Page 299 - Records of Bahrain (3) (ii)_Neat

Bahrain and the British, 1921-1922 715
lu an/ (uxtbor oominunioullou
oo tbli mbjoot, ploA«o quoto
No.. S 5373/1644/91.
»nd addr«M, rrrr-' Foil hi on Ofpiok.
m( (o any pirion by narni,
but to- ; 8. W. 1.
•'Tho Undor-HowoUM / of i 2228
KoroiK'i Olllco,
I<oii(1iiii, 8.W.I. I 29th May, 1922,
1 i
Bit,

With roforence to my letter of 10th March on the subjeot
of the uneatiofactory position prevailing in Bahrain, I am
direotod by the Earl of Balfour to invite a referenoo to the
corrospondonoo forwarded by the Government of India and enclosed
in your letter P.2132 of the 24th May regarding the desirability
of introducing reforms in taxation in that island.
2. From the abovo mentioned documents it appears that com­
plete immunity from taxation has for a considerable time been

enjoyed by all Sunnis resident in an island whioh is under
British suzerainty, whereas those Mahommedans who are of the
Shiah sect seem to have been victimised entirely unjustly,.
Viscount Peol will realise that such treatment of the latter
sect cannot fail to fumieh a moot useful opportunity for our

enemiee in South Persia and elsewhere for emphasising to the
Persian Shiahs that their co-religionists in Bahrain have for
years apparently Buffered gross injustice, if not at the hands
of the British Government, at all events with their connivance.
3. In these circumstances I am to submit, for Lord Peel’s

consideration the question whether it is not dosirable that
the local Resident at Bahrain should receive definite instructions

from the Government of India, to press with considerable energy
on the Sheikh of'Bahrain, the essential need of putting into prac­
tice forthwith the reforms in question.
I am,
•: h. ‘ vr *
Sir,
30 MAY U22 I i
; r oo >•••• Your obedient Serv / ♦
• j
Under-Secretary of State,
India Office.