Page 69 - Records of Bahrain (7) (i)_Neat

Disturbances and strikes, 1953-1954 55

composition of the Commission of Enquiry, which was

due to hold its first meeting on July 7, owing to
the refusal of the two Qadhis to servo on it. They
were eventually replaced by Ahmad Fakhroo, a leading
Sunni merchant, and Mansur al Orayidh, one of the
two senior Shia representatives referred to above.
The change was, as it turned out, a considerable

improvQm0nt, and these two men showed notable
public spirit in accepting the appointment at this
difficult junoture and in the strenuous efforts
which they made outside the Commission to pacify the
feelings of both the communities and to secure an
early return to work by the Shias.
13. During the night of July 6/7 various

other disturbing developments occurred as reported
in my telegram No, 443 of July 7. Sunni tribesmen
gathered round the Palace volunteering for service
with the Ruler, and other Sunnis were summoned from
the villages, ready to be armed by the Al Khalifah

and to go down to Manama, open the bazaar by force
and break the strike. A deputation of the leading
Sunni merchants and one of the leading Shias went to
the Palace to urge the Ruler to provide police
protection for shopkeepers, but not to send the
tribesmen into the town. On July 7 I went to the
Palace at Rufa accompanied by the Political Agent, and

after driving through q mob of tribesmen engaged, quite
amiably, in a war danoe, saw the Rqler and obtained
his solemn assuranoe that he would 'not send tribesmen
/into