§ 28. Mr. Brockwayasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the shooting in Mukalla of 16 persons during a demonstration outside the Sultan's palace in protest against a recent appointment to the Secretariat.
§ Mr. J. GriffithsOn 27th December in Mukalla, while the Sultan was interviewing leaders of the National Party, a disorderly crowd of their followers broke into the palace and overcame the guards, shooting one and bayonetting another with rifles which they had seized from them, and also wounding others. A relief party from the Mukalla Army then arrived and, seeing the crowd closing in on the remainder of the guard, first fired in the air and, this having no effect then opened fire on the crowd, of whom eight were killed outright and eight subsequently died in hospital. Nine others were sent to hospital suffering from minor injuries and wounds. It appears that the disturbance was stimulated by opponents of the appointment by the Sultan as State Secretary of a Sudanese who has been in the service of the Mukalla State since 1939, and has an excellent record as Director of Education.