Page 29 - Records of Bahrain (7) (i)_Neat

Disturbances and strikes, 1953-1954 15

CONFIDENTIAL -...... ^
FROM BAHRAIN TO FOREIGN OFFICE t ;
i
Cypher/OTP DEPARTMENTAL
DISTRIBUTION
Mr, Burrows
No. 765 D. 5.50 p.m. September 22, 1953.
September 22, 1953. R. 3.53 p.m. September 22, 1953.
CONFIDENTIAL
Addressed to Foreign Office telepram No. 765 of September 22,
Repeated for information to B.M.E.O .» Senior Naval Officer
Persian Qulf and Saving to Kuwait,
Communal disorders.
Traditional Shiah procossion on the tenth day of
Muharram (September 20) led to considerable disturbances between
Shiah and Sunnis as a result of which eight persons were
dotalned in hospital,
(2) Tension continued throughout September 21. Thero
wero two skirmishes in the Bazaar in the morning and a more
serious incident in the afternoon when Sunni thugs staged a
deliberate attack on a Shiah village and guns were used.
Seven or eight persons were seriously injured.

(3) Only Incident involving foreigners has been the
throwing of stonos at the car of a local travel agent taking
European passengers to the airport during the night of
September 21 - September 22. No damage was done.
(4) The Ruler has imposed curfew and banned all
assemblies until further notice, Shops ore still mostly
closed, but it seems likely that things will now gradually
return to normal.

Foreign Office pass B.M.E.O. as my telegram No, 189.
[Ropeated to B.M.E.O.].
DISTRIBUTED TO:

Eastern Department
News Department A'’,''
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