Page 157 - Records of Bahrain (5) (i)_Neat

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Agitation for reform, 1938 145

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of the Courts. It was, however, the disgraceful condition
of the Shia Shora Court which provided opportunity for
agitation to crystallise. It had long been recognised
by the Bahrain Government that thio Court must be over­

hauled, but there was unavoidable delay in reorganisation.
The loaders of the Manamah town Bahama in ventilating the
legitimate complaints of the Shias in respect of the Court
took the opportunity to raise vague demands on various other
matters such as education and the increased representation
of the Shias on Municipal Councils and In the employment
of the Government. Certain Arab Sunnis of the towns, well-
known to be ill-disposed towards the Government, associated
themselves with the Bahama leadero and produced other com­

plaint s. Both the alleged grievances and personal motives
however were so divergent that inevitably there was a split
between the Sunnis and the Shias, and the reform of the Shia
Court which was effected in October resulted in the
Bahama withdrawing. The Arab malcontents, having failed
to obtain open support from leading notables, turned their

attention to the young men and led them in a somewhat violent
agitation against both the Government and the Oil Company.
5. The arrest of some of the Arab leadero led to a premature
strike in the Oil Company* s premises and to a demonstration
by about 500 youths in Manamah. The latter was controlled
without difficulty, a few more arrests were made, and the
strike proved abortive. Attempts to enlist the aid of the

Muharraq divers and the lower class Bahama failed, and
conditions outwardly returned to normal. The young men,
however, are still obsessed with their revolutionary ideas,
hostile notices continue to be exhibited, and though the
public is generally apathetic there is always the danger

that/-