Qatar History CH 7
Chapter 7: State Building and Independence
· Emirate = Abdullah Bin Jassim
· Modern state = Ali Bin Abdullah, Ahmed Bin Ali and Khalifa Bin Hamad
· Renaissance = Hamad Bin Khalifa and Tamim Bin Hamad
· Shiekh Abdulla’s Administration:
o Family Support: sheikh was appointed by the endorsement of influential people and was the judge, legislator, and executive
§ He relied on customs and traditions because there was no written legislation.
o No Government Structure: no modern state structure
§ Power was concentrated in sheikh’s hand and the elders of the family
o Crown Prince: a crown prince is assigned based on competence who is trained to take care of administration
§ Age was not a factor
o Judiciary: appointed Sharia Judges and maintained justice through his representatives
o Combination of 3 authorities: had a council made of scholars, leaders of tribes and senior dignitaries for consultation
· Shiekh Ali Bin Abdullah Al Thani: 4th ruler of Qatar
o Born 1896
o Became ruler on August 20, 1949 (after Abdullah bin Jasim)
o His tenure marks the start of oil exports in Qatar
o December 29, 1949, first oil export from Messaid (Dukhan)
o Ruled from 1949 till 1960
o Changes During his reign:
§ Oil Revenue: increased revenue due to oil exports
§ British Officers: Qatar officially under British protection
· Philip Plant = advisor
· John Wilton = agent
§ Social Life: no longer Bedouin lifestyle, modern lifestyle
§ Arab Affairs:
· 1956, protests in support of Nationalisation of Suez Canal
· Support for Palestinian cause
§ Population growth: increase in number of population due to increase in revenue and in administrative services
· Reforms of Financial Administration: no distinction between the emirate’s funds and sheikhs funds:
o Before oil the main income was taxation on maritime workers (sailors and pearl divers) and customs paid by the people for protection and other services
o During the 1949, the oil boom happened and revenue from oil exports became the main income with some help from the customs.
o Through the political agent, Britain tried to pressure Qatar into setting up an administration for the oil but Shiekh Abdullah delayed it till oil exports became more profitable
§ Britain took advantage of its influence to pressure the sheikh into implementing administrative reforms
§ The goal was to improve the local administration in Qatar and improve the services provided to the British Oil company who were there to extract oil
· August 1949 à Aurthur John Wilton à assigned as political officer/agent in Qatar
o Britain relied on its Bahrain‐based agent or even his assistant to oversee British interests in Qatar before he was assigned
o He used to work in a single room that he was appointed in for both work and living
o Soon after he was assigned a proper building near what we consider today as the Amir Diwan in central Doha
o John Wilton (1949 – 1951) à Michael Jacomb (1951 – 1953) àJ.C Moberly (1953 – 1960)
o The plan of the agent in Doha was to develop Qatari administrative Apparatus:
§ Investing oil revenues in infrastructure and public utility projects
§ Differentiate between public and private revenue
§ Allocate one fourth of income to reserve fund for infrastructure development and crisis that may arise
§ Use money from customs to collect financial resources by making them the responsibility of the British advisor
§ Put pressure on the sheikh to create the modern state that is needed for oil operation
o The transformation took place after oil exports in 1949 through
§ Establishing a local police force
§ Drafting a budget
§ Building modern living conditions(water, schooling, electricity, roads)
§ Developing judicial system
· January 1950 à Sir Philip Plant à assigned as advisor to the ruler à former royal air force officer
· Ronald Cochrane à build an effective police force
· Mission of British Political Agent in Qatar:
o Manage Qatar’s foreign affairs à Britain became responsible for Qatar’s external ties
§ As a result, Britain and Qatar’s connection became stronger
o Deal with juridical side when it comes to British, Indians and Pakistanis (banyan merchants)
o Take care of British nationals’ business in Qatar
o Represent British interests in Qatar.
· Establishment of Police Force in Qatar: first step in organising administration was establishing a local police force to maintain law and order
o History:
§ Shiekh trusted his men only
§ Shiekh did not allow British intervention against riots started by his men or his family members
§ Al Fadawiya: special guard that protected the sheikh
· Consisted of men from Bani Hajer and Bani Murra
· They were used as a combat force, maintain security and guard the sheikh
· Consisted of 400 men
· They were used as a combat force to fight enemies
§ Initially, the Sheikh did not encourage expanding the police force and continued to rely on his private tribesmen guards.
o Reason:
§ In the early 1950s there were labour strikes because of deteriorating living conditions of Qatari and non‐Qatari workers.
§ A state of insecurity in Qatar would have led to the withdrawal of the Shell oil company, which worked in oil exploration in Qatar.
· This would have created a bad reputation and kept other companies from coming and exploring, and subsequently not paying concession fees.
§ Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah agreed to appoint a British police officer, Ronald Cochrane, as security chief in Qatar in order to institute a modern police force in 1950.
o How:
§ Cochrane made significant progress in preparing and training a force of 140 men.
