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Coll 17/10(1) 'Internal: political situation; relations with HMG' [144r] (292/982)
The record is made up of 1 volume (487 folios). It was created in 4 Nov 1932-14 Jan 1937. 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.
1 VcT ; r v
, otbh
THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S ^VERNMENT
EASTERN (Iraq).
CONFIDENTIAL.
May 5, 1936.
Section 6 .
[E 2546/1575/93]
Sir A. Clark Kerr to Mr. Eden—{Received Man 5 \
(No. 225.)
Sir ’ T TTAT 7 -n t p , Bagdad, April 30, 1936.
I HAVE the honour to report a fresh outbreak of unrest on the Euphrates
between Rumaitha and Samawa.
2 . After the disturbances in this area last year an army officer, Abdul Hamid-
al-Shalchi, was appointed Mutessarif of Diwaniyah. His administration of the
province was not, however, successful and it is now coming to light that he did
not report fully to the Ministry of the Interior on the disturbed tribal situation
which had been developing since the beginning of the current year. About the
middle of the present month he was replaced by Khalil Azmi, formerly Mutessarif
of the Diyala Province, who is a regular official with a sound record.
3. Khalil Azmi soon found that his predecessor had left him a legacy of
dangerous discontent, and the situation became worse when, some days ago, the
Euphrates in spate broke its banks in several places and flooded a large area of
tribal land. Much loss was caused thereby which, many believed, could have been
avoided if the Government had agreed to allow the surplus water to flow into the
Habbaniyah Lake.
4. On the 21st and 22nd April it was reported that a train had been fired
on near Rumaitha, but the train showed no bullet marks and the firing was
probably not intended to be more than a demonstration. The men responsible
belonged to the Dhuwalim, one of the tribes which had supported Sheikh Khawam-
al-Abbas of the Bani Zurai] in his revolt last year. Their leaders were summoned
to report to the Government headquarters,’ but refused to come in; and they
presented a number of demands which included the restoration of Khawam s
confiscated lands, exemption from conscription, and an undertaking that the
Government would not enforce the wearing of Pahlavi hats. This last demand
shows the confused ideas behind some of the tribesmen s grievances.
5. On the 28th April a lorry was held up just south of Rumaitha. A police
patrol arrived while the looting was in progress and a skirmish with the tribesmen
followed. The police suffered no casualties, but the incident indicated that the
tribesmen were in a dangerous temper and, as a precautionary measure, rai way
communication between Rumaitha and Samawa has been temporarily suspende l
6 . On the 29th April two flights of Iraqi aeroplanes (six machines) were
sent to Diwaniyah and staff arrangements were made for the concentration o
the following force with ancillary troops m the Diwamyah-Samawa area.
1 squadron of cavalry.
1 mountain battery.
7 infantry battalions. ,
7. To-day the Minister of the Interior himself went by train to Eumaitha
to investigate the sMon.^ ^ ig conflned to the Dhuwalim
tribe, whose efforts to bring “ or from theSy
any encouragement being given to the msurge m
Citie 9.' I am sending a copy of this despatch to His Majesty’s Charge d’Affaires
at Tehran. T , o rn
ARCHIBALD CLARK KERR.
[706 e— 6 ]
About this item
- Content
The volume contains correspondence and memoranda regarding relations between HM Government ( HMG Her or His Majesty’s Government in London. ) and Iraq following independence, and private arrangements for the supply of information to HM Ambassador in Baghdad from British advisers to the Iraqi Government. The records also document 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, and their concerns over the possible impact on British and Indian commercial interests in Iraq.
The following events are documented in the file:
- 1932. Opening of the Iraqi parliament, formation (and change) of cabinets, arrangements for conservancy of the Shatt al-Arab.
- 1933. The death of King Faisal [Fayṣal bin 'Alī al-Hāshimī], the accession and policy of King Ghazi [Ghāzī bin Fayṣal al-Hāshimī], cabinet crises, and protests against the continued relationship between HMG Her or His Majesty’s Government in London. and the Government of Iraq.
- 1934. Political appointments and commercial development.
- 1935. Opposition group activities in Iraq, tribal revolts in the Middle Euphrates area, cabinet crises, Yezidi disturbances in Mosul, and discussion of the Assyrian question.
- 1936. The controversy surrounding the marriage of Princess Asa [Azza] to a Christian porter in Athens, and the proposals of the Iraqi cabinet that she be murdered, or the marriage annulled; suppression of tribal activity in the Rumaitha district; the coup d'état, and instigation of a new cabinet under Hikmat Suleiman.
The bulk of the volume consists of correspondence between the Foreign Secretary and HM Minister in Baghdad. A number of communications and official statements from the Government and King of Iraq are also present. The volume also contains the following items of particular interest:
- Record of a conversation between Sir Francis Humphrys and Yasin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. Al Hashimi, ff 426-427.
- English translation of a letter of condolence from Amir Abdullah I bin al-Hussein, King of Jordan, to King Ghazi, ff 403-406.
- Notes on the economic benefits accruing to Britain in Iraq, ff 357-359, 367-369.
- Memorandum regarding the commercial interests of the British India in Iraq, with a list of commercial enterprises, ff 346-351.
- Letter from Humphrys to King Ghazi regarding the continuation of private arrangements to ensure the transfer of information between the Government of Iraq and HMG Her or His Majesty’s Government in London. , f 312; with corresponding letter from King Ghazi to Humphrys, f 298.
- Communication sent by Archibald Clark Kerr to the Foreign Secretary (Viscount Eden), on the coup and its aftermath, ff 26-30.
The volume includes dividers which give lists of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. These are placed at the end of the correspondence (folios 4-5).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (487 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in rough chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 489; 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 present in parallel between ff 4-486; 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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Coll 17/10(1) 'Internal: political situation; relations with HMG' [144r] (292/982), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2860, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100049057336.0x00005d> [accessed 24 March 2025]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2860
- Title
- Coll 17/10(1) 'Internal: political situation; relations with HMG'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:10r, 12r:17r, 19r:27r, 29r:34v, 36r:82v, 84r:100v, 103r:147v, 149r:208v, 210r:225v, 227r:249v, 251r:274v, 276r:287v, 289r:297v, 299r:306v, 308r:317v, 319r:331v, 333r:363r, 365r:379v, 381r:381v, 383r:387v, 389r:402v, 407r:421v, 423r:427v, 430r:462v, 464r:470v, 472r:482v, 487r:488v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence