Bahrain: Silent genocide continues amid international concerns

As the stage-managed poorly-produced political play undertaken by Bahrain’s ruler gradually fades away both in terms of significance and credibility, the international community begins its slow moves to assess the situation and seriously contemplates action against senior Al Khalifa figures for crimes against humanity.

First came the visit to Bahrain byJoshua Colangelo-Bryan on behalf of Human Rights Watch which had been alarmed by the all-out war against political and human rights activists. The visit lasted five days during which Mr Colangelo-Bryan met with the families of the detainees and their lawyers to document the horrible torture inflicted on Bahrainis by the ruling Al Khalifa family. He also documented some of the cases of Bahrainis who had been kidnapped and tortured by the notorious Death Squads.

Just as Mr Colangelo-Bryan was preparing to leave Bahrain another human rights defender landed. Mr Vincent Forest of Frontline wanted to see for himself the realities on the ground. He later said that there is an ocean between the claims and realities in regards to the regime’s actions and policies. The lack of access to lawyers and families and the continued incommunicado detentions are contrary to Bahrain’s undertaking to respect human rights in accordance with the international conventions. He also said that targeting human rights defenders is a serious crime that could lead to silence that allows torture and other ill-treatment of detainees easier to commit.

On Saturday 2nd October three Bahrainis from Sanabis Town were arrested during raids on houses. They are three innocent brothers, snatched from their families and taken to torture chambers. They are: Mohammaed Jamil Tahir Al Sami’, 24, Abbas Jamild Tahir Al Sami’, 21 and Ali Jamil Tahir  Al Sami’, 20. Nothing has yet been heard of their whereabouts. In another raid in the early hours of yesterday, Sunday 3rd October, another attack on the same village led to the arrest of a young boy. Salman Mulla Hassan Zain Eldin, 21, was snatched by Death Squads and taken to an unknown destination. The young Bahraini had been abducted in August and released after being subjected to extensive torture. His case had been documented as evidence against the minister of national security agency, Khalifa bid Abdulla Al Khalifa who has become notorious for introducing severe forms of torture unheard of in the past. He was the Al Khalifa Ambassador in London.

In another negative development, ten Bahrainis were remanded in custody for further sessions of torture. They had been arrested on Eid Day as they shouted pro-democracy slogans at the main City Centre Mall in Manama.

Meanwhile, the people have reacted to the total control imposed by the ruling family on the local media, by reverting to the old style of writing slogans on the walls. In Bilad Al Qadeem, pro-democracy slogans were painted on the road leading to the main mosque where Sheikh Abdul Jalil Al Miqdad used to lead prayers before he was banned. This is in addition to sporadic skirmishes between the Bahraini natives and the notorious riot police and Death Squads whose members are largely foreigners imported to wage war against the natives.

What has now become a serious cause for concern is the role assigned to the local media which is controlled by the ruling family. The human rights violations are often preceded by sedition by this media and loud “calls” from the mouthpieces of the regime to crackdown against the opposition. In recent weeks, calls have been made to strip members of the opposition of their citizenship, a step taken to enforce the view that the ruler, Hamad bin isa Al Khalifa has become deeply involved in what has now become knows as the “silent genocide”. While foreigners are being naturalised, natives are denied their citizenship for opposing the dictatorial regime. The ruler has sent an unambiguous letter to the Bahrainis that the Al Khalifa occupiers would not stop at anything in their plan to strangle the natives.

Bahrain Freedom Movement
4th October 2010