Sixteen Jews and three Arabs have been injured in communal rioting which has occurred in the crater area in Aden, a British territory on the south coast of Arabia, according to the London press. The trouble broke out, the message says, in consequence of an attempt to defile the local Arab mosque, some filthy rubbish being thrown into the courtyard. As the inhabitants of the quarter are mostly Jews, it proceeds, they were blamed for the outrage and were attacked with sticks and stones. They defended themselves as best they could.
The leaders on either side succeeded in patching up a truce, but three hours later the rioting broke out again. Arabs flung stones at Jews’ houses and the Jews replied with bottles as missiles.
The most satisfactory feature of the affair, the report adds, was the impartial behaviour of the newly formed armed police, consisting mostly of Arabs. These finally succeeded in dispersing the rioters and restoring calm. Four of the injured are in hospital, but their injuries are not serious.
The London "Jewish Chronicle" has to-day received a telegram from Aden, signed by the Young Men’s Hebrew Association, reading "Jews in danger. Arab attack. Rush help".
Aden is a fortified coaling station on the way to the East. The Government is administered by a Political Resident who is also General Officer commanding the troops, the present President being Major General Sir George Symes, who went to Aden from Palestine, where he was Chief Secretary to the Palestine Government. The India Office exercises internal administrative control’ through the Government of India, the Colonial Office (Middle East Department) is responsible for political questions, and the war Offices in London and Simla for military questions.
When Sir George Symes took up office in Aden in 1928, he caused much gratification among the Jewish population by showing great interest in Jewish educational activities there, visiting the King George V. Jewish School and examining the children. Sir George manifested considerable sympathy for the Jews of Aden.
Aden is the place in which many of the Jews from Yemen take refuge, while they make efforts to obtain permits to enable them to proceed to Palestine.
MANY JEWS FATALLY INJURED IN ADEN SAYS TELEGRAM RECEIVED BY BOARD OF DEPUTIES: COMMUNITY IN DANGER
The Jewish Board of Deputies has received a telegram from Aden reading:
On the pretext that Jews threw excreta on Mosque Moslems freely attacked Jews. Many are fatally wounded. The community is in danger. The situation is serious. Cause for prompt action.
The J.T.A. understands that the India Office has instructed the India Government to report on the situation in Aden, and to take steps immediately to prevent further trouble
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
