Bahrain: Beginning of international awareness amid more anti-Shia campaign
As the ramifications of the Al Khalifa snub to Catherine Ashton, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs threaten serious rifts between Europe and GCC, the international pressure on Bahrain’s dictatorship has already been stepped up.
Yesterday UK’s Foreign Secretary, William Hague has criticised the Al Khalifa for their human rights abuses and attacks on free speech and medical rights of citizens. He defended the rights of Bahrainis to protest peacefully and express their views. Ms Ashton had earlier called for the immediate release of political prisoners whom Amnesty International had considered “prisoners of conscience”, and the right of Bahrainis to determine their destiny. The United States has yet to declare a clear stand on the ongoing revolution in that country and stop its double standard policy. Washington has expressed less negative stands to the pro-democracy protests in other countries; Libya, Yemen and Syria but supported the Saudi invasion and the violent crackdown against the pro-democracy movement in Bahrain.
The Western media, meanwhile has also shown a positive approach to the events in this Gulf state. The Guardian has published several articles and reports over the past week highlighting the repression of the Al Khalifa regime. It has highlighted the plight of tens of Bahraini students at British universities after their scholarships had been terminated by the regime in revenge to their participation in anti-regime demonstrations. The Foreign Office has also reacted by stressing that those students had done nothing wrong when they expressed their views freely and peacefully. Their scholarships should not have been stopped, FCO said. Today, The Times has published a similar article on .
On Thursday, The Independent newspaper dedicated its front page to the deteriorating situation in Bahrain under the title: “Bahrain’s secret terror” which highlighted the various policies of the regime towards Shia activists, including the arrest of doctors, nurses, artists, footballers, teachers, women and children. In addition to the printed media, American media has taken a keen interest in Bahrain’s revolution which has been totally disowned by the US. CNN, NBC, Washington Post and others have published positive reports on the situation. This sudden awakening of the conscience is positive and has been welcomed by Bahrainis who have felt abandoned by the governments of the “Free World”.
Meanwhile, two renowned international bodies have attacked the Bahraini rulers for violating the basic rights of the medical staff including doctors and nurses. The Massachusetts-based Pysicians for Human Rights said: “As doctors in Bahrain treat protesters and wounded civilians, they have seen evidence of the atrocities committed by the authorities,” the Massachusetts-based group said in an e-mailed report.
It further added: “This knowledge has made them targets. At least 32 health care professionals have been abducted over the past two months and are being held incommunicado by security forces.” Hans Hogrefe, Washington Director of Physicians for Human Rights, said: “hard evidence of systematic and coordinated attacks against medical personnel because of their efforts to provide unbiased care for wounded protesters,” the group said. “These attacks violate the principle of ‘medical neutrality’ and are grave breaches of international law.” On 7th April, Doctors Without Borders said that “Bahrain turned hospitals into places to be feared”.
Meanwhile the situation on the ground is deteriorating as more acts of revenge against the majority Shia Muslims continued. More mosques have been demolished in the past few days, bringing the total to more than 27. The people, however, have continued their anti-regime protests. On Thursday night, several demonstrations were held in various towns. Pro-democracy protesters held candle vigils while thousands others raised their voices on the roof tops chanting “God is great”. In Al Eker town the scene of the protest was inspiring.
Death Squads and hooded militias attacked the town aiming at those reciting prayers at mosques. People of Arad had also participated in peaceful protests but the ruthless hooded forces attacked and arrested scores of them including: Maryam Ali Al Mutawwa’, Ahmad Abdul Mutallib Al Sayegh, Redha Jassim Radhi, Jassim Al Darawgha, Zuhair Mohammad Radhi and Ali Ibrahim Khalil.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
23rd April 2011
