Coll 28/120 ‘Persia. Ahwaz – Consular diaries.’ [‎27r] (54/669)

6* Tribal
Although there have so far been nc serious developments
in the Kuhgilu, there is much apprehension from the people al^ng
the foothills. The Area Liaison Officer proceeded to Ram Hormuz
on the receipt of reports of large scale movements, but found
the rumours unfounded., Cwo Indians and a driver were, however
bcld up at the Shamsa .1 Arah bridge near Grach Saran and
kidnapped. They
possessions.
were released two days later robbed of their
Unofficial reports have been received of a clash
oetween the^British forces and tribesmen near Dorud. Apparently
kit was stolen from the railway station and the nearby*villagers
who were strongly suspected were called on to return the pro
perty, Their answer was defiant in the extreme and they began
^ ni P e t * 10 station. Firing was exchanged on three successive
nights and two Lurs were killed.
On 3rd September Colonel Zarrabi went to Khorramdezh
with a force and returned with three Sheikhs who provide
tufangchis for the construction camps on the new Ahwaz -
Andimeshk roado The throe Sheikhs are Umair of the Al—bu^-Rawayah
tribe, Musallam of the A1 Ha'ee and Maheidi of the Ka‘ab Umai,
According to reports from Arab sources, Mulla Badiar, now head
tugangchi for the read camp and chief spy for the more
undesirable type of Persian officer since .Colonel Mustapha Khan
routed the American Director of Finance, reported to the
military governor at Khorramdezh that the three Sheikhs, now
oeing in employment, could pay the customary levies. The three
Sheikhs faiieo. to pay promptly and, understanding that the
military governor was looking for an excuse to arrest them,
made? a compact to resist ail robbers. This undertaking was
mis representsa as a compact against the Persian Government and
the Sheikhs arrested, '-'hoy remain in the dizban until the
remaining 1300 of the 3000tomans demanded is paid.
7 a Loca l Secur ity e
,^ September, the bungalow of His Majesty’s Vic
Consul in the Anglc-Iranian Oil Company compound was burgle
the majority of his property stolen. The police were quick!
r his
pr;,pc :
rty
sto
len, Th
.e
ive so
far
made
no
progro
o
' i
same
night
the
vi
11 age o
T
was r
aided
and
al:
most al
X
id and
.y on
north of Ahwaz
^O pinion an d R umours.
,, Lmnours have been circulated* based on the failure r ‘ of
i the British to start a second front, that Great Britain has
concluded a secret agreement with Germany against the UoS.S.R.
' n i 8 attempt to pj.ay off Great Britain against the
U.fc.S,R. is, of course, a familiar gambit, but its effect on the
uneducated mind has been indicated in a variety of ways during
+K* fortnight. The Manager of the Cinema Pars, which shows
propaganda fi-zss, appeared and stressed the fact v
that he only showed Russian films because his attempts through'
4is Majesty s Consulate to obtain British films had failed. A
prominent merchant of Ahwaz and one very favourably known to the
consulate appeared and asked if there were any objection to him
wcci to Russia. The proprietor of the Cinema Meihan,
which shows^British films, recently leased his cinema for a
0 ^-^ C;Vlb ^ propaganda; he appeared and explained at length
v»nat this aid not mean he had become anti-British^
Ahwaz, 13th September 1342,
Sd. A.3.H. MACANN. •
H,. M. CONSUL.