Page 58 - UAE Truncal States

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The Tribal Structure of Society

houses of the Sudan in the town itself and about 30 in Batin, both on
the main island. None of the tribe ever owned date gardens in LTwa
nor did they own a significant number of camels. Wherever they lived
in the Gulf they engaged in pearling, fishing, trading in pearls and
seafaring. The Sudan of Abu Dhabi have usually been steadfast
supporters of the policies of the A1 Bu Falah, with whom they became
connected in marriage throughout several generations. Shaikh Zayid
bin Khallfah’s mother, for instance, was a Suwaidi, and one of his
wives was the daughter of the paramount shaikh of the Sudan,
Sultan bin Nasir.
At one point in time Shaikh Zayid bin Khalifah’s overall political
aim, to become the leader of all the beduin of the Trucial Coast and
thus also to safeguard the possessions he had already added to the
realm of the A1 Bu Falah, relied on co-operation with the Sudan. Both
had their eyes on the sandbank of Zura opposite the beach extending
from 'Ajman to Hamrlyah. Shaikh Zayid obtained from the British
Resident in Bushire permission to send supplies for the use of some
beduin, which he had assembled on Zura. In 1897 a section of the
Sudan led by Sultan bin Nasir started to colonise Zura, and the
Shaikh of Abu Dhabi offered to protect the new settlement. This was,
however, immediately opposed by all the Ghafiri shaikhs, especially
by the Ruler of 'Ajman and by the Qasimi Ruler of Sharjah, who was
the overlord of Hamrlyah. They appealed to the Political Resident,
invoking the terms of the treaties which forbade the use of boats to
transport warlike material even to an island close by. Thus the joint
plan of Shaikh Zayid and the Sudan to gain a foothold within reach
of the traditionally Qasimi territory and a potential base for maritime
activities in the north came to nothing in the end.32
The Sudan continued to play an important part in the politics of
Abu Dhabi, and it was for instance one of their leaders in Abu Dhabi,
Ahmad bin Khallfah, who spoke in front of members of the ruling
family and some notables of the shaikhdom against the choice of
Shaikh Shakhbut bin Sultan as Ruler. He favoured the brother
Hazza' bin Sultan, and said so. In the 1950s the Sudan were leaders
in the exodus of scores of families from Abu Dhabi to Qatar. Having
tribal relatives there and also good relations with the ruling family of
Qatar, the Sudan obtained work, housing and schooling fairly
promptly there. They were then followed by many families of the
Rumaithat, Qubaisat, and some families of most of the other Bani Yas
sections.
This enumeration of the sections of the Bani Yas shows that there
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