Page 195 - Records of Bahrain (4) (i)_Neat

Reaction to the reforms, 1923 183

CONFIDENTIAL'

No. 020-8. of 1020, datod Duahiro, tho 0th (received 17th) November 1023.
From—-Tho Hon'bio Liout.-Colonol A.' P. Tiievor, G.S.I., C.I.E., Political
Resident in tho Persian Gulf.
Halations between Sunnis and Shiaha at Bahrain.
In reply to your telegram No. 1341-S., dated 30th October 1023, I have
the honour to mako the following observations on the subject of the ques­
tions dealt with in Colonol Knox’s letter No. 5G7, dated 0th October.
The actual ease which gave riso to tho first point raised by Colonel Knox,
viz., the proposal to summon a majlis to try and fix collective-responsibility
on Budaiya for the outrage on two Shiah Mullas—lias become of somewhat
academic interest owing to the departure of the majority of tho Dawasir
tribo from Bahrain. It is of course useless to summon a majlis about this
case at present.
In regard to the general question of the collective responsibility of 'a'
village for outrages committed within its boundaries or nearer to it than to
any other village, as far as I am awaro no general usage of this sort is
recognized at Bahrain. The Shaikh being (theoretically) an autocra^t could
no doubt order collective punishment of a village when any particularly,
heinous crimo was committed within its limits, but in practice ho would
probably be afraid to do so if it were a Sunni village, and possibly perhaps
only too ready in the cuso of a Shiah village. As regards holding a majlis
to lix responsibility, I am inclined to agree with the Political Agent, that,
owing to the virulence of the Sunni Shiah feud in Bahrain, tho decision of
such a Majlis would be a foregone conclusion depending on—whether the
majority of tho members wore Sunni or Shiah, and the religious persuasion
of the suspected village. I would also observe that, if the system of collective
responsibility of a village became a recognized custom, persons who intend
to commit an outrage would take the precaution of doing it within the limits
of a villago with which tlioy wore at enmity, or at least at a good distance
from their own village.
In regard to the second point, the camel difficulty, I have the honour
to forward for the information of the Government of India a copy of a
letter* from the Political Agent,
•No. 14o-l*15, 17tli Ocloboi' 11*2:1, with
miclvijuc. Bahrain, on this subject. It will be
seen from the proposed regulations
which formed the enclosure to Major Daly’s letter that Shaikh Haraed has
framed rules which show decided progress for the better. A tax of Rs. 10
will bo imposed on each camel and Its. 5 on each milch camel- Every village
will have a pound and stray camels may be confined in and not released
except by payment of Its. 30. Shaikh Isa will retain 15 camels free of tax,
Shaikh Hamed 50 of which 10 will be considered State and freo from tax,,
while no one else will be allowed more than 5 camels of which two will be
permitted to bo milch camels.
This makes a great advance as Shaikh Ilamcd himself is a great lover
of animals and has always kept large numbers of camels, horses and do^s.
During my recent visit to Bahrain I spoke to the Political Agent and ShaiTdi
Ilamed on tho subject, and learnt that the latter will not make any further
reductions at present. Perhaps later on when tho Shaikhs and Shaiklin^s
are tried of keeping camels on the mainland " eating thoir heads oft ” from
which they derive hardly any benefit, they will be ready to abolish all except
about a dozen for Stato purposes. Now-a-days the Shaikhs can (and do) go
out to their shooting parties by car and donkey. I trust that tho result
of tho new rules will bo greatly to reduce the difficulties and disputes caused
by stray camols. In the circumstances I propose to write to tho Political
Agent and say that tho now camol regulations mark a groat advance aucl
i express my approval of thorn. V
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