'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎74r] (152/470)

control of one or other of the permanent Shaikhs. This course, though administrat
ively necessary, was unpopular with the small tribes. They are settling down now
however, and are beginning to realise that an influential Shaikh is of considerable
assistance. I have endeavoured to gild the pill by pointing out that certain favours
are due to the representations of their Shaikh.
The Shammar under Shaikh Faisal al Mutlaq, and the A1 Bu‘aij under Shaikh
Mmish al Aziz,^ visit the district at certain seasons. The Shammar lead their
flocks and herds^ into the Jazirah about November, returning northwards in March,
while the Al Bu aij in early summer bring their camels for transport of the harvest.
A certain number of them remain in Mahawil Shu‘bah throughout the year. In
1918 an allowance of Rs. 300/— per mensem was paid to Shaikh Nimish during his
sojourn.
All the tribes are Shi‘ahs, but Shaikh Hazza‘, of the Mu‘amrah, is a Sunni.
During the past year the tribes have almost attained the happy state of leaving
no history, and the tribal situation has entirely changed. My predecessor in his
administrative report, had occasion to deplore the unwillingness of the tribes to
submit themselves to the authority of the Shaikhs, and the reluctance of the Shaikhs
to undertake responsibility for the behaviour of their tribes. Inter-tribal fights
and highway robberies were frequent in the early days of the occupation, and order
was little more than a name. The change was foreshadowed even in last year’s
report. Largely owing to my predecessor’s handling of the situation all Shaikhs
in theory, and all but one in practice, accept and adequately discharge responsibility
for the behaviour of their tribes, and the tribesmen are on the whole well under
the control of their Shaikhs. In March there was a fight about land between the
Bani Mansur section of the Jubur and the villagers of Sharufah, and in April a
smouldering feud between certain villagers and tribesmen near Khaiqan, in the
Albu Sultan country broke into flame and fighting ensued. Both disputes were
satisfactorily settled, and tow'ers were demolished with the help of the Shabanah,
and since then, with one insignificant exception, there have been no tribal fights.
Shaikh ‘Addai of the Albu Sultan was largely instrumental in securing a settlement
of the dispute in his area.
The tribal majlis has seldom met, but I have on. several occasions availed
myself of the advice of individual Shaikhs. In the early summer there was an
outbreak of thefts from the Military. The Mu‘amrah were the tribes responsible,
but there is no doubt that they engaged the enthusiastic co-operation of the men
of labour corps encamped in the vicinity. Fines were imposed on the Mu‘amrah,
whose responsiility was admitted by Shaikh Hazza 4 , some of the labour corps were
imprisoned, and there was no recurrence.
In April, my predecessor was glad to seize an opportunity of knocking down
towers, but new towers are turning to houses and stores, and the need of demolition
has passed. Highway robberies have occurred, but infrequently, and there have
been some murders, but the number has never approached indecency. I am well
aware that a fairly large proportion of the offences committed are dealt with by
the Shaikhs, and never come to my ears, but this is no cause for regret, and the
quietness of the tribes is none the less remarkable. Census operations which were
impossible in Turkish times have been accepted with equanimity, and the Shaikhs
are readily co-operating in the enumeration of their tribes. To-day a single officer
is welcomed in areas such as the Jubur and Albu Sultan countries where no Turkish
official dared show his face without a strong military escort.
In accordance with the policy of the administration, the management of the
district has been carried on as far as possible through the Shaikhs; to them disputes
of all sorts are referred, and they are held responsible for the behaviour of their
tribes. The A.P.O. remains in the background, to prevent flagrant injustice, to
ensure that adequate punishment is meted out to certain classes of offenders, and
to back up the authority of the Shaikh in his dealings with his tribe. The policy
has been amply vindicated. The Shaikhs are realising their responsibilities, and
the tribes appear to accept the Shaikh’s authority cheerfully; while complaints
against the Shaikh’s justice, even from other tribes or from townsmen, are extra
ordinarily rare. It is true that there is always a risk that a Shaikh may develop
erroneous ideas of his own importance and indispensability, and show himself
oppressive to his people and contumacious towards the Government; but there
are no indications of this at present, and, by keeping in close touch with the people
generally and exercising a light but efficient control over the Shaikh, it should not
be difficult to prevent abuses.
x 10 1162—1
K