Page 341 - Bahrain Gov annual reports (V a)_Neat

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The meetings were held once a week for many weeks. They were attended by the C.N.U.
members who brought with them one of the representatives of labour on the Labour Law
Advisory Committee ; the Adviser, and four members of the Administrative Council. The
meetings were held at the Rafaa Palace. Many subjects were discussed but it appeared that the
C.N.U. had lost interest in such things as the Law Code, labour legislation and several matters
which had featured so prominently in their manifestations in the past. When the Government
suggested discussing one subject they would ask for it to be postponed and produced new
subjects which had not appeared on the agenda. Agreements recorded in the minutes of one
meeting were repudiated at the next meeting and there were frequent disagreements among the
committee representatives. The two things in which they displayed keen interest were the
Press Law, which would apply to the pamphlets and notices which they poured forth and the
question of “private armies.”
In June the findings of the Committee of Enquiry on the incident in the fruit market had
been made public. The gist of the findings was that there was nothing to justify .the trial of
anyone concerned. Very soon after this the C.N.U. began to enlist men and to dress them in a
semi-military uniform. They described them as “Scouts” although most of them were men of
full age, “under the orders of the committee.”
It was soon apparent that the negotiations would not be successful but the Government
was willing to continue talks. The C.N.U. however, without warning, broke off negotiations.
While the meetings had been in progress the C.N.U. continued to issue inflammatory notices and
pamphlets and people who were known to be supporters of the Government were constantly
threatened and intimidated. The people of Bahrain have always been very easily affected by
threats especially if the threats imply damage to their property.
During the next three months the C.N.U. appeared to be losing ground partly because the
work of the Government’s Public Relations Department was becoming increasingly effective
and partly because everyone was tired of living in a state of suspense. The tone of the notices
issued by the C.N.U. seemed to change, they spoke of the Ruler having to obey the voice of the
people—the committee had previously described itself as the Voice of the People—there were
threats of strikes and ultimatums but when these ultimatums were ignored nothing happened.
The projected strikes were never for any definite reason. At the end of July the C.N.U.
announced that if disturbances should occur the Government would be to blame. There were
still threats against people who co-operated with the Government but the threats were less
effective than they had been in the past.
Abdul Rahman Baker returned from Syria on September 27th and resumed his post as
Secretary of the C.N.U. He was given an ovation at the airport by his supporters who,
together with the general public, expected that he would be arrested for his attacks on the Ruler
and the Bahrain Government, but no action was taken.
On October 28th the C.N.U. organised a strike for one day in sympathy with the people of
North Africa; it passed off without incidents but few people knew what it was about except that
it was ordered from Egypt. On October 30th the news of Israel’s attack on Egypt was known
and on the next day there was news of the British bombing of Egyptian air fields. There was a
small demonstration by school boys and girls, led by the son of Abdul Rahman Baker.
The Egyptian affair had given a new lease of life to the C.N.U. and they made the mos*
of this opportunity to re-assert themselves. They announced that a strike would begin on the
following day and that there would be a demonstration in sympathy with Egypt. It was
expected that all Arab countries would co-operate but in Saudi Arabia, the ally of Egypt,
there were no strikes or demonstrations. The Secretary, Abdul Rahman Baker, had an inter­
view with the Adviser and gave an assurance on behalf of the C.N.U. that the demonstrations
would be peaceful and orderly. Police arrangements were discussed and it was agreed that the
procession would follow a certain route which was carefully planned to avoid places which
might offer provocation.
In the evening disturbances began in Muharraq, gangs of men and boys put up road blocks
and some flats on the edge of the town, occupied by Europeans, were stoned. That night all
Europeans who were living inside the town of Manama were evacuated and the Police and
British troops stood by ready for trouble. Afterwards the policy of removing all Europeans
and leaving their houses empty, with their possessions in them, which resulted in looting and
arson, was criticised by many Arabs who believed that if the men had remained at home their
houses would not have been entered. An air-ferry service was started between the new landing
strip, in the middle of the island, which had recently been completed to provide for such an
emergency, and the aerodrome on Muharraq island.