Page 86 - The Origins of the United Arab Emirates_Neat

()2 The Origins of the United Arab Emirates

‘He assumed a most truculent and defiant attitude, in fact during
my 17 years experience of these parts I have not yet come across a
Shaikh or Khan who adopted so insolent a demeanour.’28 Although
Humayd denied having torn up the manumission certificate, Trevor
found sufficient proof to substantiate the claim. ‘Apart from this the
Shaikh told so many lies in rapid succession about the matter that I
came to the conclusion that no reliance whatever can be placed on
his statements.’21 Determined to punish him, Trevor imposed a fine of
1000 rupees. Humayd ‘was most defiant, practically asking what
would happen if he did not pay’.25 The Resident threatened
bombardment of the Ajman fort (HMS Crocus and Cyclamen were
present), to which Humayd defiantly replied that it would ‘be the
worse’ for the British if they destroyed his towers. Since he refused to
pay the guns began to fire: one tower was totally demolished and
another partially. Soon after, Humayd acceded defeat, and hurriedly
sent the money to Trevor.
For the remainder of his life, Humayd took care not to involve
himself in any more disputes with the British authorities, and,
although he never softened his hatred for ‘Abd al-Rahman of the
Al-bu-Shamis, he managed to keep his feelings under control. The
animosity he felt for the Al-bu-Shamis only grew after the accession
to power of Sultan bin Saqr of Sharjah, for ‘Abd al-Rahman’s
position as father-in-law of the ruler added to his prestige and
authority. Hirah gradually became a place of refuge for people
trying to escape punishment in Ajman—‘Abd al-Rahman willingly
granting them entry, in order to spite his old enemy. The people
of Ajman also found this a convenient way to escape the payment
of their debts, so leaving Humayd with responsibility for the situation
so far as the Indian traders and the British authorities were concerned.
The ruler of Ajman was only too pleased when, in 1926, the
Political Resident banished ‘Abd al-Rahman to Aden for four years
because of his suspected role in the murder of the cousin of ‘Isa
bin ‘Abd al-Latif, the Residency Agent, in October 1925. The
murder had occurred in the course of an affray that had been
instigated with the murder of ‘Isa himself in mind. ‘Isa immediately
reported the murder to the Political Resident, saying that the precipi­
tating factor had been his attempt to raise the British flag over
the Agency at Sharjah.26 Later, he reported the rumour prevalent
in Sharjah that ‘Abd al-Rahman, ‘one of the stormy petrels of
the Trucial Coast’,27 a man feared by everyone in and around
Sharjah, including ‘Isa, had been responsible.
In order thoroughly to investigate the death, Stuart Horner,
secretary to the Political Resident, went to the Agency at Sharjah
with Yusuf Kanu of Bahrain.28 Although it was obvious from Horner’s
findings that ‘Abd al-Rahman had hated the Residency Agent,

1