Page 230 - Records of Bahrain (7) (i)_Neat

216 Records of Bahrain

SECRET
FROM FOREIGN OFFICE TO BAHRAIN

Oypher/OTP FOREIGN OFFICE SECRET A1JD
WHITEHALL SECRET DISTRIBUTION
No. 202 D. 2.12 p.m, Maroh 6, 1956,
Maroh 6, 1956.

IMMEDIATE
SECRET

Addressed to Bahrain tclewram No^ 202 of March 6.
Repeated for information to: U.K.H.C, Kapaohi (for- Secretary
• of State)
C-iivC East Indies
A.O.C. Aden
P.O.M.E.F.
Your telegrams Nos. 172 and 177 [of March 3 and 4: Situa­
tion in Bahrain]
I approve your language as reported in pareg$>phs 4 and
7 of your telegram 172 and paragraph 3 of your telegram 177*
As responsibility for the riots is at present uncertain and
as situation is entirely quiet, I think it would be imprudent
to arrest members of the Higher Executive Committee and hold
them without charge or evidence against them. You should con­
tinue to advise Ruler thot as a first step an enquiry should
be instituted.

2. If the Ruler contemplates strong internal action, the
first thing surely is to create an effective police foroe. I
hope therefore that you will be able to prevent him provoking
a dangerous situation unnecessarily before his police arc
capable of dealing with it.
3. On the other hand I want the Ruler to feel confident that
we stand behind him and would of course send in British troops
to assist in restoring order if there were a breakdown. But
he should realise that- the use of British troops to.perform
the normal functions of police is open to objection* The right
solution for his problems is: !

(a) to strengthen his police force, over whioh we are
reifdy to help him;
and(b) to detach the better elements among the reformists
by.timely action when necessary.

/ I om