Page 486 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (I)_Neat

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484

General.

1. Bahrain subjects resident abroad.

During the year a nunber of complaints were mndo
to the Bahrain gorernnent by ‘'he Shia Bahrainis
living in Qasbah on the Persian coast allegirr

that the Persian authorities disregarded the
nationality certifieswhich they had obtained
in Bahrain and forced them to adopt p^aian
nationality and to do military service, Towards

the end of *he year the oppression by the local
authorities increased end one Bahrain subject was
killed. A petition was received by His Excellency

Shaikh Hamad from the leaders of the 3ahraini com-
minity at ^asoah.
Owing to the drastic taxation which has
lately been imposed on the people of Xatif by the
Saoudia government a number of Bahrainis long

resident in Katif evaded the government authorities
and fled to Bahrain. The policy of the Saoudia
government has been to allow the men of Katif to
come and go between Bahrain and Katif but to pre­

vent the women from leaving the place* During
the last quarter of the year about two hundred
people from Katif, men and women, escaped from
Katif and returned to their villages in Bahrain.

The women disguised themselves as men and in
this way they were able to evade the authorities.

The Bahrain community in Q,asbah and in Katif
consist of Shia Bahrainis who left this country
some twenty years ago, or more, owing to the

t oppression by the Ruling Family and the Sunnis.
Since then conditions have changed in Bahrain,
religious toleration is eccorded to all sects end

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