"ملف 8/9 التقرير السنوي لحكومة البحرين لسنة ١٣٥٠ هجرية" [و‎‎٣‎٦] (٢٠٦/٧٦)

in Muharraq and Hedd held private meetings on the sub
ject, and began to organise petitions and general
opposition, A small section of the Manama Shias, one
particular faction^combined with the Arabs and entered
into a solemn agreement that they would work together
with the Arabs against the Government in this or any
future question which appeared.to require combined op
position, It is many years since an alliance of this
nature was made by the Bahama with the Arabs.
A number of local notables as well as the members of
the Municipal councils were sent for by me and the mat
ter was explained to them again. They all understood
and in most cases the younger and more progressive men
expressed their approval, but the old conservative type
of men did not. All of them said that the general pub
lic were apposed to the measure as they had heard various
incorrect statements about it. It was afterwards ascer-
Cu
tained that deliberate propaganda organised partly by the
Sunni Kadis and by a certain faction in Muharraq and
Eedd had been spread among the illiterate and ignorant
people who form the greater proportion of the population
of those two towns. They were told that the Government
meant to take one quarter of the property of everyone
who died; that all women who died were to be medically
examined; that the families of people who died would be
instantly turned out of their houses, and many other
alarming stories.
All this time Shaikh Hamad was out at Sakhir, but
Shaikh Abdulla was in Muharraq. This was the time of
the Residents visit to Hassa and there is no doubt
that his presence here had the effect of postponing the
disturbances which ocurred later on.
wm