'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf for the year 1932' [‎544v] (64/73)

Um al Hi'man near Shaiha, a village on the road and fully 8 miles
inside the frontier started way-laying all and sundry and seizing
their flocks and camels, irrespective of who they were. This took
nlace close to the camp of the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. who was touring the
Southern frontier at the time. Steps were at once taken to eject
these gentry and recover the flocks, but Mubarak was too quick and
slipped across the"’border again. In the pursuit which followed
the raiders were come up with near Wafra, in the Kuwait neutral
Zone and a strong protest was made at the flagrant violation of the
frontier. Bin Sand’s officer haughtily informed the Shaikh’s men
that he intended going where he pleased as his orders were to follow
Xejdis right into Kuwait territory including any parties suspected
of going up to buy supplies and to seize and confiscate their camels.
Mubarak was duly warned that he would do so at his peril.
Letters of protest were sent in by the Shaikh’s Deputy and Bin
Sand’s Trade Agent in Kuwait to Ibn Khraimis, the King’s
frontier officer and the latter subsequently apologised in suitable
language. The confiscated sheep and camels were never recovered,
nor was any compensation paid.
(b) On the 31st March a water dispute took place at Uglat ibn Sigai wells
in the north-west Kuwait territory, between the Amir of the
Shaikh’s Fadawiyah and some Dhafir tribesmen of Iraq. The
latter refused to allow the Kuwaiti tribesmen to water their animals
and a fight ensued. The matter was reported to the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency.
who was able to prevent it assuming important dimensions.
Necessary representations were made to the Iraq authorities
through the Administration Inspector, Basra, and the Dhafir were
ordered to preserve the peace and obey the Amir’s orders, or return
to their own country.
VII. —Delations with SaVdiyah and the Blockade of Kuwait.
(a) In spite of severity of the blockade and the apparently unchanged
intention of His Majesty King Bin Saud to bend Kuwait to his will by continuing
to prevent all caravan communications with the interior, as well as by the strict
banning of Kuwait to all his own tribesmen personal relations between the two
Rulers have outwardly been good during the year under review.
(b) Except for the affair of 14th March [see section VI (11-a) above], the
unnecessary severe treatment of the Kuwait Haj pilgrims [see IV (k) above]
and the seizure of 140 sheep belonging to a Kuwaiti merchant by Ibn Khraimis
in May there have been no frontier incidents of importance.
(c) The trade blockade of Kuwait has been maintained during 1932 with
perhaps greater severity than ever. It continues to be the outstanding problem
for Kuwait and has steadily increased in severity since the subjugation of the
rebel Mutair, Ajman and Ataiba tribes by Ibn Saud in 1930.
(d) Outwardly Bin Sand’s declared policy has been, and still is, fo
endeavour to deflect the trade that would normally pass through Kuwait to'the
province of Qassim in Nejd and to the great tribes of north-east Arabia in order
to favour his own Hassa ports of Jubail and Ojair. Actually his real intention
would appear to be to starve Kuwait economically until she is forced to come to
terms, which means being incorporated in the Kingdom of al Sa’udiyah as a
vassal State. Bin Saud, in fact, hopes to get control of Kuwait as he did Asir
in 1920.
(e). In the meantime from the point of view of the King he is killino- two
birds with one stone. For, apart from continuing the slow and steady process
or starving Kuwait, he is preventing the Ajman, Awazim, and Mutair tribes
from having any intercourse with their mother city and hereditary rulers. This
Las the added advantage of preventing the Shaikhlv family of Al Subah from
countering the blockade, by means of intrigue among his (Bin Sand’s) tribes.
(/) Since the blockade started it is estimated that Kuwait has lost 75 per
cent, ot her trade and customs revenue. The year 1932 brought no relaxation
ot these restrictions. On the contrary they have increased in severity under
the regime of Ibn Jilom and his lieutenant, the “ Butcher ”, Hamud al Bagaavi,
who took over from the Amir Sand and Tbn Kharaimis respectively in August
of 193- On the excuse it is said that the King had noticed a falling oil in the