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opinion. 555

Early next day, 12 March, the expected announcement of a national strike did

not happen. However a number of Shi’ite public transport and BAPCO vehicle

drivers failed to come to work. Shops at the local souq did not open for

‘precautionary reasons’. No news of violence in Manama was reported, but in

Muharraq a number of vehicles were stoned. The Residency felt ready to cope with

the situation as two British frigates lay at anchor in Juffair and Sitra, available to

protect Bahrain’s oil refinery. The Residency pressed unidentified members of the

HEC to use their influence to encourage those who wished to go on strike to return

to work. Burrows believed that the ‘Ruler is anxious that [the] stationing of British

troops here should be regarded only as temporary expedient lasting, he hopes, only

a few days’. Apart from the stationing of troops to protect the oil company’s

facilities, there were no discussions on the use of these forces to bring about law and

order. 556

The HEC’s actions and policy seemed to Burrows to be all too predictable and

he had predicted the steps that would be taken by the Party way before its issue of a

circular. He said that the HEC would issue an announcement calling on people to

refrain from any violent activity, the condemnation of the police, a demand for an

enquiry, and Belgrave’s head. 557

555 Belgrave, Personal Column, 221-22.
556 TNA, FO 1016/465, Despatch 202, Burrows to FO, 12 March 1956.
557 TNA, FO 371/120544, Despatch 204, Burrows to FO, 12 March 1956.

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