Bahrain: Torture testimony at the House of Lords infuriates Al Khalifa

Today, the people of Bahrain have celebrated the “National Day” in their own way; silence. As the ruling family has increasingly become agitated at the prospect of new revolutionary culture replacing their antiquated arguments, the people are bracing themselves for eventual showdown with the Al Khalifa who are viewed as invaders and pirates who snatched their land and attempted to subjugate them.

On 14th Auguts 1971 the British forces were withdrawn from all areas East of Suez, ie. Including Bahrain. That is the day the Bahrainis aspire to celebrate as a national day. The preceding decade had been a period of anti-British agitation with frequent demonstrations and violence. The independence of the country was of paramount significance for several reasons: First it symbolised the aspiration of the people. Second it represents the unity of all native Bahrainis (Sunni and Shia) in their struggle to achieve independence and justice. Thirdly, it also affirms one important fact; that no power can have monopoly over the affairs of other people forever and that such regimes often come and ago. The Al Khalifa are not necessary to run a modern state.

Meanwhile, the ruling junta has employed every dirty means to ensure that a planned celebrations on this occasion would not be allowed. Haq Movement and the newly-formed Council of resistance had planned a special meeting today as part of their education programme in relations to local events.

The Al Khalifa junta took immediate steps to prevent the convening of this meeting. They considered it as a threat to the history of Bahrain.

Hundreds of heavily-armed police were deployed to create fear in the  hearts of the people. Eventually the meeting was banned, a step that was considered  a step backward in the process of educating the people. The Al Attar Mosque, in Sitra was also surrounded by the police to prevent major activities that may be construed as being firmly against it. The opposition held a press conference at Mr Hassan Mushaim’s house. The crisis of confidence between the two sides was highlighted and the aspirations of Bahrainis for a better future based on a constitution drawn up by the people were highlighted. Sheikh Saeed Al Noouri and Mr Abdul Wahab Hussain took part in the conference. Bahrainis have all along refused to recognise 16th December as National Day. It is the day when Sheikh Salman, the grandfather of the present ruler, became the ruler following the demise of his father. Bahrainis have never identified with this day as it only confirms the occupational mentality of the Al Khalifa.

In response to the successful seminar organised by Lord Avebury at the House of Lords on 6th August, the Al Khalifa junta reacted angrily at the event. They focussed their attacks on the testimony given by Maitham Bader Al Sheikh, who has recently been released from jail after being illegally incarcerated for 16 months. In his testimony he gave a graphic account of the torture inflicted on him by the torturers acting on orders of the present Al Khalifa ambassador to UK, Khalifa bin Ali bin Rashid Al Khalifa. The audience were furious to learn that a diplomat in London was so deeply involved in the criminal act of torture. The present head of the torture apparatus is the former Al Khalifa ambassador to London, Khalifa bin Abdulla Al Khalifa under whose orders scores of Bahrainis have been tortured. At the end of the seminar a resolution was passed calling on the British government to step in and call on the Al Khalifa not to retaliate against the victim who had been subjected to the most horrific treatment including sexual abuse.

In the mean time, a Bahraini youth was kidnapped from the town of Jid Hafs. The Death Squads stormed a mosque in Jidhafs Housing, near Sanabis, abused him and beat him on all parts of his body to the brink of death. The youth was kidnapped at 1.00 am today by members of the Death Squad, run by the royal court, tortured and abused before being dumped in a remote area. He was spotted at 9 am by some farmers who rushed him to his brother’s house nearby. He is recovering from his horrific wounds.

 
Bahrain Freedom Movement
14th August 2009