Page 260 - Records of Bahrain (5) (i)_Neat

248 Records of Bahrain

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of tho Hawar Islunds io not in dfcspute, thoir si­
tuation is far better known to the rulers and
people of Bahrain tlian to Shaikh Abdulla of viator

beoause they are constantly frequented by the
Shaikhs of Bahrain and thoir people whereas no
number of the A1 Thani family has ever set foot on
these islands# The Hawar Islands have never belonged
to Qatar# They have belonged, as they do today,

to the Rulers of Bahrain and tho sole authority to
be exoroised over the islands was and is the autho­
rity of the Shaikhs of Bahrain#
8. The Hawar Islands consisting of one large
island, two or threo small islunds and a number of
rocky islets are a part of the Bahrain archipelago#
They have been under the rule of the Shaikhs of Bah­

rain sinoe about the time when the Khalifah oonquered
Bahrain, in 1783. The Hawar Islunds were held by
the Ruling Family of Bahrain, A1 Khalifah, for many

years before the Al Thani family acquired any autho­
rity over the Qatar tribesmen# Ho ruler of Qatar,
exoept tAiQ Khalifah when as rulers of Bahrain they
had.authority over Qatar, has exoroised authority
over the Hawar Islands or the inhabitants, either
by imposing on the inhabitants taxes or fees or by

summoning them to appear in the oourto of the State*
9# The inhabitants of the Hawar Islands ore
subjeots of the Ruler of Bahrain* They affirm this
faot in the potition which is attaohed to this letter,
I a petition whiok is signed by the leading men of
/ Hawar* Their boats are registered in Bahrain and

sail under the Bahrain flag, when they travel they
travel under Bahrain Passports, their boats are
registered in Bahrain and they pay boat registration

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