Page 139 - PERSIAN 9 1931_1940

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obtaining the sanction of a Court. This last provision was objected to as
interested persons are usuully able to divide up a deceased’s moveables before
the case conics before a Qadhi, and this proclamation was specifically designed
to prevent such action. The llon’ble the Political Resident was in the vicinity
and the malcontents remained quiet intentionally or otherwise until he had left
Bahrain and the matter then came to a head. The agitation started in
Muharraq and Kidd and had undoubtedly been in existence some time before
anything was heard of it owing to inefficient police arrangements. Shaikh
Abdullah bin Isa A1 Khali fall was undoubtedly well aware of what was going
on, but took no useful action, and later showed some sympathy with the
agitators. The proclamation was misrepresented in every possible way, one
rumour being that no dead might be buried without the Government’s per­
mission.
The troublo then spread to Manamah and the bazaars were closed from the
9th to the 11th February. Unfortunately Shaikh Ilamad was due to puy his
Id visit to Muharraq and an early settlement had to be made. The Adviser
asked the Political Agent to re-issue a similar Agency proclamation of 1931 to
show Bahrain subjects that the idea was not a new one, and that foreigners
were liable to similar regulations. This was done, but it proved to be an
unfortunate step. Excitement then prevailed amongst the foreign community
as well as the Bahrainis and large bodies of Persian swarmed over from
Muharraq. The Political Agent held a prolonged meeting with their leaders
and, after he had succeeded in separating the Persians from the Arabs, was
able to pacify them by slightly modifying the proclamation though not in any
essential feature.
Shaikh Hamad bad in the meantime exhibited characteristic weakness for
although he met the first deputation that went to meet him at Sakhir with
firmness, he threw away the advantage he had gained by asking them at the
end ‘ What do you want me to do ? ’ He sent a confidential messenger in at
night to ask if the Bahrain Government proclamation should not be secretly
removed in the night, to which the Political Agent objected. On the night of
the 10th February, however, unknown persons removed it and the Agency
proclamation and the Shaikh accepted the fait accompli.
As a result of this agitation the friends of the Government harmed them­
selves and the Government itself suffered a severe set-back. Fortunately they
recovered all their lost prestige in the firm handling of the divers’ riot. There
is little doubt that the Sunni Qadhis were in full sympathy with the agitation.
21. Divers’ Riot.—On the 25th May a divers’ agitation for increased salaf
came to a head when some ringleaders were arrested. The salaf had been fixed
at Rs. 30 for divers and Rs. 25 for haulers, an uncomfortably low figure, but
all that the industry could afford after three bad years. Certain men had
busied themselves in stirring up their fellow divers to refuse these terms
(although representatives of the divers had been present when the usual meeting
to fix the rates had been held) and met with a ready response from the more
turbulent section of foreign divers, a motley crowd of blacks, Somalis, Had-
hramaufis and wild men from the interior of the Arab Coast generally. Shaikh
Abdullah warned the Adviser that there were signs of trouble at Muharraq and
on the 25th certain ring-leaders were arrested. Next day the trouble com­
menced with dramatic suddenness. Shaikh Abdullah and the Amir had come
over to Manamah to discuss the matter with the Adviser, and were on their
way back to Muharraq, when the Adviser received news that a very large body
of men had landed on the Manamah-Muharraq causeway and were coming to
his office. Apparently they made for the Police Station, for before the Adviser
had reached it they had wrecked it and rescued a ring-leader imprisoned the
day before. The Political Agent proceeded to join the Adviser as early as
possible and met him at. the Police Station, which was found to have a door
and two windows burst, in, the glass being in fragments. On the way to the
Police Station, the Political Agent drove through a section of the mob and had
occasion to notice their ugly temper.
The Adviser had sent up to the Fort, fof the available Indian Police, and
ho and the Political Aeent proceeded there to expedite matters. Some thirty
men were hastilv armed and a passing lorrv commandeered and the little force
returned to the Police Station to find a rabble of some 1,500 divers armed with
clubs, sticks and crowbars, evidontlv in a state of considerable excitement,
while a crowd of about a thousand looked on from tl\ houses and other coigns
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