ملف رقم ٣٣٠٠ لسنة ١٩١٦ الجزء ٢ "نشرات عدن: (يناير ١٩١٧ إلى ديسمبر ١٩١٧)" [و‎‎٢‎٧‎٩] (٦٢٠/٥٥٧)

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3rd Weekly Letter.
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2 FES 1917
1 MAR 1917
Dated Aden Residency, the 20th January 1917.
Prom—The Political Resident, Aden,
lo L. Robertson, Esq., C.S.I., Secretary to the Government of Bombay, Political
Department.
I attach translations of 3 news-letters I received lately from Saiyid Yehia bin
Abdurrahman who is in Aden as one of the representatives of the Sherif of Mecca.
The first two deal with disturbances occurring in the Imam’s country and would
tend to show that considerable unrest exists there. The third letter gives in detail
the terms on which the Idrisi is prepared to settle with the Imam. It is at any rate
a clear declaration of what the Idrisi wishes to acquire for himself. I shall prob
ably be able to note further on these letters after Colonel Jacob returns from
Jeddah.
A traveller from Zabid, who came down through Sanaa, has, in the course
of’an interview, thrown fresh light on the breach between the Imam and his son
Ahmed bin Yehia Ahmed-ad-din. A note of the interview is appended. If the
statements contained in it are true, and I see no reason to doubt them, they
would show that the quarrel was essentially on political grounds and not a mere
family squabble as has been hinted. We have previously heard that he had left
Sanaa alone owing to the receipt of some gratification from the inhabitants.
On the 2nd of January a Turk succeeded in making his way into Aden, as far
as the Barrier Gate, with some coolies. It appears that he deserted from the Turkish
army in 1901 and had up to 1914 been in Africa. Shortly before the war broke out
he went to Mecca for business and was arrested as a spy and sent to Sanaa. He
escaped about 4 months ago and made his way down to Aden. An extract from
his statement is attached. It will be noticed that he confirms Saiyid Yehia bin
Abdurrahman’s report that trouble had broken out between the Imam and the
A1 Hada.
Saiyid Ali Muhammad of Dubiyat reports trouble in the Ibb district. He
states that Shaikh Muhammad Nasir Mukbil’s people occupied a village belonging
to Saiyid Ahmad Pasha of Taiz. The cause of dispute was tribute. Saiyid Ahmad
retaliated by attacking A11)ahna, Muhammad Nasir Mukbil’s home. The latter
made a truce for fourteen days. Saiyid Ahmad is said to be supported by Shaikh
A1 Doais of Azlat Badan with 1,300 men. Muhammad Nasir Mukbil’s nephew, Abdo
Ali, has called on the Mafari Shaikh to assist his uncle, but the latter called all the
headmen of his tribe and also the Azrakis and Jihafisand have made a joint agree
ment to give no assistance but to offer a united front against Abdo Ah should he
venture to come down to their country. Saiyid Ali reported that fighting had
commenced and was still in progress when he left.
The Uzaibi Shaikh reports that the Fadli Sultan endeavoured, through Saeed
Pasha, to install his son Abdulla in his place as Sultan over the Ahl Fadl. Saeed
Pasha is said to have consulted certain other Fadli Sultans who were in Lahej with
the result that they declined to accept the proposal unless all the Fadli tribesmen
and Sultan Abdul Kadir were present. The old Sultan’s act is obviously an attempt
to oust his grand-son Abdul Kadir from the succession.
One Saeed Ali Ann, an Abdali from Nobat Ayad, reports that the Imam has
lately sent a letter to Saeed Pasha. In it he writes that the Pasha had moved south
with his troops to make a holy war against the Christians, but that so far he has done
nothing ; that on the contrary he has harmed his coreligionists, the Arabs generally ;
that the stoppage of supplies to the Yemen is due to his action ; that the Arabs are
getting tired of their lives under present conditions, and he is afraid that they will
assume another attitude if this state of affairs goes on. I must add that so far
we have had*no confirmation of this letter. If true, it show r s that our view that the
alleged quarrel between the Imam and his son is a put-up job is probably correct.
Idrisi affairs are being dealt with in a separate communication.