Page 91 - Records of Bahrain (6)_Neat

Unrest among Baharinah of Manama 79
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prejudices acting on behalf of the Sunni Qadi. It was
agrood by all except Khalil Kanoo that compensation v/ao not
due. The matter v/ae brought up a third time and this time
all the members, v/ho had been actively canvassed, except
the 5 Shia Bahama, agreed that the compensation, amounting
to about Rs.1,400 should be paid* On this the 5 Bahama

resigned from the council. Such an incident was unique in
the history of the municipality.
action
For some time the Government toolc no not-iee, with the
hope that the matter would settle itself. Various people
had offered to pay the amount in order to settle the matter
amicably. Then the Government sent for the 5 members and a
long aeries of discussions began between His Highness and
the members and myself and the members. The Government
informed the municipal council that it had acted wrongly in
reversing its decisions and stated that the payment should
not bo made from municipal fundo but would be settled by
the Government. The Government also gave instructions to

the Baladiya regarding the method of dealing with such cases
which were intended to prevent similar occurrences in future
and it requested the 5 members to withdraw their resignat­
ion. They refused to do this and at the many meetings
which were subsequently held they produced various com­
plaints implying that the Shia Arabs were oppressed and
ignored. They introduced into these convorsations matters
which hud no connection whatever with municipal affairs but
which reflected the long standing ill-feeling between
Sunnis and Shias.
The Government offered to continue the life of tlie
prosont council for a period of two yearo only from the
date of the oloction, to nominate at once another Shia
A i member in place of an Indian who had loot his seat by
I
absence from meetings, to roviae the boundaries of the
electoral areas and to supervise the elections, not

/allowing