Page 370 - Records of Bahrain (7) (i)_Neat

356 Records oj Bahrain

CONFIDENTIAL

ANNUZJL-_EFyiEW_QF_BAMRAIN_AFFAIRS_EOR_i958

1958 has again been a quiet year for Bahrain, at any rate
as far as Internal affairs are concerned. From time to time
pamphlets have been distributed, in small numbers, attacking
the government and, on occasion, the Bahrain Petroleum Company,
but none of them had any great political significance. One
or two towards the end of the year showed clear evidence of
having been prepared outside Bahrain, bearing the stamp of
Russian propaganda. The Police have so far failed to find any
of the writers who they think are secondary school boys.
However the existence even of this limited activity shows that
there continue to be people in Bahrain who would be ready to
support any political movement aiming to attack established
authority.
2. The Ruler declared his eldest son. Shaikh Isa to be his
heir in January. The appointment gave general satisfaction
though certain individuals in the ruling family were put out
by it, having had hopes for themselves. Shaikh Isa, accompanied
by his brother Shaikh Khalifa, visited London in July as the
official guests of Her Majesty's Government for four days.
The visit was successful both in strengthening the attachment
of the A1 Khalifa to Her Majesty's Government and underlining
the esteem felt by Her Majesty's Government for Bahrain
generally. This latter aspect in particular was noted with
satisfaction here and not only among the A1 Khalifa.
3. Criticism has been heard from time to time among the
more important merchants - and from some individuals in the
ruling family - about the Ruler's law courts which are largely
run according to the likes and dislikes of one of the Ruler's
brothers, who is head of the law courts. All the judges are
members of the ruling family and are neither educated nor
legally trained. Dissatisfaction at the courts was one of
the motives behind the political agitation which arose in
1953 and 1954 & which led to the rise of the Committee of
National Union. As a result of this and after much persuasion
by the representatives of Her Majesty's Government the Ruler
appointed a British judicial adviser. Efforts are now being
made to induce the Ruler to agree to his judicial adviser
sitting as a judge in difficult cases. This would help to
disarm public criticism in that there would be at least one
judge who had legal training and qualifications.

4. The four municipal councils of Manama, Muharraq, Hidd
and Rifa'a were re-elected during the early part of the year.
Unfortunately public Interest in these elections was very
slight. The Administration Council and the Health and
Education councils have worked fairly well during the year.
The two latter tend to want to run the Medical Services and
the Education Department instead of simply giving advice.
The Ruler tends to ignore the Administration Council when it
suits him to do so; but apart from this, it and the other
two councils do in practice provide a useful opportunity for
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