African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 1342: Chapter 351: The Infamous Executioner

It’s not that Colonel Sevler is arrogant, but rather that the enemy doesn’t pique his interest. Colonel Sevler even thinks that attacking Qatar can’t recoup the fuel costs for this 37th Brigade operation.

In this era, the most precious natural resource in Qatar is none other than pearls. However, pearls can now be cultivated artificially, and even the cultivated pearls are of better quality; you can get whatever shape you desire.

Colonel Sevler said to his subordinates: ”This mission is better left to the navy. They could easily complete it with just one warship to take over the entire Qatar.”

This statement also received widespread approval from the officers of the 37th Brigade.

”The government’s concern is nothing more than the tribal issues we faced back then in the Beibu Gulf, which caused us considerable losses, but Qatar doesn’t have this capability at all.”

”Their land area is not even as large as a prefecture-level city in East Africa, and the entire population is comparable to a small town in East Africa. Moreover, the livable areas in Qatar are limited; as long as we occupy the water sources, they have no choice but to surrender.”

”Our intelligence work on Qatar is not in place; who would have thought Qatar is this weak.”

No wonder the East African intelligence agencies don’t prioritize Qatar; the place is just not worth the attention. It’s small, has a harsh climate, and a terrible economy. Even setting up an intelligence station there feels like a waste of funds.

Of course, this explains why the British don’t value Qatar. The UK made Qatar a protectorate entirely to eliminate the local piracy issue. Although Qatar holds no value, it could still become a regional nuisance.

The Sani Clan was supported by the British to become the agent in charge of Qatar precisely for this reason, giving Qatar at least a nominal unified government, since Qatar’s tribes are too small.

So small that the British were unwilling to prosecute each one for piracy; instead, they supported a single government to handle these issues. If they couldn’t solve the piracy problem, the blame would fall on the Sani Clan.

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October 6, 1918.

East Africa declared an undeclared war against Qatar.

Over six thousand soldiers from the East African 37th Brigade attacked this small country with a population of just over twenty thousand.

Wherever the 37th Brigade went, both big and small tribes of Qatar surrendered at the mere sight of them, showing no resistance. By the time the 37th Brigade reached Bedha, the nominal ruling family of Qatar, the Sani Clan, saw no choice but to yield after a few symbolic gunshots.

Including its leader, Jasim, could only watch as half a century of family efforts fell under the iron hoof of East Africa.

Bedha.

This is the region where the Sani Tribe is located. On the very first day of the 37th Brigade’s invasion into Qatar, they successfully reached and took over Bedha, the largest settlement of Qataris.

It took less than a day for Qatar to fall, without a single battle, setting a new record for the East African Army.

One battalion of the 37th Brigade attacked Bedha, and an hour later, Colonel Sevler arrived safely in Bedha by car.

The reason the East African Army was so successful is mainly because Qatar has no depth. The distance from its border to the eastern coast is less than two hundred kilometers.

Qatar’s population is primarily concentrated in the eastern region; from the border to Bedha, the main force of the 37th Brigade advanced as if entering an uninhabited land.

Colonel Sevler stood on the sandy ground of Bedha, examining this ”capital” of a ”country” that ceased to exist completely in less than four hours.

Qatar can hardly be called a country, more like a region, and Bedha cannot be considered a capital. It is merely the site of Qatar’s largest tribe.

”So barren!” Colonel Sevler said, looking at the vista of Bedha.

As far as the eye could see, the entire Bedha was a dull brownish yellow, with the desert and the yellow buildings blending together. Many people here did not even live in houses but rather in makeshift tents.

Bedha had no roads, standing amidst the desert. Walking through could stir up dust on an entire street. Aside from the buildings, the ground wasn’t compacted and was indistinguishable from the surrounding desert, at most covered by a few carpets.

”Colonel, this is Jasim, the chief of the Sani Clan!”

East African officers brought a middle-aged man before Colonel Sevler, while Said, the ”traitor,” was responsible for translation.

”Are you the ruler of Qatar?” asked Colonel Sevler.

Jasim shook his head and replied, ”Of course not, East African Colonel. You overestimate me. At most, our Sani Clan has some influence in Qatar, but the entire Qatar is like loose sand, and my authority is only effective here in Bedha, looking after my clansmen.”

As Jasim pointed out, he was not even the nominal ruler of Qatar. The Sani Clan’s ability to dominate narratives in Qatar was due to the Sani Tribe being the strongest tribe. Usually, no other tribe dared to challenge Jasim’s authority.

Thus, Jasim was practically no different from the actual leader of Qatar, and no wonder later generations of Qataris regarded him as the ”Father of the Nation.”

Colonel Sevler asked this seemingly shrewd Qatari chieftain, ”Why did you choose not to resist?”

Jasim replied bitterly, ”Heh, Colonel, do you think our Sani Tribe has the strength to resist your army? Although we are backward, we’re not stupid.”

Colonel Sevler remarked, ”You are indeed a smart man, but your surrender was so straightforward that it makes things difficult for me.”

The difficulty for Colonel Sevler was that since the enemy didn’t resist, the 37th Brigade had no reason to ”annihilate” them all.

Although East Africa had waged many wars of annihilation in the past, the enemy rarely sat idly by.

According to the East African Government’s arrangements, if East Africa was to occupy Qatar, it would be to ”keep the land but not the people,” to avoid future troubles. Yet the Qataris surrendered so easily, leaving Colonel Sevler in a dilemma.

After thinking for a moment, Colonel Sevler asked Jasim: ”Let me ask you a question, and answer honestly. If we East Africa were to relocate you, would you accept?”

Colonel Sevler’s question was decisive for the handling of the Qatari population.

To his surprise, Jasim replied, ”Of course, if your country needs our land, we’re willing to give it up without a fight. At least I, representing the Sani Clan, can promise this. As for the other tribes in Qatar, I can’t command them.”

Jasim’s reply left Colonel Sevler quite surprised. He asked again, ”Are you sure this is your answer, and it’s sincere?”

”Of course, Colonel,” Jasim said without hesitation, ”our Sani Clan is willing to hand over the land we’ve lived on for generations to your country. I only hope your country ensures our safe departure from Qatar.”

Jasim was no fool. The reason he readily agreed to the East Africans was due to the helplessness against such a powerful force and also knowing well the ”bloody and brutal” reputation of East Africans.

East Africa’s past indifference to Qatar doesn’t mean Qatar could ignore this powerful entity that suddenly appeared in the Persian Gulf, so Jasim always valued gathering intelligence on East Africa.

Jasim was well aware of the crimes East Africa committed in the Beibu Gulf, where East Africa turned the land into a wasteland. Apart from a few Arabs fleeing, most of the original ”Pirate Coast” Arabs became nothing but bones buried in the sand.

Therefore, when faced with Sevler, the notorious executioner, Jasim didn’t hesitate to choose to recognize the power dynamics at play, hoping that East Africa would spare them to ensure his clan’s survival.