Page 438 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (IV)_Neat

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Passengers :
Arrivals. Departures.
By Air 18,207 17,479
By Steamers 8,839 8,430
By Native Craft 31,252 32,431

4,883 dhows and launches visited Bahrain ports during the year. The crews and passengers
of these craft were registered in the Passport Office.

During the year 869 free passports or travel documents were issued to members of the
Ruling Family, their followers and to teachers and students. Several parties went from
Bahrain to Saudi Arabia and to Iraq on hunting trips.

Bahrain Nationality.—During the year 1371, 38 applications from foreigners were received
applying for Bahrain nationality, of these 26 were from members of the Police Force. Two Indians,
who were born in Bahrain, were granted Bahrain nationality. No applications from Persians
to acquire Bahrain nationality were accepted but 117 Persians, out of 138 who applied, proved
to the satisfaction of the Bahrain Court that they were born in Bahrain and were registered
as Bahrain nationals. The verification of such claims is difficult as it has not yet been possible
to set up the organisation for the registration of vital statistics, nor has the Government
introduced any system of identity cards either for Bahrain subjects or for foreigners.

Persian Divers.—Over 700 Persian divers were allowed to enter Bahrain during the diving
season on the guarantee of the Bahrain Nakhudas who engaged them. There was an acute
shortage of local divers owing to the demand for labour both in Bahrain and in Saudi Arabia.

Illegal Entries.—The department, in conjunction with the Police, prosecuted 132 persons
for entering Bahrain without travel papers. Undoubtedly this number represents a very small
proportion of the people who arc illegally entering the country. The persons who were caught
included 47 Omanis, 28 Pakistanis, 2 Indians, 3 Adenese, 6 Mehras, 28 Burmese and 18 Persians.
The Pakistanis and Burmese were brought from Qatar by Qatar Nakhudas who deposited them
on the shore on the east coast of Bahrain and then set sail immediately. Some of these Nakhudas
who are engaged in smuggling people into Bahrain are known to the Government but until
now it has been impossible to apprehend them. The Indians and Burmese came from Oman
to Qatar on foot, ostensibly on their way to Mecca, but when they arrived in Bahrain they
disclaimed any wish to proceed to Saudi Arabia, where it is probable, in any case, that they
would have been refused admission. In May 1952 nationals of other Gulf States and of the
Yemen came under the jurisdiction of the Bahrain Courts. Two Omani Nakhudas were
prosecuted in the Senior Bahrain Court for attempting to land illegal immigrants, they were
dealt with severely.

It is known to the authorities that numbers of Persians are crossing the Gulf to Oman and
the Trucial Coast where after a short residence they acquire documents purporting to prove that
they are subjects of the states of the Trucial Coast. Although the Government does not object
to the entry of Omanis and Arabs from the Trucial Coast, provided that they are in possession
of proper travel documents, it does not wish Bahrain to become flooded with Persians.

Distinguished Visitors.—Among the distinguished visitors to Bahrain were H.R.H*
Amir Abdul Illah, Regent of Iraq with H.E. General Nuri A1 Said, at that time Prime Minister
of Iraq, and H.E. Tahseen Qadri, Master of Ceremonies, H.E. Ahmed Mukhtar Bagan, Minister
of Court, and other ministers and officials who came to Bahrain in the royal yacht and spent
several days in the country. Another visitor was H.E. Sa’ib Salam, Minister of the Interior in
the Lebanese Government accompanied by several political personalities from Beirut. Among
other visitors were rulers of the Shaikhdoms of the Trucial Coast, foreign diplomats and
numerous journalists of various nationalities.