the beginning of the War, could
have had disastrous effects on the Trucial Slates, whose population
had not been self-sufficient in food for many centuries and could not
suddenly start growing adequate supplies. Permits were granted for
the export from India of rice, tea, sugar, and other items, and the
distribution of rationed supplies was undertaken by local merchants
supervised by local committees. The Political Officers set up a
workable system and acted as the final arbiters in disputes. While
doing so they came into daily contact with a large part of the
population in the coastal towns and even in the hinterland. Their
personal efforts were appreciated by the people, and thus the image
of the British in general was considerably improved. Other activities,
such as vaccination during epidemics and the establishment in
Dubai of a dispensary with an Indian doctor did not fail to
demonstrate to the population that these British civil servants were
not bent solely on serving the interests of a waning empire.01
Some changes had already been made during the 1930s in the
arrangements to guard the British interests on the coast. The Political
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