Page 130 - Personal Column (Charles Belgrave)_Neat

of defending them from external aggression. To run away from our Kuwait became the El Dorado of the East. The growth of a Middle
responsibilities and to desert the Arab rulers who have been, and still are, Class, the increased prosperity, which extends to all levels, and the notice­
supporters of the British would do enormous damage to what remains of able improvement in tiic standard of living are some of the reasons why
British prestige in the Middle East. Furthermore it would very soon in­ I believe that Communism is unlikely to gain a footing among the Gulf
volve us in more serious difficulties than those which now face us. If we Arabs. The Nationalist movement in Bahrain was not inspired by Com­
left the states to themselves their powerful neighbours, Iraq, Persia, Saudi
munism. It was an expression of resentment by the Intelligentsia against
Arabia and perhaps Egypt would take the opportunity to gobble them up the existing regime, which they considered was outdated. It was similar
by stirring up popular and irredentist movements against the rulers or
to an abortive movement which took place in 1938, but on that occasion
by a show of force, and we would soon find ourselves involved in the Shias did not take part in it.
hostilities. There is no easy answer to the question as to what is to happen to the
Many people say that the British should 4force* the Gulf rulers to
Gulf states. One possible solution is that they should form a loose federa­
adopt more progressive and democratic forms of government, which
% tion with agreements between the states covering matters such as trade,
means that the rulers should relinquish some of their individual authority.
immigration, currency, etc., with a pool of experts who would be available
Most of them arc not young men. They have been accustomed to the same
to give technical advice to each state on how best to develop their natural
form of government for centuries and they cling to it with tenacity.
resources such as agriculture, fishing and light industries, who could also
Having seen at close .quarters British efforts in this direction I know,
advise on large engineering, electrical and building projects. The federa­
better than most people, how difficult it is to persuade Arab rulers to
tion would be on somewhat similar lines to that which has recently come
change their ways and to launch ‘the political experiment of democracy’.
into being in the Aden Protectorate. It would, in part, satisfy the desire
Democracy is a tender growth which develops slowly. Already in Bahrain
of the people of the Gulf to belong to some larger organization, and
it was beginning to sprout, but the political squalls which raged during
they might realize that if they were combined they could present more
1955 and 1956, instead of hastening its growth have retarded it. The Gulf
resolute opposition to dangers from without. This combination of
rulers accept advice from the British in many matters—when things go
states would have a council consisting of the rulers or their repre­
wrong, as they often do, it is convenient to be able to put the blame on
sentatives.
the British—but the cause of the failure in Bahrain was that the British,
Years ago the idea of federation was mooted and in Bahrain it was
while giving advice to the Shaikh, were at the same time acting in a way
not unfavourably received. The plan might have been carried through at
that gave encouragement to the political party which, as the Shaikh saw
that time without much difficulty, but today there is less possibility of
it, was aimed at destroying his authority. This shook public confidence in
agreement between the states. The main stumbling-block is the existence
British policy. I believe that more liberal forms of government will be
ot two enormously rich states, Kuwait and Qatar, one state, Bahrain,
introduced gradually but any effort to rush the process, either by local
which might be described as comfortably oft and, on the Trucial Coast, a
factions or by external political pressure, will be disastrous but, unfor­
number of small, poor states. Any idea of pooling resources is out of the
tunately, the situation in the Middle East is shifting so rapidly that the
question. Neither Kuwait, with over £100 million a year and a population
Arab saying, ‘Haste is from the Devil*, is now becoming a fallacy.
of about 200,000, or Qatar with about ^16 million and some 30,000 in­
Another school of thought believes that the British should support
habitants, or even Bahrain with an income of £5^ million and a population
the Ruling Families, with whom we have treaties, regardless of the form
of about 145,000 would be willing to guarantee substantial financial help
of government in their states. People of this opinion are apt to assume
to poorer states, although the rulers of the rich oil states arc not lacking in
that opposition to the rulers and to the British comes from Communism.
generosity to the other Shaikhs, if they are on good terms with them.
I am absolutely certain that the people of Bahrain have no sympathy for
When the Shaikh of Bahrain first considered the suggestion of a federation
Communism, and the same can be said for the other Gulf states, although
his comment was that before it could be discussed all outstanding
in Kuwait Communism exists among the vast horde of foreigners'who
boundary disputes, such as Bahrain’s claims in Zabara, would have to be
flocked in from all the neighbouring countries, including Iraq, when
settled. He then asked which of the states, if there was a council of states,
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