'File 4/20 II Kuwait Situation: Constitution and Council' [90r] (179/400)
The record is made up of 1 file (198 folios). It was created in 22 Dec 1938-18 Apr 1949. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
2
some papers in their possession and asked for time.
These papers, such things as the old Kuwait Constitution,
written out hy themselves, and since superseded, hoth in
fact and on paper, a contract for removal of gravel, and
another for sand, with some others, they evidently set
great store "by, had "been sent to Basra for safe keeping.
4. The Shaikh told me all about this, and showed me
the list of his new Council, a partly elected and partly
nominated one, about 3 P.M on the 9th at his country house
some railes away from the city, /hile he was doing so, one
of his cousins, the black Shaikh, PAHAD bin SALIM AS SUB AFT,
a brave and intelligent young man, arrived to report a set
back. The State Accountant, a member of the Council, known
to his friends as "the Minister of finance", refused to hand
over his account books and was receiving support, and the
Council had asked for a few more hours before handing over
the papers. None of this seemed very serious so far and
while I was there the Shaikh sent back sensible, if, to my
mind, slightly confusedly given, orders.
5. Later in the day, however, a certain MORAiLOU) BIN
MUNAIS, a Kuwaiti, a small grain merchant living in Iraq.,
formerly a water carrier here, who arrived on the 7th,and
who some people are convinced was on a mission from the
Iraq. Government, so authoritatively did he speak, had
encouraged young men to distribute leaflets proclaiming
the Subah ruling family deposed from power and calling upon
the people to resist them.
He addressed a gathering of some of the fallen Council
in stirring language on the same lines, and they foolishly
applauded him anl declared that they would support him; news
of which quickly circulated, and caused excitement which
lasted until late at night, incidentally being enough to
make the new Council hesitate to take office.
About this item
- Content
This file contains correspondence between British officials regarding political developments in Kuwait. Specifically it relates to the suppression of an oppositionist reform movement (the majlis movement) that had successfully pressured the Ruler of Kuwait, Shaikh Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, to establish an elected administrative council in the country The correspondence in the file covers the period immediately after this council was dissolved onwards and discusses the various repressive measures subsequently taken, including the imprisonment and exile of several of its members.
The correspondence is primarily between the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. in Kuwait and the Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. in Bushire, but the file also contains a limited amount of correspondence with Shaikh Ahmad (in Arabic accompanied by English translations).
In addition to correspondence, the file contains the following:
- a copy of the Organic Law of Trans-Jordan (folios 31-49).
- a draft constitution of Kuwait (folios 52-59).
- an article regarding the constitution of Kuwait published in al-Alam al-Arabi in 1939 (folio 61).
- a list of Kuwaiti youths that were alleged by the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. in Kuwait to be 'anti-Shaikh and anti-British' (folios 122-123).
- a petition (in Arabic original and translated into English) that was sent to the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. from the wives of a number of political prisoners in Kuwait (folios 147-148).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (198 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 200; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Two additional foliation sequences are present in parallel; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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'File 4/20 II Kuwait Situation: Constitution and Council' [90r] (179/400), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/5/206, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100040483852.0x0000b4> [accessed 28 August 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/5/206
- Title
- 'File 4/20 II Kuwait Situation: Constitution and Council'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:23v, 26r:30v, 50r:51v, 60r:60v, 62r:108v, 111r:119v, 122r:140v, 142r:146v, 149r:152v, 154r:157v, 159r:178v, 180r:188v, 190r:199v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence