Page 236 - Gulf Precis (III)_Neat

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CHAPTER VI.
Baluchi Slaves from Mekran to the Arab Coast.

105. We have treated in the last chapter about the troubles we had to face
on account of the runaway slaves from the Rinds of Maud at Gwadur. The
correspondence on that subject shows how deep rooted was slavery among the
Baluchi tribes. Our attention has recently been drawn to the affair from another
direction.
106. In 1896 a gang of Baluchis and the Shaikh of Wadam, who had
for many years been engaged in the import
Secret E., March 1897, Nos. 136139.
and sale of slaves of Mekrani Baluchis at
Wudam on the Batineh coast, were brought to book. Wudam on the Batineh
was, in regard to Mekrani slaves, what Sur was in regard to Africans.
107. The Sultan had for long evaded his obligations in regard to the arrest
of these slave dealers, and it was only after much pressure had been brought to
bear upon him by Lieutenant Beville that the Sultan was induced to order the
arrest of seven of the accused including the Shaikh of Wudam.
108. These persons, with the exception of the Shaikh, who was found too
ill to attend the Court, were tried by Lieutenant Beville and Seyvid Bedr bin
Seif, and all, with one exception, were found guilty of slave dealing. Their finding
was accepted as correct by the Sultan and the Baluchis were imprisoned and
fined too to 500 dollars each.
109. Colonel Wilson hoped that the punishment of these offenders would
have a deterrent effect on slave trade in the locality.
110. In May 1904 a Kishm dhow was detained at Henjam on account
Secret E , Februnry 1905, Nos. 1.45 of a boy, named Esa, who took refuge at
Sec paragraphs 158-163 be ow. the telegraph station, having alleged to
have been kidnapped from a place called Gurdeen on the Mekran coast. The
dhow could show no name or papers of whatever kind as required by Articles
XXXIV, XXXV and XXXVI of Brussels Conference General Act, to which Persia
is a signatory.
111. There was no doubt that a large number of slaves were exported
annually from Mekran to the Arab coast. From a letter, dated 28th March 1904,
from the Telegraph Assistant Superintendent, Jask Sub-division, to the Director,
Persian Gulf Section, Karachi, it appears that Sardar Said Khan, Chief of the
Geh district moving about with a large armed following, carried away four
Baluchis as slaves and despatched them to the ports of Tank, Gulag and Sadech,
where boats from the Arabian coast visited solely for the purpose of taking away
slaves. His example was doubtless followed by others. The proceeds of this
traffic in slaves were used to a great extent in importing guns from Maskat. Mir
Barkhat of Jask told the Assistant Superintendent that 450 slaves had been
shipped from Jask to the Arabian coast during the previous three years. The
trade had been however diverted to Sadech as Mir Barkhat and the other ring­
leader Shai bin Shaban could not come to terms as to the shares of the sale-
proceeds.
112. The naval authorities were therefore anxious that the Persian Govern­
ment should be induced to enforce Articles XXXIV, XXXV and XXXVI of the
Brussels Conference Act, and the Trucial Chiefs compelled to strictly comply
with Article V of the General Treaty of 1820.
113. The first difficulty so far as Persia was concerned was whether the Persian
Government would admit at all that our slave trade treaty of 1882 or the Brussels
Act applies to domestic slavery among Persian-born subjects. The next diffi­
culty was the Persian inability or unwillingness to enforce the rules.
114. Sir A. H. Hardinge suggested the advisability of getting the Belgian
customs officials to see to the enforcement of rules. He also drew attention to
Articles XXI, LXVIII, LXX and LXXII of the Brussels Act, from which it