File 4722/1918 Pt 8 'Mesopotamia: Situation' [‎215r] (440/995)

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Arabs are prejudiced against non-Muliammadan Indians on religious
grounds. 1 his disability Indians share in common with all non-Muhammadan
races including ourselves.
Secondly -—Arabs have a certain prejudice against certain backward races
and classes of Indians who have been introduced into this country in various
capacities whom they regard as inferiors in civilisation and whose general
conduct they take exception, e.g. Burmese motor drivers who during past 12
months have murdered about ten Arabs in Kirkuk Division on one pretext or
another.
Thirdly —In Basrah, there is a certain prejudice against Indian petty
snop-keepers who by keener competition tend to secure trade which would
otherwise go to Arabs. This phenomenon is not restricted to Mesopotamia.
There is however no prejudice against Indian troops whose behaviour has-
been almost invariably exemplary from the point of view of the local inhabit
ants. There is little fraternisation hut no racial feeling. On the contrary
many thousands of India soldiers have visited principal shrines in this country
during the past three years and in no single case has any trouble resulted as
far as I know, nor have the half dozen .or so Indian Muhammadan officials
employed in executive vpositions in the Civil Administration experienced any
difficulty owing to racial prejudice. They are probably more satisfactory to-
the Arab population than the Turks whose place they have taken, and only last
week when I visited BaTjubah and met all principal notabies and chiefs of
district they formally complained to me of inefficiency and corruption of Arab
subordinate staff of irrigation department, who in pursuance of general policy
have recently replaced Indians in this Department, and asked for more Indians
to be sent in order that loss and unfair division of water might be prevented.
I need hardly say that complaints of this sort will not deter me from pursuing
policy of replacing Indians by Arabs wherever possible, but it emphasises
necessity of training Arabs before they are placed in such positions and indi
cates desirability of cautious rather than drastic reduction vide your telegram
of July 19th.
References in House of Commons to increase of taxation from one million
to five are I trust sufficiently disposed of by my telegram 8934, dated July 24th^
I think it is important that this last statement should be promptly denied.
I will comment separately on question of. local defence force.
Telegram—Cypher R.
From—Civil Commissioner, Baghdad.
To—Secretary of State for India, London.
No. 8944.
Dated 24th July, 1920.
Your telegram of 19th July.
50 Motor Mechanics. -6
Transport Department of Civil Administration has on charge for all
Departments a total of 6 British Touring Cars for high officials. 125 Ford
Cars 318 Ford Vans 24 Ford Ambulances. 109 Lorries Total 582 equivalent
to 34 R.A.S.C. Ford Companies for which Military scale of personnel would
be 29 British Officers, 153 British Drivers. 460 Indian Drivers whereas we •
have 5 British Officers 79 British Drivers, 161 Indian and 342 Arabs.
Substitution of Arab for Indian is proceeding rapidly but some 600 cars
have been purchased in past year by local people and our Arab drivers are-
being drawn away as fast as we can train them.
Military Mobile workshops to execute light repairs to above cars would
require 70 British Mechanics.
We have an establishment of 67 who in addition maintain all launches
the country and do all heavy repairs also.
I did not start these shops until 1 had made every effort to get the work
done on contract. The Mesopotamia-Persia Corporation accepted the contract
and after three months threw in their hand and broke it.
The work done by this transport is as follows : —
(j ne Transport of goods of all civil and quasi civil departments from rail
head to destination and in and out of storage. This involves handling about
5,000 tons a month all over this country particularly building materials for
Works and Irrigation.
Two —Transport of civil personnel beyond railheads.
Three Transport of privileged persons recommended by H.M.G. or
H.M.’s Minister together with their effects to Teheran, e.g., Shah, Norman,
Cox, Armitage Smith, etc., etc. This has been a very heavy tax lately
although much of the expenditure involved is recouped. We have to use our
best men on this road.
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