Page 166 - Histories of City and State in the Persian Gulf_Neat

146 Histories of City and State in the Persian Gulf

was epitomised by the butchers whose activism and protracted struggles

were also supported by their high status, which stemmed from the ritual

importance of meat in the Muslim culture of Manama. Under the leader-

ship of Yusuf Zulaykh, a butcher from al-Mukharaqah district, who

campaigned for workers’ rights by appealing to egalitarian ideas of social

emancipation, they earned the nickname of ‘bolshies’ in British official

82

circles.

The presence of the municipality did not ease sectarian antagonism. In

the eyes of the popular classes the baladiyyah remained closely identified

with the interests of the Al Khalifah and with those of the Manama Sunni

community. During the strike staged by the butchers in 1934, for

instance, they bitter ly resented the municipal officials who confiscated

their meat as al-fidawiyyah al-jadidah, the new employees of the Al

Khalifah. Moreover, the municipal electoral charter in force until the

late 1940s excluded from the electoral process a large proportion of the

Shi‘i population, particularly labourers, artisans and tenants of small

properties. As only male resident s who paid 8 rupees a year in municipal

tax were entitled to vote, it favoured more affluent groups. Until 1935, for

instance, Sunni Arabs were entitled to more seats than their Shi‘i counter-

parts. Among the Persians, the two sects were equally represented

although in both groups Shi‘is formed the majority. 83 Fuelled by the

growing disputes in the markets between the Al Khalifah and Baharna

retailers, in 1934 Shi‘i municipal councillors, religious leaders and repre-

sentatives of Manama’s ma’tams started to campaign for equal represen-

tation in the municipality. The following year the government increased
the number of Baharna seats in the municipal council and reduced the
franchise qualification from 8 rupees to 3 rupees. Yet, the results of the
1935 elections clearly suggest that Baharna residents were disinclined to
resort to the ballot box, preferring to appeal directly to their community
84
leaders.
82
R/15/2/1922 IOR: Interview with ‘Abdallah Sayf, Manama, 14 April 2004; MMBM, 17
Sha‘ban 1354/14 November 1935. MMBM, 14 Dhu al-Hijjah 1355/26 February 1937, R/
15/2/1923 IOR. R/15/2/1925 IOR: MMBM, 24 Sha‘ban 1359/27 September 1940;
petitions from bakers dated 13 Sha‘ban and 2 Dhu al-Hijjah 1359/16 September 1940
and 11 January 1941 and 25 Rabi‘ al-Thani 1361/11 May 1942; MMBM, 6 Shawwal
1360/27 October 1941. MMBM, 3 Dhu al-Qa‘dah 1367/7 September 1948, R/15/2/
1932 IOR.
83
‘Surah Qanun al-Baladiyyah’, c. 1929, R/15/2/1250 IOR. R/15/2/1252 IOR: Belgrave to
Political Agent Bahrain, 5 Shawwal 1348/6 March 1930; Political Agent Bahrain to Hindu
Community, 9 March 1930. Belgrave to President of Manama Municipality, 21 Sha‘ban
1356/26 October 1937, R/15/2/1924 IOR.
84
A comparison of the electoral results with the municipal census of 1930 is revealing.
Successful Sunni Arab candidates totalled 331 votes out of 463 households eligible to go
to the polls, while only 175 votes were cast for Baharna counsellors who appealed to an