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Coll 17/10(4) 'Internal: political situation; relations with HMG' [288v] (576/1031)
The record is made up of 1 file (515 folios). It was created in 10 Apr 1941-19 Mar 1947. It was written in English. 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.
4
and alliance with Great Britain: so far as is known, he studiously refrained from
pressing any claim to the throne of Syria. He returned to Amman on the
6 th November with an enhanced reputation amongst the moderate elements. The
Amir Zaid is living quietly in his own house and is expected to remain in Bagdad
for some time.
24. A serious situation was threatened in the Sin jar early in September,
The Quaimmaqam went out with some police to stop a fight between two villages
and was accidentally killed by a stray bullet. Difficulties with the Yezidis of the
Sinjar had begun in June with the return from a prolonged absence in Syria of
a troublesome chieftain named Daud-i-Daud. Afraid lest past misdeeds might
still be remembered against him he omitted to pay his respects to the local
authorities, who in consequence were disposed to regard him as a potential rebel.
The difficulty was overcome by the intervention of the Adviser to the Ministry
of the Interior, but the Qaimmaqam of the Sinjar then embarked on a policy
of provocation while the Mutasarrif of Mosul whose dislike of the Yezidis
is notorious, pressed the Central Government to repress vigorously the unrest to
which the Qaimmaqam’s conduct led. Consequently when the Qaimmaqam was
killed the Mutasarrif made the most of his opportunity to demand the exemplary
punishment of the whole area. Iraqi troops were hurried to the spot and it
seemed possible that the Government would embark on a general punitive
expedition of the kind which had more than once disgraced their handling of
the Yezidis in the past. I hastened to urge calm and moderation, and my efforts
were supported by the Adviser to the Ministry of the Interior, who persuaded
the Minister to resist the Mutusarrif’s demand and personally to visit Mosul to
bring about a reasonable settlement. Thanks to the efforts of the adviser, who
went with the Minister to Mosul, the leading Yezidi chieftains came in to Mosul
to make their submission. The section responsible for the skirmish in which the
Qaimmaqam was killed paid a fine of 1,000 dinars and undertook to surrender the
men responsible for firing on the Qaimmaqam. After this settlement most of
the Iraqi troops were withdrawn from the Sinjar but some remained at the
Qadha headquarters and in the middle of October nearly caused a grave incident
by carrying out night operations in the neighbourhood of a village without giving
warning of their intentions. Troops in the Sinjar are unnecessary and
provocative, and I have pressed the Government to have them withdrawn.
25. Another constant cause of trouble in the Sinjar is the Yezidi feud with
the Shammar Jarba* Not only does this lead to raids and counter-raids between
the two people but it also results in incessant intrigues by the Shammar with the
Iraqi officials against the Tezidis. An exceptionally good Mutasarrif is needed in
Mosul to deal with these difficulties. Tahain Ali’s anti-Yezidi and pro-Shammar
bias was unfortunate. Tahain Ali has now joined Nuri Said’s Cabinet and
everything possible must be done to find a fair-minded and competent successor.
26. One of the most difficult problems which the Iraqi Government has now
to face is that of the steadily increasing cost of living. The extent to which
prices have risen recently is shown by the examples given below :—
Retail Prices.
Flour ...
Local bread ...
European bread (rolls)
Meat ...
Ghee ...
Sugar ...
Matches
Calico (unbleached) ...
Calico (bleached)
Cotton flannel
Kerosene
Salt
Limes...
Prices in August 1941.
60 fils per hugga (9 lbs.)
16 fils per waqiya (kilo)...
2^ fils each
40 fils per waqiya
640 fils per hugga
40 fils per kilo
40 fils per dozen ...
16 fils per dera (f yd.) ...
24 fils per dera ...
25 fils per dera ...
116 fils per tin
20 fils per charak (13 lbs.)
8 fils per waqiya
Prices in November 1941
80 fils per hugga.
28 fils per waqiya.
4 fils each.
48 fils per waqiya.
740 fils per hugga.
72 fils per kilo.
60 fils per dozen.
36 fils per dera.
50 fils per dera.
50 fils per dera.
128 fils per tin.
40 fils per charak.
12 fils per waqiya.
To understand the full hardship of war prices, it is necessary, however, to
make a comparison between the prices of 1939 and those of the present day Ghee
in 1939 was only 240-280 fils a hugga; meat 28-30 fils a waqiya ; sugar 16-18 fils
a hugga; and matches only 16 fils a dozen. This rise in prices has caused much
hardship to the poorer classes and serious discontent may result unless means
About this item
- Content
This file is a continuation of IOR/L/PS/12/2862. It contains correspondence and memoranda regarding relations between HM Government ( HMG Her or His Majesty’s Government in London. ) and the Government of Iraq, and documents the reaction of the 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. and Foreign Office to political developments within Iraq. The file opens with descriptions of the situation following the coup d'état of Rashid Ali al-Gaylani, and documents the build-up to the Anglo-Iraqi War (2-31 May 1941), including the arrival of British and Indian troops in Basra (under rights granted in the Anglo-Iraq Treaty of 1930), arrangements to evacuate the Regent 'Abd al-Illah, British attempts to shore up support from the Turkish and Egyptian authorities, and Axis propaganda in Iraq. The papers then contain communications regarding the progress of the war, including reports on troop movements, the dispatch of war materials, the actions of Germany, Italy, France and Turkey, and Indian public opinion regarding the conflict. These papers consist of dispatches sent by the British Ambassador to Iraq (Sir Kinahan Cornwallis) to the Foreign Office, as well as numerous copy communications between the Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , the Commander in Chief of the East Indies Section, the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. Kuwait, the Viceroy of India, and HM Ambassador to the United States.
From the end of the war the file consists primarily of dispatches from Cornwallis to the Foreign Office, reporting on the return of the Regent, the pogrom against the Jewish community, the breaking of diplomatic relations with Vichy France and Japan, the trial of the coup supporters, the Iraqi declaration of war against Germany, Italy and Japan, the possibility of Iraqi membership of the United Nations, and the release of political prisoners from the Ammara [̔Amāra] concentration camp. The regular dispatches also contain details of various cabinet crises, and details of the domestic economic and military situation. The file contains a small amount of material for the years 1944-1946, including annual reports submitted by Cornwallis and his successor, Sir Hugh Stonehewer-Bird.
The file includes dividers which give lists of correspondence references found in the file by year. These are placed at the end of the correspondence (folios 2-4).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (515 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in rough chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 515; 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. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 2-514; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2863
- Title
- Coll 17/10(4) 'Internal: political situation; relations with HMG'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:15v, 17r:86v, 90v:105v, 107r:119v, 121r:298v, 300r:304v, 307r:373r, 379r:401v, 405r:515v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence