Page 125 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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role being to provide technical management advice and air crews and to maintain
the aircraft through a local subsidiary which they had formed under the name of
British International Airlines, Limited.!'30) Meanwhile a Brothers Contracting
Company had formed a “ Pan-Kuwait Airways ” which died an early death and an
American Company called the Chinese Civil Air Transport proposed to’operate
scheduled passenger and freight services to Damascus and Beirut. The Political
Agent informed the latter that they would have to obtain the permission of the
Governments concerned through the Ruler and Her Majesty’s Government before
they could begin these flights.!m) Nothing further had been heard of the matter bv
the end of 1953. J
188. In June 1952 with the approval of the Ruler the landing fees payable at
the Kuwait airfield were enhanced.!433) Iraqi Airways refused to pay the revised fees
and the Iraqi Director-General of Civil Aviation protested in writing regarding them
on the ground that they were out of proportion to the facilities offered. Eventually
it was agreed to grant a rebate of one-third of the fees in respect of aircraft
operating from a point of departure not more than 100 miles from Kuwait with
effect from October 1, 1952.(433)
189. In July 1952 the Ministry of Civil Aviation replaced their representative
at Kuwait with an Aerodrome Manager to whom detailed general instructions were
issued.!434) In November 1953 a Mr. Mustafa Sadek, an Egyptian, informed the
Aerodrome Manager that he had been appointed Director of Civil Aviation by the
Kuwait Government.!433) It was subsequently explained to the Political Agent that
Mutafa Sadek’s duties were of a social nature. He later visited the United
Kingdom to purchase aircraft for a flying club which it was proposed to form at
Kuwait and to obtain expert advice about running it.!'30)
(d) Slavery
190. There is no treaty between Kuwait and Her Majesty’s Government
regarding the suppression of the slave trade. In 1935 the Political Agent reported
that the import of slaves into Kuwait had entirely ceased since the Akhwan
Rebellion in Saudi Arabia of 1929 and 1930. The Ruler had not only stamped
out the sale of new slaves however secretly imported but had for a long time been
the protector of slaves born in slavery who could at any time get assistance and
justice from him. At that time only the nobility and leading families kept slaves
and these were all the descendants of slaves born in captivity and were treated as
trusted members of the household.(4=7) In 1949 the Head of the Public Security
Department issued a notice forbidding the import of and traffic in slaves
(Appendix M). In 1952 the Ruler informed the Political Resident that for many
years the buying and selling of slaves had been prohibited, that any slave who
asked for his freedom was given it and that slavery was not recognised by the
Kuwait Courts. He admitted that there was still a number of slaves in Kuwait
but said that they could obtain their liberty whenever they wished to do so.!43*)
191. In 1952 the Ruler complained of the embarrassment caused to him by
requests from the Saudis for the return of slaves who had escaped to Kuwait and
asked that representations on the subject should be made at Jedda.C'0) Her
Majesty’s Ambassador accordingly wrote to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs stating that Her Majesty’s Government could not approve of attempts to
recover slaves who had run away to territories under their protection and that they
were advising the Rulers of the Gulf States to resist such attempts. A reply was
received that the Saudi Arabian Government could take no action because no
specific case had been quoted which could be enquired into. As the main purpose
of the representations had been to make it easier for the Rulers to resist Saudi
demands for the return of runaway slaves the matter was not pursued further.! )
The Ruler was informed of the action taken.
(4S0) F.O. to Kuwait. GA 91/70 of December 16. 1953.
(4al) Tel. from Kuwait to F.O. 25, Saving, of October 3, 1953 (GA 91 /71 G of 1953).
(«») Kuwait to F.O. 47/4/52 of June 3. 1952 (GA 57/15 of 1952).
(4”) M.C.A. to F.O. OF 3 of September 30, 1953 (GA 91 /65 of 1953).
(««) M.C.A. to F.O. SG 284/258/028 of May 29, 1952 (GA 57/14 of 1952).
(4“) Kuwait to F.O. 43/40/53 of November 3, 1953 (GA 91/73 of 1953).
(4J‘) M.C.A. to F.O. U.n. of November 18. 1953 (GA 91 /78 of 1953).
/«») I.O. to F.O. P.Z. 716/36 of February 5. 1936 (E 686/133/91 of 1936).
(4a*) P.R. to F.O. Despatch 50 of May 12, 1952 (EA 2181/4 of 1952).
(«•) P.R. toF.O. 2182/35/52 of August 27. 1952 (EA 2181/6 of 1952).
(°°) F.O. to Jedda. Despatch 148 of December 19, 1952 (EA 2181/12 of 1952).