Gulf people and regimes on collision course on Palestine
As the Israeli devastating bombing of Gaza continues, Gulf citizens are challenging the official narratives around normalization with Israel. In Bahrain, civil society groups signed a letter urging the government to expel the Israeli ambassador. In Kuwait, protesters held two rallies and are demanding permission to hold more. In Qatar, the government allowed hundreds to protest over the weekend as Hamas’ top leader delivered a speech. In the UAE, some have openly donned the black-and-white checkered Palestinian keffiyeh on Instagram while others have tweeted under hashtags supportive of Palestinians. Bahraini people have called for the Israeli ambassador to be expelled from the country. The khalifis have acted against the will of the people, betraying the Palestinian cause and normalizing relations with the occupiers of Palestine. The National Initiative Against Normalisation with the Zionist Enemy (an umbrella group for 24 Bahraini NGOs) has called for the expulsion of the Israeli envoy. It said: “Peace with the occupation that destroys homes, kills children, women and elderly is a mirage. It must be resisted because it encourages the occupiers to pursue their policies, supported by big powers.” Al Wefaq National Islamic Society also called for the expulsion of the Zionists envoy. Bahrainis have been protesting daily against the Israeli aggression on Gaza, despite official ban on anti-war protests. The brave revolutionary youths have long challenged the khalifi authorities and called for regime change. Those who sought official permission to protest were denied this right. A planned protest on Friday has been cancelled. Yet daily pro-Palestinian demonstrations by the revolutionary youths have continued.
Symptoms of COVID19 are appearing amongst political prisoners in Bloc 13 of the notorious Jau prison. Those who displayed symptoms have not been tested – some of them were moved into isolation. Rights campaigner Safaa Al-Khawaja has reported that the families of Bahraini political prisoners organized a total of 128 peaceful marches in the first half of May as they press ahead with their campaign to secure the release of their loved ones.
On Sunday 16th May scores of families of political detainees took their grievances to the notorious Jua prison in a move that was faced by riot police trigger-ready to harm them. They wanted to talk to the prison chiefs and ask them to release their children. Their move was met with a wall of silence and threats of using force to disperse them from the area. The mother of political prisoner, Abdulla Swar who was with them was stopped for 15 minutes in the heat of the sun, together with her daughters who were accompanying her. The wife of martyr Isa Abdul Hassan also joined the protesters to ask for the release of her son, Ahmed. Her husband was killed by khalifi forces on Black Thursday 17th February 2011. Her son needs an urgent operation in his foot, according to Dr Mohammed Saif, the physician who saw him recently. The family of Sayed Nazar Al Wadaei who is serving 11 years prison sentence have expressed grave concerns for his life since he caught Covid-19 several weeks ago. They are worried that the lack of medical care may lead to severe health consequences.
Reprieve, which campaigns for abolishing capital punishment has actively sought to save the lives of two native Bahrainis on khalifi death row. This week Reprieve said: Almost 13,000 of us have signed a letter to James Cleverly MP, asking him to speak up for Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa in Bahrain before it is too late. It urged more people to sign the letter to quash the sentence. In July 2020 James Cleverly, the UK Minister of State for Middle East and North Africa, stated that if “the death penalties are upheld through the Court of Cassation process, the UK will publicly and loudly remind Bahrain of our opposition to the death penalty.”
Abdul Hadi Mushaima, the father of the first martyr of the Revolution, Ali has been fighting for his life after catching Covid-19 few weeks ago. Two days ago an official of the khalifi torture apparatus called him asking: Why aren’t you sticking to the terms of the alternative sentencing? This shows the extent of lack of humanity in the rank and file of the regime.
Saudi blogger Loujain al-Bouq, owner of the @Lumajajainly_92 account, was arrested on 20 May 2019 and forcibly disappeared. On 8 August 2019, she called her family and informed them of her detention in Dhahban prison, where she remains, with visits restricted. She has been given five years prison sentence. Loujain’s father, Majali al-Bouq, is a detainee who has spent nearly 10 years in prison.
On 15th May Saudi human rights activists marked three years since the #Saudi authorities launched a wave of arrests against women human rights defenders. Some remain in detention to this day like Nassima Al Sadah. Loujain al-Hathloul was among those arrested. She was released in February after spending 1000 days behind bars. Other activists include Aziza al-Yousef and Eman al-Nafjan who were released in March 2019 but face severe restrictions.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
19th May 2021 (info@vob.org, www.vob.org)