Page 228 - Records of Bahrain (7) (i)_Neat

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214 Records of Bahrain

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Bahrain tolcnram No. 177 to Foreign Office

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3« I said it soomod a aholoe must bo made between1two
courses, Ono was to use force against tbo raembors of thecommit toe,
I did not think tho Bahrain Govornraont had enough force to do this
and I was not convinood tho movement would cca3c to exist if
somo of ltq loaders wore removed. Moreover, while I agreed that the
committee parried'on opposition to the Government, it was difficult
to show that it had done anything contrary to law. It had oarriod
on political activities of a kind to which wo were accustomed
under parliamentary institution. The other course waa to continue
with tho gradual political progress which had beon a notablo feature
of Bahrain.*p history for some time, I developed the Searotary of
State's BUQEpption of a small Council to bp In touch with the
people and emphasized the advantages of providing for tho committee
to have a legitimate means of expressing itself, I thought by
publishing circulars to which the Goycrrmont had to reply in an
equally public manner, I suggested means might bo found along this
course for ipecting the committee's demand for recognition in some
way that would not imply its X’ocognitlon as the solo representative
of the peoplef and might involve changing its name.

Tho Ruler said he thought the time was not yet ripe for a
council of the kind proposed, .but to my surprise ho took up the
idea of establishing relations with tho committee if it changed its
narao. He made it clear that the name with its implicit claim to
bo tho rival and even the superior of the Government or tho
administration was what really annoyed him most about tho committee.
Ho said that if it announced disappearance of the High Executive
Cominltteo and reconstituted itself under another name, and if its
eight members did not always insist on coming ns a single group,
he and his advisers would be perfectly ready to receive thorn at
any time and hear whatever they had to say and either adopt their
suggestions or give reasons why this could not bo done. He also
said that particularly in view of tho feelings of his family and
of tho general responsibility of tho commit too for tho demonstrations
of March 2, it should bo a part of such an arrangement that
Abdelrahmmi nl Bnklr should loayc tho country (apparently a voluntary
departure would suffice), I and Bclgrnvo, who was also present,
/pointed