Coll 28/120 ‘Persia. Ahwaz – Consular diaries.’ [‎57r] (114/669)

V
v
\
-4-
hie connections with the Bi itish fmthorities m case Colonel
i.arral'i’s successor should judge too strictly by results,
(26) An unconfirmed reuort from kam lor muz states thr.tAbul
Oasim Khan (see oar a ^ of ..hwaz hiary for let to 15th Agust)
kxp-ILL ID the Bakhshdar of Bakhtiarwand,
(2?) /■ blight on < corns is reported from the northern Kuhgilu
area, (-’lour uiaie fro t n acorns is a staple food of the poorer
tribes cf rhe area,)
VII. Arabs*
(26) The fortnight under review has been in Arab eyes unfavour
able. It now seems clear that they had ho )ed that the British
determination to prevent any action that wo <ld involve gratuitous
danger tc the allied lines of communication would involve the
Persian forces in complete inactivity. Jur support cf the
Persian authorities’ very reasonable demand for the surrender
of illicit arms fey admittedly turbulent outlaws was naturally
not to the Arabs’ liking. The "isit of marshall Shar.sakhti
recalled unpleasant memories and the fact that the s^eA wheat,
though imported by the British, was being distributee fey the
Persians was aiso unpalatable. Jne or two half-heai tmd attempts
were therefore made to bluff the British authorities fey sugges
tions of the possibility of disorder. A party of Bav: sheikhs
who had not received all the seed wheat they desired stated that
they had been assured by the head of the finance Department that
the distribution was the responsibility of the Britisi. .hen
they were informed that this was not the case, they threatened
to produce a feigner and better version of the Tehran riots.
Informed of the results of any such action, they wen' away
quietly. Similarly two sheikhs of the Beni Turuf ststea that
although they would continue te do every'hing in the :r oov/er to
maintain order on the British lines of communication, it war
only because of a large number of their young men getting_
employment and food from the British authorities that their
efforts had been so far successful and they could on^y hooe to
remain successful if the British authorities helped item with
seed corn. ^hey too were reminded of the responsibilities
involved in their privileges as Phaikhs,
(25) v.'ith reference to para ^ of Ahwaz liary for 1st to 15th
December, it is reported from rab sources that the car on the
cultivation «f rice land at Busangird has not been retrieved,
though f ecret ‘Preparations for cultivation are admitteiiy being
made.’ rn bis is"alleged to be possible because neither -he Persian
military garrison nor the fendarnerie move sut of the trwn. ^he
Persian authorities in Ahwaz repeat, however, that orders have
been issued to remove the ban.
( : 5«t) He pea ted repo
bad behaviour of th
customs which wer£
old regime. This i
goad the Arabs int*
forces an apportuni
additional factors
becoming acute, and
future,
rts have been received from Susangiri of the
e Persian forces there and interfereace with
followed without interruption even under the
s represented as a deliberate attempt to
a demonstration that would give the Persian
ty for punitive action, as a result of the
sxplaineo in
it is hoped
para 28, feeling at Susangird is
to visit the area in tee near
British Consulate-General,
Ahwaz,
4th January, 1G43.
Sgd. A. B. H. Macann.
H. M. CONRUL-GKKTAAL