Slave trade

This file relates to the slave trade in Kuwait. It contains correspondence concerning:

• The manumission of Omani nationals Saeed Bin Rashid and Ismail Bin Juma, who sought refuge at the Political Agency in Kuwait
• The prohibition of importing or trading in slaves as of 31 December 1949
• Evidence that Kuwait is becoming an important entry point for slaves heading to Saudi Arabia
• A letter from the Kuwait Oil Company Limited (KOC) regarding Khalifa al Rabban's claim to be the slave owner of its employee Belal Faraj Othman
• The rules and process for issuing manumission certificates
• A KOC discharge certificate for Omani national Juma Saleem, including his thumb print, who is requesting manumission from Zahran Bin Mohammad Bin Taleb.

This file also contains manumission requests, including translated statements, by the following slaves:

• Ismail Bin Ghulum, who was born free in Maghoo [Maghu, Iran], kidnapped and sold to Hatam Bin Ali Atta'i in Umm Al Quwain, escaped to Bombay [Mumbai, India], then moved to Kuwait where his master came to arrest and sell him
• Saleem Bin Walid, who was owned by Isa Bin Thani of Dubai and whose brother was sold to a member of the Kuwaiti ruling family Subah Al Nasir Al Sabah
• Thani Bin Bakhit, who was owned by Mohammad Bin Fadhil Al Owais of Dubai, and sold to Subah Al Nasir
• Faraj Bin Jumah, who was kidnapped from Makran, Pakistan as a child, sold to Hashar Bin Rashid of Dubai who released him after six years and whose family was recently kidnapped by his former mistress Rawdah Bint Sultan and her agent Saleh Kumdhari
• Ismail Bin Farhan, who was born into slavery under Mohammad Bin Abdulla Bin Sibeeb of Dubai and sold by the latter's nephew, Abdulla Bin Jomah, to Subah Al Nasir in Kuwait
• Jomah Bin Furaih requesting the manumission of his mother (Harabah Bint Jomah), sister (Sulaimah Bint Furaih) and niece (Khadijah Bint Saeed), who were slaves of Sultan Bin Humaid Bin Muwaizah of Ras Al Khaimah, freed, then tricked backed into slavery by Saif Bin Abdul Rahman Al Jasimi. The Ruler of Kuwait Sheikh Abdulla Al Saleem Al Sabah did not help
• Rubeeah Saad, who was owned by Saleem Sabah of Dubai.