A Note on the Language

These texts are poor English translations of originals in Arabic that I could not locate in any archives I visited. The quality of the language must be put in context: the overburdened translators employed by the Intelligence Department had too much work and very little time to carry it out properly. Also, the main task of these translators was not to produce grammatically correct documents, but to convey the general meaning of these political texts, often as fast as possible. Such translations must be seen as drafts, and as the only fragments we have of voices that were certainly much more eloquent in Arabic, but which are now lost.

• 1) Translation of an Arabic telegram, Khartoum, Saleh Abdel Gadir, Ali Abdel Latif, Hassan Sharif, Hassan Saleh, Obeid El Haj El Amin to Governor General, Khartoum, 15.5.1924, FO 141/806/1, NA.

We beg to conveyance of this our protest to both the Egyptian and British Parliaments. Our dignity will not permit us to be bought and sold like animals who have no voice in their disposal. We protest with all our strength for not giving our people the legal freedom to say their word openly and to send those who will be selected by the nation from her sincere sons to at least to be aware of the true decision on the settlement of their future during the Negotiations. It is not for any other person than they, whatever the state may be, to settle the question of its future because the word is only for the nation and she is the owner of the right. We also protest against the secrecy and compulsory work which are adapted for the separation of the Sudan. All what we can do is to communicate this to you and to send someone to convey our opinion to our Exalted King and to the Consuls of the European Powers in Cairo.

• 2) Translation of a Telegram, Mohammed Idris Babikr, El Imam Doleib, Ahmed Mudassir Ibrahim, El Tuhami Mohammed Osman, Hussein Yusif Hussein, to Governor General, Khartoum, 3.6.1924, FO 141/810/3, NA.