IOR/R/15/6/373

This volume contains papers and correspondence (including a large number of telegrams) related to the outbreak of communal disturbances that took place in Gwadur [Gwadar] in March 1929 between Khojas/Aga Khanis [Ismailis] who were British subjects, and Baluchis, who were subjects of the Sultan of Muscat and Oman. During the troubles, which followed allegations of the defilement of a mosque with 'human dung' by unidentified Khojas, a member of the Khoja community was killed.

A large portion of the volume (folios 234-325) consists of a copy of a report concerning the disturbances that was collated by Bertram Thomas (then serving as Finance Minister of the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman) and Major Gerald Patrick Murphy, Political Agent in Muscat. This report is divided into seven sections as follows: 1) Opinion 2) List of Witnesses 3) Depositions 4) Medical Report 5) Depositions Recorded by British Agent [in Gwadur] 6) Copies of Telegrams 7) Copies of Telegrams of Wali [Governor of Gwadur]. The volume also contains a large number of depositions of witnesses that were collected by Thomas and Murphy (folios 175-233).

Correspondence towards the rear of the volume discusses economic grievances that were said to have played a role in the disturbances between the two communities.

Much of the correspondence in the volume is between the Political Agency in Muscat, the British Agency in Gwadur and the Political Residency in Bushire, but it also contains a limited number of letters exchanged between the Political Agency in Muscat and the Shia Imami Ismailia Council in Gwadur (which contain Gujarati on their letterhead), Bertram Thomas and the Council of Ministers of the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman. The correspondence received from the Council of Ministers is in Arabic and accompanied by English translations.

On folio 122 (and a duplicate on page 139) the volume contains a document provided by the Ismailia Council that is in Sindhi (in Khojki script).