Page 13 - Records of Bahrain (4) (ii)_Neat

Regional relations, 1926-1931 315

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Enclosuro to Serial No. 7.
Copy.op a Lettish prom this Political Agent, Bahrein, to the Secretary to
' Tiite'Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, No. C.-53, dated the 14th
i. • April 1027.
1. I have the honour to forward for the orders of the Political Resident a
communication No. 934-Con. of 20th Shnwal, received from the adviser Bahrein
.Stote. (
2. I recommend that the proposal to force the divers who formerly dived for
Dowasir Nakhudas to return to scrvico under the Nakhudas and to load them with
their former debts should meet with a decided negative.
3/As regards the other matters Shaikh Hamad says it is contrary to Arab
ideas for a ruler to confiscate the whole of tho property of a tribe leaving his domi­
nions, and that ho only consented to this course bccuuuo he considered it was an
•order from Government which lie was bound to obey.
( :• ; • • ••• > •
4. As the property of tho Dowasir has been restored to them he considers he
should restore the past rents which have been credited to the State, both bocauso it
was a right and because ho would please Bin Saud by doing so.
• -i\- „*.
v : 6. I informed him that Bin Saud’s wishc3 had nothing to do with the case. Ho
replied that Bin Sand was the one big Arab ruler and it was natural for all tho
smaller Shaikhs such as himself to look up to him and try to please him.
ft , C. He further stated that the Dowasir had left Bahrein not of their own voli­
tion' but from fear of the Government.
7. They had talcon part in a murderous attack on tho villago of Ali and woro
suspected of murdering two Saycds and so considered that Government intended
to give them additional punishment for theso crimes. The Dowasir having left
Bahrain unlike the alhan Ali and other tribes before then) did nothing to disturb
1 the peace of the island. He considered that if the Dowasirs arc now to return they
should bo allowed to return without any cause of grievance against the State.
vWf S 8. When Shaikh Abdulla binlsacamo to say goodbye to me I asked him as to
'lira opinion in this matter. He informs me that there is no doubt whatever that the.
'Dowasir left Bahrain through fear and not through hatred. He says that he con-
aiders that the return to them of their property a good move but he thinks Shaikh
Hamad is going a little too far in wishing to return all tkc’rcnts taken from the
tribe.
9. I do not care for Shaikh Hamad’s references to Bin Saud and his very obvious
desire to please him. My recent trip up the Trucial Coast has shown me what
.realpowcr the Wahabis possess there and the ready grant of all Bin Saud’s requests
on behalf of the Dowasir tribe would increase his prestige in these islands to a very
undesirable extent.
10. In addition the Dowasir when they left the islands had boon warned ro-
pcateldy that their departure would involvo the confiscation of their property. It is
absurd therefore for them to claim the return of this property together with all past
rents as a right as they appear to be doing from Shaikh Hamad.
11. I agree with Mr. Bclgravc that to comply with all their demands would be
too great a surrender to them and to the influence of Bin Saud’s recommendations.
12. At tho same time the property at Badaya has certainly deteriorated _ con-
sidcrably in their enforced absence and although they arc in a position to borrow
money to purchase boats the Dowasir arc in a bad financial position . .For these
reasons and us an act of grace I recommend that one third only of the past rents be
returned to them as an assistance to enable them to resume their former occupa­
tion in the State when they aro so disposed.
13. Shaikh Hamad is opposed to the holding forth of the past rent merely
.as bait to induce the Dowusir to return.
MCM1FD