Page 269 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

AND THE MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR THE YEAR 1907-1908. 85

CHAPTER VII.

ADMINISTRATION REPORT OP THE MASK AT POLITICAL
AGENCY POR THE YEAR 1U07-1VJ08.

Tho politico of Oman have been disturbed (luring tlie official year 1907-°mon Politics.
190S by another murder, namely, that of Shaikh Soif-bin-Mohsin As Siayibi,
perpetrated at Bidbid by two treacherous friends of his. This murder was
undertaken to counteract in some measure tho great political loss His Highness
tho Sultan had sustained by the murder of his very able and powerful
supporter, AVali Sulciman-bin-Suwcyliin, -which was fully described in last
year’s Report and also because Shaikh Seif-bin Mohsin refused to deliver up
the murderers of Wali Suleiman-bin-Suwoylim, the murder having occurred in
his, the Siabiyin, territory.
It was proved that the Siabiyin, a Ghafiri tribe, were implicated in the
murder of Shaikh Suleiman-bin-Suwoylim.
Event* subscqnent to tho murder of wttli Tiie Sultan wrote to Shaikh Seif-bin-
Sulcimnn-bin-Suwcyliui.
Mohsin ordering him to deliver up the
murderers. Shaikh Seif-bin-Mohsin replied that the accusation against his
followers was false and declined to comply with the request. Thereupon
Shaikh Isa-bin-Saleh A1 Darithi offered to fight tho Siabiyin, to assist Ilis
Highness and force them to surrender the murderers. Tbc Sultan, however,
declined the oiler, it being obviously a treacherous one, as Shaikh Isa is his
hereditary enemy and he had every reason to suspect his complicity iu the
murder of the AVali Suleiman-bin-Suwcylim.
Shaikh Seif-bin-Mohsin, however, prepared for eventualities by building
two small forts at Nafah near Ridbid, commanding the route to the Scmayil
valley.
A correspondence then ensued between Shaikh Isa-bin-Salch and Ilis
Highness in regard to whether Saiyid Taimur, His Highness’s eldestson, should
go as an envoy to Shaikh Isa-bin-Saleh and arrange for the surrender of the
murderers of Wali Sulciman-bin-Suweyiim, and at the same time make a
lasting peace between the two houses, nis Highness the Sultan acting on
the advice of tlio Political Agent declined these offers as there were the
strongest grounds for suspecting treachery. Shaikh Isa-bin-Saleh would have
worked on Saiyid Tnimur’s religious fervour and taken advantage of his youth
and inexperience to sow seeds of discord between father and son. His High­
ness finally replied that Shaikh Isa-bin-Saleh must write in letter form any
proposals he had to make to him. That closed the incident. Shaikh Isa-bin-
Salch subsequently went to Mudhaibi and Audam where be arranged a meeting
with Shaikh Abdullah-bin-Said El Kbalili of the Bani Ruwahah, another
hereditary enemy of Ilis Highness.
His Highness tho Sultan growing tired at the policy of inaction and
deceit practised by Shaikhs Seif-bin-
Murder of Shaikh Scif-bin-Mohsin.
Mohsin and Isa-bin-Saleh in not deliver­
ing up tho murdcrors of Wali Suleiman-bin-Suwoylim, determined to aot
boldly himself and launch an astuto blow againsi his opponents and enemies.
Shaikh Seif-bin-Mohsiu at this timo was at Bidbid. nis Highness tho Sultan
having secretly arranged with two old friends of Shaikh Seif-bin-Mohsin, vis.,
Said-hin-Khamis, tho Wali of Bidbid, and Muhammad-bin-Salim El llamdi,
one of his own asknrocs, sent them to Bidbid iu order to do away with him.
Shaikh Seif-bin-Mohsin suspecting nothing entered a musjicl at Bidbid with
Said-bin-Khamis and on their coming out of the door together, Muhammad-
bin-Salim El Hamdi who was lying in ambush, shot Shaikh Seif-biu-Mohsin
dead. Tho murderers and their followers then ran oil to Scmayil, wlioro
Saiyid Nadir, the Sultan’s second son, was waiting for them. No lighting
occurred as the result of Shaikh Soif-bin-Mohsiu’s death. Sir Saiyid Eaisal
rewarded tho two men suitably.