§ 2.35 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a statement can now be made concerning the present situation in Bahrain and whether the troop movements into this area have given adequate support to the Sheikh of Bahrain and how far the British interest in oil production has been safeguarded]
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF READING)My Lords, Her Majesty's Government are not responsible for the internal affairs of Bahrain. But they favoured the various changes that the Ruler of Bahrain has introduced during the past year, designed to permit a gradual evolution in the direction of more representative institutions in his country.
A self-constituted body known as the Committee of National Union has assumed to itself the right to act as the mouthpiece of the people of Bahrain. Over the past year the Bahrain Government have shown great patience in dealing with this Committee, hoping that it might contribute to constitutional progress and provide a means of maintaining regular contacts between the Government and the public. The Committee has, however, refused to co-operate in working the new constitutional machinery and latterly turned to more extreme courses. In consequence it lost much moderate support and it then began a campaign of intimidation to prevent others from co-operating. It has 370 also fostered dissension between different sections of the community. This activity culminated on November 2 and 3 in violent demonstrations which caused damage to property and danger to the lives of peaceful citizens. The Bahrain Government thereupon decided to detain five of the leaders of the Committee. This they did on November 6. One of these leaders had already been apprehended in the act of fomenting disorders. The Bahrain Government informed the British Political Resident of their decision to take this action, but my right honourable and learned friend the Foreign Secretary saw no reason to instruct him to advise them in any contrary sense. Since these arrests and the simultaneous dissolution of the Committee, there have been no further disorders.
The dissolution of the Committee improves the prospect of political evolution in Bahrain by opening the way for greater participation in the administration of moderate reformists, who have in the past been intimidated by the Committee. The Ruler has affirmed that constitutional progress will continue. During the disorders on November 3, British troops, who had been held in readiness to respond to any request for assistance from the Bahrain Government, took up positions within a few minutes of receiving such a request. They did not open fire, but their presence no doubt contributed to the restoration of order.
No damage has been done to the Bahrain Petroleum Company's oil installations, although production has been affected by absenteeism. The Company is owned, as the noble Lord knows, by United States interests. The stoppage of the flow of oil from Saudi Arabia has not yet affected production at the refinery.
§ LORD GLYNMy Lords, arising out of that reply, may I ask whether or not it is a fact that 75 per cent. of the teachers employed in Bahrain are Egyptian and have been busy organising these difficulties with the various students?
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, I would not commit myself to the exact percentage, but I think the gist of the noble Lord's question is probably correct.