· These men became the backbone of the police force in Qatar.
§ This force did not include Qataris, as they initially refused recruitment. Rather it consisted of Omanis, Palestinians, and Yemenis.
§ Shortly after, the force grew to 200 policemen, and included Qataris.
§ By 1953, the number of policemen reached 312 in addition to 4 British officers.
§ The number of civilian staff in the police department also grew.
§ In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Qatar had a powerful security force supervised by the British police chief.
· The force consisted of 1518 personnel, of whom 15 were British officers.
· The number of Qataris working in the force had also increased.
§ Police stations were established in major areas.
§ The new security services asked all the foreigners in Qatar to register at police stations that started to spread across the country.
· Every foreigner who failed to obtain a certificate of registration would be asked to leave the country.
·
· Financial Regulations:
o Under British government pressure, the administration grew as the salaries of facilities' staff were paid from the government's budget and not the oil company.
o British advisor Philip Plant failed to draft a state budget because of his limited administrative and financial experience.
§ As a result, the British authorities and the Qatari government asked Plant to resign.
§ A more experienced financial advisor named Hancock was appointed.
· Hancock was a British administration employee in Sudan where he gained significant experience in management.
· His policy was balanced, moderate and well planned.
o Hancock’s reforms:
§ In 1953, Qatar’s first successful budget was drafted by Hancock
§ He designed a new structure for administrative and financial regulation in Qatar
§ To enhance the friendly relations between the 2 countries, Shiekh Ali was awarded the title “Your highness” by the Queen in 1954
§ the Eastern Bank set up a branch in Doha and was inaugurated in 1949 by John Mackenzie to ease financial transactions.
§ In 1954, the British Bank of the Middle East opened its branch in Qatar.
§ In 1956, a branch of another British bank, Banque Ottomane (Grindlays Bank) opened a branch in Qatar.
§ Talks were also held with British operators of mail, telephone and telegraph services to open offices in Doha in order to upgrade means of communication connecting Doha with the rest of the world.
· Infrastructure and facilities: The third phase of administrative regulation after instituting a police force and drafting a budget
o The establishment of basic infrastructure, social services, and civilian facilities under the supervision of the governments of Qatar and Britain.
§ This opened the door to a flow of British engineers, doctors and experts to Qatar.
o Because of the small population in Qatar and the need for manpower, Britain convinced Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah of the need to bring foreign workers to work in Qatar.
o A set of service‐based projects were launched:
§ A new Corniche in Doha.
§ A new port and docks in Doha to receive large ships and handle more loading and unloading operations.
§ Development of water and electricity network designs, and the construction of the first seawater desalination plant in Qatar in 1953 to meet the large demand for water and cover the shortage.
§ The construction of a new hospital in Rumaila, which opened in 1957.
§ Planning to build a new formal school in Doha.
§ A fish, meat and produce market.
o Hancock paid special attention to keeping state accounts properly.
o Modern administration emerged in the 1950s and was more British than Qatari.
§ It consisted of the British advisor and customs directors.
§ The departments of the judiciary, education, security, public health, public and municipal works, and transportation were all headed by British directors.
§ They were assisted by British experts and technicians.
§ This administration was independent of the traditional governing authority.
§
· Education:
o 1913 à Athariya School à Sheikh Abdullah à religious school more à advanced than the existing kuttabs.
§ Sheikh Muhammad bin Abd al-Aziz al-Mani’ ran the school, he left for Saudi Arabia in 1938 so the school closed.
o I947 à Islah-al-Hamadiya school à Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah à curriculum-based school
§ stayed open for two years.
o 1951 à First modern curriculum-based school in Qatar, Qatar Primary School.
§ Four primary classes, 190 students, Egyptian curriculum.
§ Considered beginning of modern education system
o 1955 à National Education Committee established à appointed teachers, established schools, convinced people to send children to school.
o 1957 to 1958 à evening school was established
o 1956 to 1957 à first technical school
o Elementary school was 3 years and so was secondary school
· 1950’s and early 1960’s à there was no government ministries in Qatar.
· 1957 à Education Ministry founded à first ministry in Qatar
· Early 1960 (before Sheikh Ali abdicated) à Finance Ministry founded, led by Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad
·
· Law:
o Sharia Court is used for Qatar locals and Arabs
o The court is based on customary law and equity
o Judge of the court is the political agent for people who do not fit the criteria of Qataris and Arabs
· Transport:
o Um Said main port for oil exports while Zakrit is a harbor for goods from Bahrain
o Cars and lorries main transport methods on lands
o Strick Line in Um Said is the British line call
o British India Steam Navigation Company is a service of gulf, India and Pakistan
· Development:
o A 130 bed hospital
o Piped water supply
o Arab Bank, British Bank of Middle East and Ottoman Bank