Together against state-sponsored terrorism on British soil
The recent escalation in State Terrorism adopted by the Al Khalifa junta against the Bahrainis is yet another indication of the state of desperation of the occupiers of this island in the middle of the Gulf.
It is reminiscent of the extent to which dictatorial regimes would go in their attempts to silence opposition to their fledgling regimes as popular resistance intensifies. The attacks on three opposition figures in London have been swiftly condemned by the whole spectrum of the opposition and human rights bodies. However, they also raised eyebrows among opposition groups which were shocked to see that the Al Khalifa junta has finally decided to export its terrorism to UK with all the possible ramifications such acts may lead to.
There are several explanations to this fundamental change in tactics but it is also an indication of despair and deep feeling of lack of popular legitimacy. It is now abundantly clear that the Al Khalifa junta has lost the confidence of the people of Bahrain and embarked on a futile attempt to change the demography of the country through the implementation of population transfer similar to that that had been adopted by the Israelis after the occupation of Palestine. While the Al Khalifa junta still views this demographic engineering a way out of the chronic rejection by Bahrainis of a regime based on the mentality, ethics and policies of occupation, the outcome of this policy is far from clear. It could easily lead to more catastrophic outcome including civil war between the natives and the settlers.
While the investigations continue to catch the perpetrators of the attacks against members of the Bahrainis opposition, several facts have come to light. The fist is that clear warning had been received by the Bahrainis opposition only few days prior to the attacks. The warnings came from close circles to the ruling junta. The attacks took the form of physical attacks in the street and an arson attack with the aim of liquidating a whole family. The second is that the sudden increase in the physical punishment of the activists has taken place in the past six months, and that several activists inside Bahrain had been kidnapped, tortured almost the point of death before being dumped in alleyways. It seems that the aim is to send a message to the members of the opposition that the Al Khalifa junta would no longer tolerate dissent in any shape or form.
The third is the apparent lack of comprehension by the senior members of the junta that state terrorism had not worked in the past and is unlikely to work in now or in the future. Aggressors had always been defeated. This is what happened in India, Kenya, former Rhodesia, South Africa, Iraq and elsewhere. It is true that targeting opponents is tempting but its outcome could not be guaranteed. Forth is that the ruling junta has failed to observe the lesions of history including the fact that the oppressors may add few years to their political lives but their ultimate end of failure could not be doubted.
It has now become clear that the Al Khalifa failure in the Al Hujjaira saga had infuriated the “senior” members of the Al Khalifa junta. They were forced to abandon the failed stage-managed play and release the Bahraini hostages unwillingly. Despite the attempts to achieve a face-saving solution, including letters of plea from detainees, the regime was so humiliated to be exposed to be so fraudulent, liar and human rights violator that a total blackout was imposed on the state-run media not to discuss the black saga in any detail.
Few insiders have confirmed that the Al Khalifa junta was so furious that the ruler, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, personally agreed to the launching of the state-sponsored terrorism against Bahrainis. It had been known for sometime that the royal court, under the management of a notorious sectarian, Khalid bin Ahmad Al Khlaifa, had formed squads of “Death Squads” to deal with the opposition activists in bloody ways. Among the heinous crimes committed by these squads are: the abduction, torture and leaving for dead of Jaffar Kadhem and several others, the killing of Musa Jaffar Mulla Khalil, with a car bomb, thought to be similar to those used against the Shia in Iraq, and the maiming of his colleague, Ali Sa’ad and the escalation of threats and torture against detainees.
The targeting of opponents in exile is a new addition to the black list of crimes committed by the Al Khalifa junta. It is potentially more serious than other tactics as it infringes on the sovereignty of other nations. The UK authorities have been alerted to this escalation, but they have hitherto refrained from taking the issue seriously. They ignore these warnings on the perils of the British people. Terrorism has always been a heinous crime and acts of terrorism are indications of desperation by groups or regimes who have failed to achieve their goals by peaceful means.
The Bahraini opposition has always been civilized but also committed in the pursuance of their political goals. They will continue their goals of achieving a constitutional rule based on the will and aspiration of the Bahraini people. They will continue to oppose the mentality of occupation, oppression and dictatorship of the Al Khalifa junta. As they celebrate the National Day on 15th August which coincides with British withdrawal in 1971, they will affirm their commitment to democracy and the rule of law, their struggle against hereditary dictatorship and their resistance to the mentality of occupation. They will leave no stone unturned in this struggle, and will not be deterred by acts of state terrorism against the people of Bahrain. They will also remember the black day on 25th August 1975 when the Al Khalifa occupiers dissolved the only legitimate legislature based on a constitution written by the people of Bahrain. They do so with full conviction that eventually the will of the people will prevail while occupation, despotism and hereditary dictatorship will be destined to the dustbin of history.
The Al Khalifa junta has engaged in serious acts of state terrorism, the latest of which are the unprovoked terrorist attacks against members of the Bahraini opposition. They need to be confronted with the full weight of the rule of law and by the total vigour of the UK’s law enforcement agencies. Complacency will only lead to the proliferation of state-sponsored terrorism and blood will be spelt by the Al Khalifa Death Squads on British soil.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
31st July 2009
