Page 58 - PERSIAN 8 1931_1940_Neat

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The S\i tc is fortunate to have Mr. Bclgrave. He is liked by the people who
realise that his woik benefits them and he shows marked courage in combating
raids on the Bahrain finances fiom whatever source.
Captain Paikc acted for Mr. Bclgrave during the latter’s absence on leave, in
addition to his own duties as Commandant of Police.
He has not the courage of the latter in resisting raids on the State Treasury
and is apt to ingratiate himself by increasing the Civil list or attempting to do so.
Mr. dc Grenier discharged his humdrum duties with his usual zeal. He is not
popular with a section of the merchants, indeed no honest Director of Customs,
could ever be really popular, but His Excellency realises that he would have much
less money to spend if it were not for Mr. dc Grenier’s untiring efforts, and supports
him.
Bahrain Police.—Under this heading are grouped all the forces of law and
order, consisting of the Indian Armed Police, the local police (or Branch Police as
they are called) and the Naturs or night watchmen. The latter are an irregular
body who do not wear uniform or perform any drills, but are armed with long Lee
Enfield rifles. The naturs are posted at Budaiya, Manama and Muharraq only.
The strength of these bodies is given below.
Strength on Strength on
1st January 31st Decem-
1931. her 1931.
Indian Police, all ranks including clerk 71 50
Followers, tailors, mistry, etc. 6 6
Arab Police, including four village fidawis and clerk .. 43 56
Naturs 236 221
The Bahrain Government have been training local men to replace the Indians
as the agreements of the latter expire, and propose to substitute local men for the-
remainder during 1932, since they can now be obtained in sufficient numbers.
The Indians are relatively expensive and know little Arabic or Persian ; they do
not thrive in Bahrain, as the climate seems as trying to them as it is to Europeans,
The recruits are mostly of negToid extraction since the Arab objects to uniform or
discipline, but the Amirs on the mainland rely to a large extent on a similar type
of man, and there is no reason why they should not do well.
Local affairs.—Sunni-Shiah relations have been good, and the younger gene­
ration appear to have little religious animosity to other sects.
Shaikh Abdulla and Shaikh Ali bin Hasan continue to be the Shiah Qadhis. The
former is an alert and intelligent man and both are on very good terms with the
Agency. The Sunni Qadhis are the three Abdul Latifs and they are not on over
good terms with either the Bahrain Government or the Agency. They have so far
defied all attempts to place the Sunni Waqfs on a proper footing, but the policy of the
State is to allow them to reduce them to greater chaos than they are already in
before taking definite action in the matter.
By some unhappy oversight in Baghdad the prohibition against the return of
Shaikh Khalaf was overlooked and lie was given a visa for Bahrain. His return
caused great alarm to the Shiah Qadhis, since he has immense influence, and they
were pacified with difficulty. The Political Agent warned Shaikh Khalaf that he
would be returned to Iraq if he gave further trouble. His Excellency at first
determined only to allow him a brief visit to Bahrain but changed his mind with
characteristic weakness, and asked the Political Agent to agree to his remaining
permanently in Bahrain.
In spite of his past record for mischief-making, it seemed to the Political Agent
that it should be possible to prevent him giving trouble if he was allowed to stay,
and he did not care to incur the odium of opposing his return if the Shaikh desired
him to remain, so he refrained from opposing the suggestion. Shaikh Khalaf has
aged very much in the last four years, but old men live a long time in Bahrain.
•He has, however, begun to show signs of the cloven hoof.
There has been little serious crime and there have been no gang murders or
dacoities. On the 4th of May, however, a serious affray took place between Per­
sians and Somalis at Muharraq. The subject-matter of the dispute was a diffe­
rence of opinion between a Persian baker and a Somali customer regarding a penny