'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎200r] (404/470)

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Shatrah District Administration Report, 1918.
1. Political and Tribal. —Owing to the delayed submission of Shaikh
Khaiyun al ‘Ubaid and the hostile attitude of the Azairij, Khafajah, and ‘Abudah
tribes, it was not considered advisable to send a Government representative to
Shatrah until early this year. Major Dickson, C.I.E., Political Officer, Nasiriyah,
first visited Shatrah on 10 th March 1918. Until this date there was no actual
control over any of the tribes of this district. An attempt had previously been
made to appoint Hasan al Jasim as British representative in Shatrah, but this
venture proved a failure owing solely to the fact that Hasan has practically no
influence in matters either tribal or municipal. On this first visit the Political
Officer, Nasiriyah, appointed Shaikh Khaiyun British representative in Shatrah.
The wisdom of such a move was obvious. Khaiyun is easily the strongest and
most influential man in this district. He has been Turkish Qaimmaqam of Shatrah
on two different occasions. Cordially hated and inexpressibly feared, he has always
ruled Shatrah with a rod of iron. To his strength alone is due the fact that Shatrah
during the last four years has been able to continue its tribal trade. But for
Khaiyun’s presence and rule every shop and house in Shatrah would have been
looted and razed to the ground.
The political situation in Shatrah still remained uncertain, even after Khaiyun’s
appointment as British representative. Khaiyun still reigned supreme, still levied
and collected whatever taxes he considered himself justified in taking, and still
kept alive his deadly enmity with the adjoining section of the Abudah. Of this
feud more will be mentioned later.
Towards the middle of April, the political atmosphere became appreciably
clearer, and the Deputy Civil Commissioner, Basrah, with the Political Officer,
Nasiriyah, Revenue Officer, Basrah, and other officers rode out to Shatrah from
Nasiriyah; while I, then Assistant Political Officer, Suq, joined them by journeying
up the Bad‘ah from the Hammar Lake. The party proceeded up the Gharraf,
and the Deputy Civil Commissioner was so impressed by the united petitions for
a Political Officer, that shortly after I was appointed Assistant Political Officer,
Gharraf, with headquarters at Qal‘at Sikar, from whence I had to keep an eye on
Shatrah affairs. It immediately became apparent, however, that a reversal of the
programme was essential, and that it was absolutely necessary to make Shatrah
my headquarters, and from there keep in touch with Qal‘at Sikar affairs. The
chief reason for this change was the fact that Khaiyun, on the advent of political
officer to the Gharraf, declared himself freed of all further tribal or municipal
responsibility, and retired to his own tribe in the Sudaifah. Thus commenced the
administration of this district. Very shortly after this the Gharraf district was
divided up Al Humaid and Bani Richab confederations going to the Assistant
Political Officer, Qahat Sikar, and the ‘Abudah, Khafajah, Bani Zaid, Bani Sa‘id
and Albu Sa‘ad being retained by the Assistant Political Officer, Shatrah.
About this time came the news of Government’s action at Najaf. This news
had more to do with the quietening of this district than anything else. The district,
tribal and section boundaries are shown in the map attached hereto (Appendix A.).
A list of the sections of each tribe is also attached (Appendix B.).
Since the opening up of this district it has been very gratifying to note the
way in which wild unruly tribes have kept themselves well in hand during crises.
Until recently the killing of a man by a member of another tribe was invariably
considered the signal for a “ faz‘ah ” and a battle. Now, however, the murdered
man is brought in for inspection and justice is left in the hands of the Government
official. This is the best sign one has of the settling down of the tribes. A better
idea of the tribal situation can be gathered by dealing with the tribes individually.
'Abudah .—Head Shaikh, Khaiyun al ‘Ubaid. Kbaiyun’s own section of the
‘Abudah is the Sinajir, and it may be said roughly to surround Shatrah on the
eastern side. The Sinajir still occupy several houses in the southern half of the
town itself. The northern half of the town was, until recently, inhabited by the
Albu Shamkhi, another section of the ‘Abudah, whose hatred towards the Sinajir
is intense. On several occasions attempts have been made by the Albu Shamkhi