File 3300/1916 Pt 3 'Aden News-Letters: 1919-20' [‎358r] (71/633)

rumours of Zaidi advance on Nobat Dakim and Lahej are, however
current. Our Upper Yaffa correspondent states that these rumours
as well as those about the arrival of reinforcements at Dhala
have been started by the Zaidis to deceive us.
Reports of the prevelance of an epidemic disease
among the Zaidis continue to come in, but its nature is still
unknown. Numbers are said to be dying daily.
Sheikh Abdu Nabi, the newly elected Chief of the
Alawi tribe, returned from his visit to the Imam’s Amil at
Dhala, Saiyid Yahia, and has addressed a letter to this 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.
giving his impressions of the Zaidi regime in Dhala but care
fully avoiding mention of what passed between him and the Amil.
He says that Saiyid Yahia, the Amil at Dhala, is mentioned in
the daily prayers by the people at Dhala. The state of the
country is prosperous and that the Zaidis have no difficulty in
collecting their taxes which are paid to the Amil by the Shaikhs
of villages, without the intervention of tax collectors.
Sheikh Abdul Nabi says that he had received an
invitation from the Amil to come to Dhala and he went, as to
decline would mean bringing trouble on himself and his country.
At the same time he professes his firm loyalty to us and says he
is anxiously looking forward to the day when the British
Protectorate will be rid of the Zaidis and urges an early
advance on Dhala*
The Officer Commanding troops at Nobat Dakim has
received a letter from one of the Nakibs of Mausatta again
pressing for the advance of our troops to Dhala. He says that
the Zaidis are exacting heavy taxes and all the tribes would be
glad to see the last of them.
The Upper Yafa petty Sheikhs referred to in my
letter of 17th September 1920 are reported to be still in Dhala
negotiating for the release of prisoners.
The Muflahi Shaikh of Upper Yafa is at present in
Aden to urge on me the desirability of an early advance on
I Dh ala, in which he says all the Yafa Shaikhs and Sultans will
co-operate/