File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS' [‎59r] (128/586)

the other in favour of complete independence, but the constituents of the
latter were only lusuf Suwaidi, Saiyids Nur and ‘Alwan of the Shamiyah and
a minor shaikh or two of the Fatlah. The Euphrates shaikhs and saiyids left
Baghdad next day for Karbala and Najaf on their way to their various
districts to sign the allegiance papers, but for fear of accidents Faisal added a
few stalwarts among them the Amir Rabi'ah and Naji Suwaidi, who appears on
this occasion to have played the game.
i he party arrived m the holy towns to find preparations well in train, thanks
t( l th ® ® kl11 f ld assiduity of the Mutasarif Hamid Khan. In Karbala the
omcial formula had already been signed; in Najaf also it was signed without
accretions. “We went to the ' Ulama ” wrote the Bani Hasan shaikh. ‘ Uman
a. Haji fea dun, to the High Commissioner’s office “ and told them that their
concern was religion; in politics they were not expected to take a hand”
Abdul Wahid of the Fatlah is also reported by the Mutasarrif to have worked
wed.
1G. Meancime oaiyid Muhammad 'Ali Qazwini, the leading personality
of Hillah and strongly pro-British, had come to Baghdad to ask the High Com
missioner whether he might add to the madhbatah a clause insisting on the con-
hnnance of British control. He was told that it was a matter which wms best
left to the decision of himself and the people of Hillah Division. In ‘Amarah
a clause has been added accepting Faisal on condition that he remains the friend
ami ally of the British (See Dijlah, August 1). In Mosul the Christians have
begged leave to add a proviso guarding the rights of minorities, and the Kurd
ish population may follow suit. The papers from these two Divisions are not
yet in. Elsewhere in the provinces the official madhbatah has been everywhere
accepted, except in Kirkuk Liwah where the result is not yet known, but at the
very best can only be expected to give Faisal the barest majority. Turkish
propaganda has been effective among a half-Turkish people, and the Kurdish
element is anything but pro-Arab. The Adviser circulated a message through
out the Division and the Sub-Division of Arbil setting forth the views and
wishes of the British Government, making known the declared policy of Faisal,
ruling out a Turkish prince, advising those adverse to Faisal to reconsider their
position and guaranteeing the Kurdish population that his acceptance by them
would not prejudice any form of local autonomy which may be devised for them
in the future. What the result will be in Kirkuk is uncertain. Two violently
anti-Faisal and pro-Turk proclamations have been posted up in the town. At
Arbil the Adviser’s message has met with support and the district will probably
accept Faisal on the ground of his being the British candidate.
17. At a meeting of notables held at Sulaimani on July 20, the question as
to whether Sulaimani should take part in the referendum for the election of a
king of the £ Iraq was fully discussed and the following opinion was given
unanimously : T^e do not want to have a voice in selecting a ruler for ‘ Iraq,
nor do we think a referendum should be held in this Division. As regards the
appoinment of Faisal, he is unknown here and we are unable to judge.
18. In Baghdad alone the agitation in favour of an anti-British formula
continued. The Mutasarrif yielded to the pressure of the extremists and sum
moned on July 28 a meeting of notables on the excuse that he intended to call
on them to sign the madhbatahs before they were passed on to the city quarters.
The notables were indeed invited but, whether with or without his knowledge,
the meeting was carefully packed and more than half the company was ShTak.
The Mutasarrif read the official madhbatah and asked whether it met with
approval, whereat ensued a babel of dissent at the terms. Shaikh Maiidi al
Hilli, the blind poet who was responsible for the most stirring of the revolution
ary odes read in the mosques last summer and has recently emerged from the
imprisonment which he earned by his connection with the Istiqlal newspaper,
was the principal agent of provocation. Another speaker insisted that the Fat-
wah of Shaikh Mahdi al Khalisi was binding on Moslem's. The moderates find
ing themselves hopelessly out-numbered made no attempt to protest; the
Mutasarrif was helpless. Finally a message was passed to him from Naji
Suwaidi through Fahmi Effendi Mudarris, advising him to commit to writing
the additions desired by the majority of those present. He did so and read
them out, whereupon they were passed without a dissentient voice (see Press
supplement, Lisan al Arab of July 29 where the formula is given). The
Mukhtars of the city quarters had attended the meeting with their copies of
the official madhbatah, upon which, in some cases, the additional clauses had
been written before they came, showing that the whole affair had been pre
concerted. Those who had not got the clauses added them on the spot. In
this form the madhbatahs were signed in the mosques of the various quarters
of the town on July 29. Some persons withheld their signature, a few signed
immediately below the printed form and above the additional clauses.
19. No sooner was the act accomplished than Baghdad partially
recovered its senses. The moderates did not attempt to conceal their anger,
the waverers, including Naji Suwaidi, were ashamed, while a scoffing section
of the Young Arabs pointed out that the whole town had signed a document