Coll 30/9 'Persian Gulf: Administration Reports 1926-1938' [‎178v] (361/1028)

16
CHAPTER III.
Summary of Events and Conditions in Ears during the year 1934.
Situation .—The Situation has remained undisturbed and
continued in the pacification and development of the Province.
progress has ^
Tribal. —With the exception of a few isolated cases of “ brigandage ” bv
tribesmen in the more remote districts, no further difficulties were experienced
after the surrender and removal to the capital of Ali Khan Qashqai. An
example was given to the tribesmen by executions in Shiraz of a few “ robber ”
leaders and in Tehran, this winter, of some of the minor unruly leaders, mainly
from the Mamassani.
The disciplinary administration imposed upon the tribes by the military
governors appointed by the G. 0. C. Ears Brigade, with the extension of the
Amnieh stations and blockhouses and the lack of ambition and of local influence
of the young hereditary chieftains, who are also under constant supervision
have contributed to the policy of the breaking-up of the tribes as a unit.
The tribal system has been further attacked by the law enacted for the
forthcoming elections to the Majliss. Under this the special ballot boxes
hitherto issued for the tribal vote are done away with and votes are to be
recorded at prescribed centres, together with those of the settled inhabitants.
It is stated that Government intends, within the next two years, to
complete the permanent settlement of the tribes in defined areas and to abolish
the annual migrations. An official was at Shiraz during the year to prepare a
report on the subject for the Shah. The principal difficulty will lie in the alloca
tion of suitable watering and grazing grounds.
The nev town of dal-i-Khosrau, 40 miles to the X. E. of Ardekan, has risen
as part of this polkw.
Security. —Public security was good, reports of attacks upon lorries on or
neai the main roads having mostly proved exaggerated. There were a small
number of highway robberies in distant districts, in one of which the Director
of the Roads Department was robbed of Rials 30,000. v ■ 1
Got eitwrate General. H. E. Mirza Majid Khan Ahy, who took over the
duties of Governor General in September 1933, has shown himself a capable
and conciliatory official and has continued to be helpful to His Majesty’s
Consul. • ^ J
Attitude to Foreigners. The instructions of the central authorities pro
hibiting all officials, with the exception of the Chief of Police, from having any
relations with foreign representatives, were rigidly observed. The prohibition
has been extended to leading notables, merchants and others, some of those
who appeared at the Consulate on their business being subsequently called
upon by the police to explain their visit. The officials are suffering from spv
mama. &
National sensibility, perhaps intolerance, cultivated bv the press of the
capital at certain seasons, finds a rich ground in Ears, where British officials
have commanded considerable local influence, whilst it is difficult for the
Q reS ft n l generation to forget the formation and maintenance here of the
bouth Persia Rifles.
m • T f lle ‘i e co £ d 1 itions , have led to the otherwise inexplicable treatment of Mr.
Christopher Sykes, who arrived at Shiraz in February on a tour of the Pro-
\ mce. He was not only refused permission to visit Firuzabad but requested
it to leave the town, being eventually permitted to proceed to Bushire upon
the condition that he then quitted the country. The order was subsequently
rescinded on official intervention.
Fathers, the Reverend Dominic Blencowe, O. P. and the
frmTrV P 1 . 06 0 * P > who arrived at Shiraz in 1933 with the object
m i m 5 a omini< ^ ai1 Monastery, also came under the ban, owing to their
British imhGnahty and to the fact that Father Rice had been a member of
- | onsula ’' Service. The authorities convinced themselves that Father
i aB , a , s ." balte J n ln f he South Persia Rifles. These conditions,
coupled with the inability of the authorities to understand the work of the