Page 55 - PERSIAN 9 1931_1940

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theft. The Political Resident pointed out that it was a savage and cruel punish­
ment which permanently incapacitated an individual from earning his livelihood,
and expressed a hope that it would not in future be resorted to. The Shaikh’s
excuse was that the man was a habitual offender, and that the Trucial Shaikhg
could not afford to maintain men in prison.
As the slow mail steamers call only fortnightly at Lingah now, the Shaikh of
Charak has inaugurated a launch service for passengers between the Trucial coast
and Lingah, Bastak and other small ports on the Persian coast. Travellers dis­
embark at Debai and proceed onward by launch.
Sliargah.—Ruler : Shaikh Sultan bin Saqar. At the end of January 3rd slaves
from Hairah took refuge in the house of the Residency Agent, seeking manumis­
sion, but the headman of Hairah, Abdur Rahman bin Muhammad, father-in-law
of the Shaikh, who had previously been deported to Aden and had recently been
allowed to return, surrounded the house of the Residency Agent with a body of
armed men. 'Word was sent to the Shaikh, who, however, was very apathetic
and made little attempt to protect the Khan Bahadur. Ultimately, however,
some of the leading inhabitants intervened and Abdur Rahman withdrew his
men.
It was felt that it was essential to exact satisfaction for this incident: firstly,
in order to impress upon the Trucial Shaikhs that any interference with slaves
attempting to seek their freedom would involve drastic punishments and also in
order to protect the life and uphold the prestige of the British Representative on
the Coast. With the approval of the Government of India and of His Majesty’s
Government the Political Resident requested the Senior Naval Officer to send a
sloop to Shargah, with instructions to call upon the Shaikh either to surrender Abdur
Rahman or to pay a fine of Rs. 2,000 and surrender 100 rifles, failing which the
towers surrounding the town would be demolished. The Shaikh declined to
surrender Abdur Rahman but paid the fine and deposited the rifles within the
specified period.
Hamriyah.—On the 4th February Shaikh Abdur Rahman bin Saif was assas­
sinated by his nephew Saif bin Abdullah, while saying his prayers in a mosque.
Saif and two of his brothers had been brought up by Abdur Rahman and when
they came of age demanded their father’s patrimony. Abdur Rahman at first
disclaimed liability, but ultimately said that he would pay them a certain sum
when he had sold some pearls. As however he made no attempt to fulfil his under­
taking Saif and his brothers ^vlio had lost, money pearling and were in straitened
circumstances decided to murder him. On his death Saif with his adherents
occupied the town and was accepted by the inhabitants as their headman. Abdur
Rahman left a son Humaid who was at the time at Debai. He at once sought the
support of the other Trucial Shaikhs in obtaining the succession, but as the inhabi­
tants were not in his favour none of the other Shaikhs were willing to intervene.
Ultimately on the 19th July some friends of his who were in the employ of Shaikh
Saif attempted to murder the latter, but he escaped and locked himself into a
private room in the fort. Word was sent to Humaid but the inhabitants of the
town came to the rescue of Saif and drove out the supporters of Humaid, and when
the latter arrived he at once had to retire. The incident, however, appears to have
affected Saif’s nerves and he began to suspect everyone of treachery, and to have
adopted an oppressive attitude towards the inhabitants of Hamriyah. On the
21st August when Saif was absent on a short visit to his date plantations, the
inhabitants invited Humaid to occupy the town. The latter who was at that time
at Debai collected 60 Manasir beduin and entered Hamriyah and besieged the
tower in which Saif’s brothers had taken refuge, but on the personal intervention
of the Shaikh of Umm-al-Qawain they were allowed to leave Hamriyah and Humaid
became Headman. Saif and his brothers subsequently left for Qatar.
Raidf.—Numerous minor raids by Manasir Awamir and A1 Bu Shamis beduin
took place during the year. These gentry habitually levy blackmail on the Shaikhs
of the Trucial coast who are compelled to buy them off or have their herds, camels,
etc., stolen and even their subjects carried off into captivity. The number of raids
varies in inverse ratio to the ability or willingness of the Shaikhs to pay, and in
years like that under report, when the Shaikhs themselves have very little money,
are naturally more numerous than in years of greater prosperity. It is unneces-
sary to report these minor incidents in detail, but ono incident had wider repcrcug*
8ions and should be placed on record.