Internal political situation: Bahrain

This file relates to the internal political situation in Bahrain. It contains correspondence concerning:

• The transfer of the detainees arrested from the Council of National Union, Abdul Rahman Al Bakir, Abdul Aziz Al Shemlan and Abdulla Al Aliwat to St Helena. It includes: Preparations for publicity of the transfer; the progress of the HMS Loch Insh to the island; and the Statutory Instrument The Prisoners Removal (Bahrain and St Helena) Order, 1956, along with the formal correspondence between the Queen and the Ruler of Bahrain Sheikh Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa over the issue
• The publicity of the prisoner transfer, including: The request for a visa for the Daily Mail correspondent Noel Barbour; speculation in the Lebanese magazine Al Ahad about their destination; and a report in The Times
• Discussions on clandestine pamphlets and circulars distributed by various dissident groups in Bahrain against British colonialism and protesting at the deportation of the prisoners. It includes an original, illustrated, anonymous pamphlet called ‘Popular Conflict’
• C A Gault’s report on developments in Bahrain, including comments on the popular demonstrations, judicial proceedings and deportation of the prisoners, anti-British sentiment and the effect of the Suez crisis
• International press interest in Bahrain in general, including articles in the Daily Herald of London, Al Ahad of Lebanon, the Voice of the Arabs in Cairo, and an Egyptian magazine Al Tahreer
• Parliamentary questions from William Warbey MP to the Foreign Secretary on the assassination plot against the Ruler of Bahrain and his advisor C D Belgrave, and HMG’s advice to the Bahrain Government on dealing with the situation
• A list of the new members of the Bahrain health and education committee
• A list of clubs operating in Bahrain and their members, with subsequent comments
• A report on the initiative of the Bahrain Government for ‘Development Week’, and the capital investment and revenues from oil and customs duties in the state
• Gault’s comments on speaking to the Ruler about municipal elections in Bahrain.