Page 197 - PERSIAN 9 1941_1947

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tribeu or of u trite ujair.st Ike Vuscut Government have
been aired in inte n*ii r.a'; le series, cf discucciona, argumente,

agreement a, breaches cf agreements an.; then further negotia­
tions culm1nati..j cO. cti.es i;. a single murder but more
usually ir; what would be retried: in a settled country as
petty crime to be dealt iti* by the ordinary police force.
Only.in a state where even small tribes assume tc them-

celves some of the attributes of sovereign powers can such
incidents be rc^rcUl a. of political significance, The
three important Shaikhs in (tear., Abdulla bir. Hoharcr.ed al

Khali 15 (ni.e Imam"; Isa bin Sale}. U1 Karthi, and Sulaimar.
/1
bin Kaniyar of the JaLui Akhdar have not been openly active
though such is their power, it is ^.robably correct to
assume, that they have supplied the inspiration for most

of the incidents which have taken place, They lave kept
aloof from the Kutcut Government which is equivalent to
saying that they have not troubled it. The moot, likely
reason'for this is that our extension of air-pov/er in the

Sultan*s territory has not only convinced them of our
willingness but also of our instant ability to support hia«
Also, the Shaikhs, to the diiniuuti:n of food supplies
from India have been, like everyone else, preoccupied

in the problem of ho.. • to feel th%.ir people, The Bedou
regard series almost. -s synonymous with life itw-lf and
the enforced reduction by the ifuscv.t Government of supplies

to Oman has been one of the most noteworthy developments of
the year. That it was carried through without more than
an occasional protest fror tlie tribes is furthei\ testimony
to the increased prestige of the Sultan, exercised, as it

has been for the whole year, f.o;.: the distant . rovince of
Dhof ar. This last - i roup.. tonce -iso explains the distant

attitude of the‘three prei-i.r Shaikhs who would consider
it undignified and, ;vl,. more irr. ertunt