Page 574 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

73 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF
subject to permission from Higher authority, to mediate. In the result,
Shaikh Sagar undertook, mistakenly I think, to leave Salim in charge of Ras-
el-Khcima and its dependencies; including Slniam and Manaiyee, but exclud­
ing Jeziret-el-IIamra, the inhabitants of which island, in view of Mahzam’s
murder, naturally refused to be controlled by Shaikh Salim. As it is doubt­
ful whether this arrangement can last, and, as it. is injurious to Shaikh
Sagar’s interests, the Government of India have not yet been asked to recognise
Shaiikh Salim as independent Chief of Ras-cl-Khcima, and the Resident is of
opinion that he should not be so recognised for the present.
The first difficult question which the Resident had to handle on return
from leave in the spring, was the case of
Dcbti.
the murder or man-slaughter of a native
of Debai, claiming some measure of British protection, by one of the Shaikh’s
relatives. The Shaikh had handled it with great ineptitude and it was likely
to gain serious proportions. For a proper understanding of the case, some
explanation of the antecedent circumstance is necessary.
At most of the Gulf ports reside small communities of the Khoja sect.
Having originally come from Sind, and having for the most part preserved
their distinct type and religion, they have generally been regarded (with the
exception of part of the community at Maskat) as entitled to British protec­
tion. At Debai, there is a family of this caste, known as the “ Bin Lootas,”
who have been on the Trucial Coast for some generations and have gradually,
in point of fact, become merged in the community in which they live. They
have adopted the religion and dress of the Arabs of the Trucial Coast; have
inter-married with them and. in appearance, are undistinguishable from
them. There is therefore really no obligation on our part to protect them,
or at any rate to protect the next generation, but as the present generation
have been treated as British subjects, it is undesirable to withdraw protec­
tion except for specific misconduct-. The present heads of the community
are oldish men named Nasir and Ahmed, the sons of Obeid-bin-Loota; not
very desirable individuals, who have given some trouble to the Residency in
the past in connection with the flying of flags on their dhows and the keep­
ing of slaves. For some time past it'appearcd that there has been ill-feeling
between the Bin Lootas and the Shaikh of Debdi and his relations. Recently
a petty dispute had occurred, in regard to which a Nakhuda in the Bin
Lootas employ had lodged a complaint, and the Bin Lootas asserted that
Shaikh Butti had treated it lightly and given them no relief. In connection
with this case, one Rashid, of the Bin Loota clan, assaulted Shaikh Butti-
bin-Rashid, the Shaikh of Debai's cousin and Vazier. On bearing of this,
all the Bu Felasa (the Shaikh’s clan) girded up their loins and prepared to
molest any of the Bin Loota family whom they could come across. The first
two to meet were Maktoom-bin-Rashid. brother cf the assaulted Buttfi-bin-
Rashid, and Muhammad-bin-Nasir-bin-Loota : they commenced to spar and
then to wrestle, then a knife or knives were drawn and Muhammad-bin-Nasir
received a wound in the body from which he died 10 days later. The Shaikh
made no serious attempt to confine the guilty party who was allowed first to
take refuge at the house of one Ahmed-bin-Dalmook and then to escape to
Beraimi, where he took sanctuary with the Naim Shaikhs. The Chief’s
excuse was that the Bin Lootas had refused to hand over their Rashid, for
trial, so he also refused to arrest Maktoom. A few days later he was induced
to arrest Maktoom’s brother, Manaa, as a hostage for Maktoom’s return, but
he was released after a few days. The Residency Agent took up the cause of
the Bin Lootas strongly, but as he has a daughter of Nasir-bin-Loota to
wife, allowance had to be made for possible domestic pressure.
The matter was at this stage when the Resident arrived in the Gulf.
It was clearly necessary to take some prompt action to induce the Shaikh to
effect a settlement of the matter, before it assumed larger proportions. He
was required by letter from Lingah dated 29th March to deposit Rs. 5,000 with
the Residency pending settlement of the case and to produce Maktoom io
Debai to answer for his conduct within six weeks. The money was duly
deposited. On the 9th May, the Shaikh and his entourage repaired to the
British Agency at Shargah, and while producing genuine letters from the