Page 459 - Records of Bahrain (6)_Neat

Effect of Zubarah dispute on relations, 1949 447

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wishful thinking are large mid largely availed of.
I foared that there might well ho on outcry from Qatar
when this proclamation wuu issued, bocauso although
there is no roason why the Blmikh of hah rain should
not make a regulation forbidding or permitting hlo sub­
jects to travel to Qatar, or Zulmrah, or anywhere also,
vet auoh a regulation could euuily bo perverted by in­
terested persons to Justifying a claim, extreme though
this may seem, to tho urea in question, There woo
however no protest of uny kind from "‘star. In writing
to the Glialkh of Qatar thanking him for tho concessions
granted I added that ’'1 con assure Your Kxcollenoy that
I intend to see that you do not suffer in any way as
a result of tho concessions you have made over Zubarah.”

16. On the 16th March Hr. Wilton, accompanied by
fiuloh al Uani* end Mr. Cochrano,wont to Zubarah to meet
, a party of fchuikh Galnum's followers sont there, at my
suggestion, on a reconnaissance. Tho Bahrain party
was headed by fihalkh Mubarak bln Maraud, who had brought
a specially prepared (and consequently not vory hot)
lunoh of considerable magnificence with him. He also
distributed 100 rupee notes to the servants of the
Qatai’ party, and the occasion was one of grept affability
on both flidos.
IQ. The time now seamed ripe for experiment in send­
ing Bhalkh Salman*s dependents to Zubarah and on the 22nd
of March, after I had agreed to Iris letting thorn go, tho
Shaikh gave mo a list of about 60 or 60 man with their
, families and flocks and herds whom he had sont to.ZUbaroh.
' They actually got away before I had quite prepared the
ground by informing the Qatar people, On the same day,
tho Advisor to tho Government of Bahrain losuod on order
to the Customs Department that tho transit chorgos on
goods for Qatar.should bo 2A* instead of the former 8$.
Since then I have hoard nothing about tho Bahraini visi­
tors to the Zubarah urea except that they landed there
and wore not particularly enthusiastic about being there.
There have been no Incidents concerning them reported
from QQtar.
17. There lias bo^n one more development during tho
last month. As you are uwuro, when the Glialhh of Bahrain's
dopondontu left tho Zubarah area as a rosult of the dis­
turbances in 1936, many of thorn wont to Saudi Arabia where
they lived in receipt of monthly allowances in kind from
the Shaikh. I have hoard that some no longer live as
bedouin but are employees of the Arabian American Oil
Company. Tho Bhaikh now wishes that they should return
to tho Zubarah area and ho has written to Ilia Majesty
King Aldulazlz bin Abdul rahman klfeina.l Ibn Baud stating
that these people (of tho Na'iiu and Ku'uhan tribes) wish
to return and thanking His Majesty for affording thorn
faoillties in his country, Tho No'im have tho reputation
of being a fructiouu, trouble-making people and I have
been apprehensive thut their return to Zubarah may result
in disputes with tho Qataris. On the othor hand, as
stated, it seems doubtful whether many of these people
will vaah to return to Zubarah nt all and if they chow
oa little interest in reviving tribal animosities os
their ....

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